Photos: Semester at Skidaway students visit Wassaw Island

UGA Semester at Skidaway students approach Wassaw Island on a Skidaway Institute of Oceanography skiff.
UGA Semester at Skidaway students travel to Wassaw Island on a Skidaway Institute of Oceanography skiff. (Photos by Jackson K. Schroeder.)

On Monday, Nov. 3, Semester at Skidaway students boarded skiffs at the UGA Skidaway Institute of Oceanography (SkIO) dock and traveled along Savannah’s coastal rivers to Wassaw Island, where they hiked the trails and explored the beach. There, they learned about the island’s biology, geological development and natural history. Wassaw is one of Georgia’s barrier islands and is accessible only by boat. With very little development and few management practices, the island is one of the most pristine on the Atlantic coast. 

Semester at Skidaway students are seniors in UGA Franklin College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Marine Sciences. They spend fall semester at the UGA Skidaway Institute taking courses, conducting research, and participating in field trips to scientifically and culturally relevant locations along the Georgia coast. On Monday, Oct. 27, the student group visited Sapelo Island. Photos from that trip are available here. 

A SkIO skiff approaches Wassaw Island.
A SkIO skiff approaches Wassaw Island.
A SkIO skiff approaches the Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge dock.
A SkIO skiff approaches the Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge dock.
Mike Robinson (center) talks to students about native plant life on Wassaw Island.
SkIO Research Professional Mike Robinson (center) talks to students about native plants on Wassaw Island.
Semester at Skidaway student Macie Phillips digs to reveal the natural mineral layers on Wassaw Island’s Atlantic-facing beach.
Semester at Skidaway student Macie Phillips digs to reveal the natural mineral layers on Wassaw Island’s Atlantic-facing beach.
A bald eagle sits on the Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge sign.
A bald eagle sits on the Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge sign.
SkIO director Clark Alexander talks to students about Wassaw's geological development.
SkIO Director Clark Alexander (center) talks to students about Wassaw’s geological development.
SkIO research professional Mike Robinson (center) talks to students about native plants on Wassaw Island.
SkIO Research Professional Mike Robinson (center) talks to students about native plants on Wassaw Island.
Students traverse the beach trails on Wassaw Island.
Students traverse the beach trails on Wassaw Island.
Students track mullet in a tidal pool on Wassaw's Atlantic-facing beach.
Students track mullet in a tidal pool on Wassaw’s Atlantic-facing beach.
Semester at Skidaway student Isaac Post digs to reveal the natural mineral layers on Wassaw Island’s Atlantic-facing beach.
Semester at Skidaway student Isaac Post digs to reveal the natural mineral layers on Wassaw Island’s Atlantic-facing beach.
Students approach Wassaw Island in a UGA Skidaway Institute of Oceanography skiff.
Students approach Wassaw Island on a SkIO skiff.
Students hike through the Wassaw Island trails.
Students hike through the Wassaw Island trails.
A SkIO skiff pulls up to a hammock near Wassaw Island.
A SkIO skiff pulls up to a hammock near Wassaw Island.
Students hike along a hammock near Wassaw Island.
Students hike along a hammock near Wassaw Island.
Semester at Skidaway students on Wassaw's Atlantic-facing beach.
Semester at Skidaway students on Wassaw’s Atlantic-facing beach.
Students pull away from Wassaw Island, headed back towards Skidaway Island.
A SkIO skiff pulls away from Wassaw Island, headed back towards Skidaway Island.

About SkIO

The UGA Skidaway Institute of Oceanography (SkIO) is a multidisciplinary research and education institution located on Skidaway Island near Savannah, Georgia. The Institute was founded in 1967 with a mission to conduct research in all fields of oceanography. In 2013, SkIO was merged with the University of Georgia. The campus serves as a gateway to coastal and marine environments for programs throughout the University System. The Institute’s primary goals are to further the understanding of marine and environmental processes, conduct leading-edge research on coastal and marine systems, and train tomorrow’s scientists.