North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher

Front view of Aquarium

Information and activities contained in this manual are designed so that Teachers may develop lesson plans based on accessibility to the outdoors whether on field trips or in the schoolyard.

For the purpose of this workshop, detailed background information will be limited to Fort Fisher and Carolina Beach Lake , but I encourage you to read some of the writings of James Sprunt and others that discuss the settlement of Pleasure Island . The entire island has a very interesting past. Also mentioned are several other points of interest located a very short distance from the Aquarium.

Click here for a list of activities

Introduction

At seven and one-half miles, Pleasure Island is the largest island located on the Cape Fear Coast. The island consists of several small beach towns, including the townships of Carolina and Kure Beaches. Both have a mixture of small businesses including a variety of restaurants, shopping and real estate sales. Fishing piers are located at the north end of Carolina Beach and downtown Kure Beach . Both towns are heavily developed residentially.

Fort Fisher is located on the southernmost end of Pleasure Island. This section of the island is rich in both cultural and natural history. There is very little commercial or residential development. The Department of Cultural Resources and State Parks System in conjunction with the North Carolina Aquariums and the North Carolina National Estuarine Research Reserve preserves most of the area.

The Fort Fisher State Historic Site is what remains of the last pivotal fort in the Civil War. Soldiers stationed at Fort Fisher struggled to maintain access to the port in Wilmington , keeping it open for trade. In 1865, 56 Union ships bombarded the fort, while 3,300 infantrymen invaded by land. Fort Fisher was eventually captured after a grueling 6-hour battle. Once Fort Fisher fell, the Confederates were cut-off from supplies. The war ended three months later. Learn more about Fort Fisher ’s Civil War history at www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/fisher/fisher.htm. Information about group tours, special events and educational programs are posted on-line.

If you continue on Hwy. 421 past the Civil War Historic Site, you will see the Fort Fisher Ferry Terminal. Each year, North Carolina ferries transport over 900,000 vehicles and more than 2.5 million passengers across five separate bodies of water - the Currituck and Pamlico sounds and the Cape Fear, Neuse and Pamlico rivers. The ferry takes you across the Cape Fear River to historic Southport. If you look carefully along the way, you will see 3 of the remaining Cape Fear Lighthouses, Bald Head Island, Oak Island and Price’s Creek. For more information about the Fort Fisher-Southport Ferry call 1-800-BY-FERRY or log on at http://www.ncferry.org. For more information about NC Lighthouses, try Terrance Zepke’s “Lighthouses of the Carolinas”.

View of the beach

Coastline and salt marshes at Fort Fisher State Recreation Area

The Fort Fisher State Recreation Area adjoins the Aquarium property. The park was established in 1986 and encompasses 288 acres of diverse coastal habitats. These habitats include salt marsh, ocean beach and estuary. A 1,300-acre section of one of the last standing old growth maritime forests located on Bald Head Island is also under the State Park’s Management. To learn more about the Ft. Fisher State Recreation Area including programs and events, log on to www.ils.unc.edu/parkproject/visit/fofi/home.

Hermit's Creek

Hermit's Creek at low tide

Located behind the Aquarium within the Fort Fisher State Recreation Area is “Hermit’s Creek”, the first of our test sites. The creek has gone through many changes throughout the years, but still runs through the marsh, in from the Cape Fear estuary. In 1955 at the age of 62, a colorful character named Robert E. Harrill moved to the area and eventually took refuge in an abandoned ammunitions bunker. The bunker remains on high ground within the salt marsh in what is now part of the Fort Fisher State Recreation Area. As time passed, Robert took the name of the Fort Fisher Hermit. He made a living tending boats moored in the marsh creek (“Hermit’s Creek”), acting as a guide for vacationing fisherman and above all, accepting donations as he conversed with visitors. The Fort Fisher Hermit claimed to receive more visitors than any other local attraction, with the exception of the Battleship― until he was murdered at the age of 79. To learn more about the Fort Fisher Hermit, read “The Last Battle for Independence—The Story of the Fort Fisher Hermit” by Michael Edwards.

The Workshop

During the morning and early afternoon, we will collect water quality data and conduct several field activities at three different sites on Pleasure Island . In the late afternoon, we will return to the Aquarium and rotate through a number of different activities that can be used as pre- or post activities in the classroom. Six hours credit may be obtained by attending this all day workshop. Four additional hours may be obtained by altering one of the activities so that it is specific to your schoolyard.

At the Aquarium

Black Skimmers

During our hike through the salt marsh, we will view the activities of marsh-dwelling animals and discuss the variety of plants found in this rich environment. One of our first stops will be Hermit’s Creek. The creek is surrounded by salt marsh and contains animals commonly found in our estuary. Birds, such as egrets, herons and skimmers can be seen feeding in the shallow water at low tide. Blue crabs, marsh periwinkles and mud snails can be seen along the banks and among the cordgrass. Pipefish, juvenile croaker and other tiny fin fishes are commonly collected with seine nets. Shrimp, oysters, clams and other marine invertebrates are also easily found.

Our next site located on the Aquarium grounds is the enclosed pond behind the Aquarium. This pond is actually a manmade borrow pit that naturally filled with water. A small creek originating in the salt marsh once fed the pond. Over the years and especially after Hurricane Fran in 1996, the pond became cut off from the normal tidal influences of the creek. Instead, the pond is inundated with salt water only by extreme tides and storm surges. Because of this, the salinity has gradually decreased over the years, allowing aquatic plants that are less salt-tolerant to thrive. Tiny saltwater fishes, shrimps and blue crabs are found with aquatic insect larvae that are more typical of a freshwater resource.

At Carolina Beach Lake

Turtles and alligators can be found at

Carolina Beach Lake

Our last field activities will be held at the Carolina Beach Lake in the early afternoon. This lake was once listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the closest freshwater lake found near the ocean. It drains 500 acres of surrounding land area and is fed by an underground stream. The lake has experienced a high degree of human impact over the years.We will explore these impacts and discuss positive and negative results.

Water Quality Data will be collected in 3 separate areas in and around the lake and comparisons made of our findings. We will add one additional collecting technique at this station.

Last but not least

Several stations will be set-up for you to explore ways to incorporate components such as art, math, language arts, etc. into pre- and post-activities for the classroom.

Welcome to the Salt Marsh Teacher Workshop at the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher

Introduction

At the Aquarium

At Carolina Beach Lake

Last but not least

Welcome to the Salt Marsh Teacher Workshop at the
North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher