Filled with excitement and accompanied by friends Amy and Michael Drake, Kimberly Ross and Michael Riter, we loaded up our 282 Sportfish Scout Boat and headed to the second Annual Great Scallop search whose mission is to help local scientists monitor the population of bay scallops throughout Sarasota Bay.
Nearly 170 volunteers participated and like last year, we had a blast. Team Cannons Marina found only three scallops in our assigned areas and this was probably due to the fact that the scallops prefer a sandier bottom as opposed to the giant and very itchy sea grass bed that we were in at our Buttonwood Harbor Inlet location.
The hosts for the event was Sarasota Bay Watch, whose mission as a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization is a commitment “to preserving and restoring Sarasota Bay’s ecosystem through community education and citizen participation.”
Take a moment and make a difference. Join Sarasota Bay Watch for as little as $25 per year and help Sarasota Bay. After all, let’s be honest, our area’s profound natural beauty is why we live here. So do it. Get on board with Sarasota Bay Watch,  make a difference in our community and protect your local water quality!
Photo: Rusty Chinnis