Tenth Year for Lincoln High School Drift Study in Progress
May 25, 2012
Port Angeles, Wash. - Lincoln High School students flung about 300 drift cards in to the Strait of Juan de Fuca Thursday, May 17 to kick off their tenth annual drift card study.
Arrangements were made for a dozen science students to travel by a United States Coast Guard boat to toss 150 cards into the Strait of Juan de Fuca late morning. Earlier in the day the same students tossed an additional 150 cards into the Strait from Ediz Hook.
The particular times were chosen to closely repeat the tides during “flings” from past years.
Finders of the cards are asked to report three things: the number of the card, where it was found, and the date it was discovered. Information is on the card about where to send the data.
“In the past, there has appeared to be a drift/current pattern emerging for cards to initially travel east toward Dungeness Spit, Whidbey Island, then circle around toward the west to the San Juan Islands,” teacher Deb Volturno explained, “and on to Vancouver Island, where they cross over to the south side of the Strait in the vicinity of Freshwater Bay, and then travel out to the Pacific Ocean, rounding Cape Flattery and drifting down the west coast of Washington. We have had cards reported as far away as the mouth of the Columbia River; Tofino, British Columbia; and almost to Vancouver, British Columbia.”
“This year we’re expecting more citizen interest due to flotsam already found from Japan’s 2011 tsunami,” Volturno added.
United State Coast Guard members who assisted with the project are:
BM2 Dustin Storm
MK2 Methuselah Arnold
BM3 Peter Perez
SN Tyler Aguilera
SN Nicole Butcher
BM1 Neil Lester
For specific information, contact:
Deb Volturno
Lincoln High School
360.565.1883
dvolturno@portangelesschools.org
For additional assistance, call:
Tina Smith-O’Hara
Community Relations Specialist
Port Angeles School District
360.565.3703
tsmithohara@portangelesschools.org