EarlyAct Club visits Beef Island salt pond

On Saturday 5th March, 22 members of the EarlyAct Club of Enis Adams School, accompanied by faculty members, Rotarians and Rotaractors completed a field trip to the Salt Pond at Beef Island. Under the guidance of Rotaractor and member of the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Abbi Christopher, members learnt the 3 different types of Mangrove found in the BVI, and the importance of mangroves of preserving the fragile coastal eco-system.

EarlyAct members learnt about marine life living within the waters of the salt pond despite the high salt levels and apparent swamp life features. They were surprised to learn that the waters of the pond hosts to a wide variety of different fish species. Members were able to get up close to a blue crab and learn a little about its life cycle; they were able to touch a young barracuda which was netted by Miss Abbi’s colleague at Fisheries, Sam, and were intrigued to learn that the waters contained a large quantity of shrimp, which the flamingos feed on.

Christopher explained to the children that whereas the familiar smell of the salt pond might seem offensive, in fact this indicates that the pond is in ‘good health’. She said that the pond itself is fed by 3 streams from the sea, which rise and fall with the tide, and that the waters of the pond are constantly moving with the tide. And with the tides, fish and other marine life are constantly moving between the sea and the pond.

What was planned as a one hour trip stretched to 2 hours, an indication of how enthused the EarlyActors were with they saw, which included a small group of 3 flamingos.

EarlyAct Club is a school based youth organization within the family of Rotary and is targeted at young persons between the ages of 7 and 12. The EarlyAct Club of Enis Adams School is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Road Town and assisted by the staff at the school.

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