Organizers are ready to celebrate the ocean at the University of Delaware’s 32nd annual Coast Day, to be held Sunday, Oct. 5, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event, which is sponsored by the College of Marine and Earth Studies (CMES) and the Delaware Sea Grant College Program, will take place rain or shine at UD’s Hugh R. Sharp Campus in Lewes. Admission and parking are free.
This year’s theme, “Coastal Challenges — Coastal Solutions,” will show visitors how UD researchers are tackling many of the region’s and the world’s toughest environmental issues, organizers noted. A special exhibit centered on this theme will demonstrate how guests can help solve coastal challenges in their everyday lives.
“Delaware has so many coastal resources,” said Nancy Targett, dean of CMES and Delaware Sea Grant director. “This event is an opportunity for the public to learn about UD’s research related to those resources and the challenges we face in making sure they’re healthy and available for future generations.”
In addition to meeting scientists eager to share their work through presentations and demonstrations, Coast Day guests will be able to tour ships, try hands-on activities, and see marine animals up close at touch tanks. They also will be able to attend lectures that cover topics such as diving adventures with underwater robots and marine mammals and sea turtles of the Delaware coast.
The day also will include a special ceremony recognizing the 2008 Governor’s Marine and Aquatic Science Teacher of the Year and the winners of the Fifth-Grade Student Essay Contest, which awards students and teachers who demonstrate coastal awareness throughout the state. The ceremony also will pay special tribute to Gov. Ruth Ann Minner for her longtime support of Coast Day and Delaware Sea Grant.
Activities for children include a treasure hunt that allows them to search for answers to questions about the environment and Coast Day exhibits. Children can take part in the crab races, where they can compete against marine scientists to see who has the best bait. They also can enjoy a magic show — back by popular demand — that teaches them all about chemistry.
The schedule also includes favorite activities from years past. Seafood lovers can watch contestants compete in the 19th annual Crab Cake Cook-Off in hopes of making “Delaware’s Best Crab Cakes” and vote for their favorite seafood chowder in the annual Seafood Chowder Challenge — a friendly competition between two local chefs’ associations.
They can also attend a variety of seminars that will present innovative ways to prepare seafood, including one of this year’s features: seafood enchiladas. In addition, a variety of seafood and non-seafood items will be available for purchase.
Whether they’re checking out the seafood events or reading the event program, visitors will be sure to notice one change to Coast Day — it’s become more environmentally friendly.
Plates, cups, napkins and utensils from the seafood areas will be composted for use on campus landscaping; extra bike racks will be available for guests who chose to pedal to the event; eco-friendly reusable bags will be for sale; and this year’s program is printed using trees from forests managed in an environmentally friendly manner. Additionally, the UD Tent will highlight some of the work being done by researchers to ensure a greener future.
Learn to make Asian tuna, seafood enchiladas and more
Those who plan to attend Coast Day this year shouldn’t forget their appetites. A full lineup of seafood creations is on the menu.
Culinary presentations will begin at noon, when Lisa Brisch of Dinner Thyme in Middletown, Del., will show guests how to make Thai shrimp curry. At 1:30 p.m., Betty Burleigh, chef and owner of Dinner is Served in Bear, Del., will demonstrate how to prepare Asian tuna with an oriental wasabi sauce. Wrapping up the agenda at 3 p.m. will be Lynn Hanna of It’s Simply Delicious in Wilmington, Del., who will demonstrate how to cook seafood enchiladas.
“The cooking demonstrations are a great way to learn new approaches to cooking seafood,” said Doris Hicks, seafood specialist with Delaware Sea Grant and organizer of all the seafood-related activities at Coast Day. “And since the recipes are usually easy to make, they’re something you can use at home.”
Two of Coast Day’s most delicious traditions also are on the schedule: the Crab Cake Cook-Off and the Seafood Chowder Challenge. Beginning at 11 a.m., the 19th annual Crab Cake Cook-Off will get started. Eight finalists will prepare their recipes in their quest to make “Delaware’s Best Crab Cakes.” Judging takes place at noon, and the winners will be announced at 1 p.m.
The Seafood Chowder Challenge begins at noon and features a friendly competition between the First State Chefs Association and the Delmarva Chefs and Cooks Association. Visitors will be invited to sample a 2-ounce portion of each association’s chowder and then vote for their favorite. Clams, donated by Seawatch International Inc., in Milford, Del., will be the featured seafood in this year’s chowders.
A large variety of seafood also will be available for purchase, including crabcakes, seafood soups and chowders, and crab-cake and soft-shell crab sandwiches. Non-seafood items also will be available.
Learn about marine mammals, underwater robots
From stranded marine mammals to the use of underwater robots for scientific research, the 2008 Coast Day Lecture Series touches on a variety of fascinating topics you won’t want to miss.
“This year’s Coast Day theme is “Coastal Challenges — Coastal Solutions,” said John Ewart, aquaculture and water quality specialist with the Delaware Sea Grant College Program and lead organizer of the 2008 event. “And the lectures we have planned this year speak in very interesting ways to some of those challenges and how scientists in our field are confronting them.”
The lectures kick off at 12:30 p.m., when UD Assistant Professor of Geological Sciences Art Trembanis presents “Diving Adventures in Bonaire with Three Autonomous Underwater Robots.” Trembanis will reflect on experiences from a Caribbean research trip during which scientists used underwater robots to study coral reefs.
The lecture series also will feature Yda Schreuder’s lecture “New Policy for New Weather” at 1:45 p.m. Schreuder, who is a Senior Policy Fellow in the Center of Energy and Environmental Policy and an associate professor in the Department of Geography, will review the issue of climate change and environmentally responsible approaches to energy use.
The series will wrap up at 3 p.m. with “Marine Mammals and Sea Turtles of the Delaware Coast,” presented by Suzanne Thurman, executive director of the Marine Education, Research, and Rehabilitation Institute Inc. (MERR). Thurman will discuss the natural history of different species and will highlight specific stranding and rescue events for various animals found on the coast.
Coast Day also will feature several additional special presentations. At 12 p.m. and 3 p.m., showings of “The ‘62 Storm — A Shared Response” will take place. The video features firsthand accounts from people who lived through the damaging three-day nor’easter, often called “Delaware’s Coastal Storm of the Century,” that claimed lives, homes and property throughout the mid-Atlantic coast.
Two other events will include a talk on the state of Delaware beaches and the kid-friendly demonstration “There’s Magic in the Atmosphere.” Tony Pratt will address the topic of beaches in a lecture titled “Delaware’s Shoreline — Are We Ready for the Next Storm?” In his 1:30 p.m. talk, Pratt will discuss Delaware shoreline management strategies and how the beaches are expected to fare during future coastal storms.
The magic show, “There’s Magic in the Atmosphere,” will take place at 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. The show includes an array of glowing and exploding chemical magic tricks that not only amaze audience members, but also will explain various marine-related phenomena.
Coast Day, which is sponsored by the University of Delaware’s College of Marine and Earth Studies and the Delaware Sea Grant College Program, attracted 13,000 visitors in 2007 to celebrate Delaware’s coastal resources and experience marine research.
For more information about Coast Day, visit www.deseagrant.org/coastday online or call (302) 831-8083. Additionally, the full lineup will be available through the event program, which is posted on the Web site.
To learn more about the Delaware Sea Grant College Program, visit www.deseagrant.org. For more about CMES, visit www.ocean.udel.edu.