Hint and Seek led to Fish Census

M and I were on an emergency shoe shopping trip to North Attleboro (the plastic heel cup was poking through his shoe!) We also needed some emergency crochet hooks (all my hooks had mysteriously disappeared since I started sharing them with K. So I bought us each a new set.) I also wanted to drop off those large grocery bags of hopefully useful clothes at Savers.

Ben came up with a game; he’d give K and Dan a clue, go hang out there and, “hide,” and read his book (in peace), they would seek him anywhere in walking distance of home and get some fresh air and exercise. The clue of ‘Swans’ lead them to Mechanics Pond in the Larson Woodland of the Attleboro Land Trust. But they never actually found Ben, because they found the 10 Mile River Watershed Council holding it’s fish census.  I asked K to explain Dan’s photos, so the rest of this post is in her words.
1017151053I’m looking down into the bucket in this picture.  There were lots of fishies swimming around in it.

1017151053bI’m looking at them measuring the fishies, or I am picking one up and putting it back into the jar-thing.

1017151054I’m looking at them  photographing a fishie.

1017151056They are identifying that fishie.

1017151059aWe are seeing how long the river is across (how wide).

1017151100Someone is going to the other side.

1017151103I’m still measuring the river.

1017151104We’re walking back, bringing the measuring sticks.

1017151106I’m looking down into the bucket to see the fishies.

1017151110Probably still looking at the fishies in the bucket.

1017151112We are releasing the fishies into the wild.

1017151112aThe fishies stood still, then swimmed away.  There was a slippery little eel.

1017151118Wow, eel and seals rhyme.  “We haven’t found Benny yet!” I said.

1017151122We called Benny, and he came.  He told us where he was hiding, he actually said it was pretty comfortable.  We don’t know how much of his book he read.

1017151122cWe are probably dumping out the last bucket, or we are getting fresh water – I don’t know why we would need it.  We found a couple of little snails. The End.

Dan talked with the council volunteers and wrote his e-mail on their list, apparently they canoe the 10 Mile River, as well as zap fish, count fish, and put them back in the water. They told him that he got off easy; the last family who came upon them counting fish would up wearing waders and getting cold.  As it is, Ben, Dan and K had a wonderful morning, M’s shoes (still) fit, Savers accepted the clothes (and gave me a 30% off coupon) and K has not lost any of her new crochet hooks.

I still have mine too.

2 Replies to “Hint and Seek led to Fish Census”

    • I think she did have a wonderful time, it’s amazing how much life that stream is supporting these days, just when I was in high school, it was so polluted.