The Big Marsh Trail sign welcomes us.

We walked across this wooden trail to get to the swamp and the scanoe, learning about the marsh/swamp along the way.
Did you know the swamp has "evolved" a great deal through the centuries?
The swamp was once part of the Chesapeake Bay- the area in the above picture was once underwater!

Once out by the swamp, we learned about some of the different life forms there-
who knew how much life there was at the bottom of the swamp?

 This swamp was once a source for peat- used for helping grow plants.

The Scanoe!!!
What's a scanoe you ask?
A scanoe is actually three canoes bolted together- an unsinkable vessel!

Everyone had to find a seat, get their oars and get ready to paddle out to explore the swamp!

With lifejackets on and everyone seated, we're off!!  Each student had a turn at paddling the scanoe.
Of course the studies weren't just about learning to paddle a canoe!
There were many interesting sites and lessons along the way!

The company that had used the marsh/swamp as their source for peat went out of business.
Unfortunately, they didn't do a good job of cleaning up after themselves- they left behind their equipment.

The scanoe served as a traveling research center- we could check out the swamp life- from the surface as well as the bottom- at any spot on the trek- I wonder what we'll find here!