Tide pool tours at high tide prove challenging for Park Rangers

   Two weeks ago Park Rangers at Acadia National Park were faced with a true dilemma that left them with a tough choice to make.  A group of home schooled student ranging from ages 8 to 17 had scheduled a tide pool tour with a Park Interpretive Ranger, but had failed to check the tide schedule for the area.  The problem is at high tide, tide pools are void of the usual inhabitants, as the ocean waters are covering them over.
    When asked about this problem ProRanger BeauDrey Vreeland said, "Well, that's the way it is up here along the Atlantic coast.  Being from Minnesota it took me awhile to think about the tides when planning activities that incorporate the ocean.  I've learned that the tide goes in and out twice each every day and that checking the tides is really important.  Just last week while rock climbing on Otter Cliffs, my party failed to check the tides and we had to cut the day short as the waves were to high at our belay position."
    The Park Rangers carried on with the tasked assigned and did so with the right attitude and true professionalism that all Ranger here at Acadia have.  All and all the students got a good lesson and a terrific view of the beautiful coastline of DownEast Maine.

  Two weeks ago I was sent to spend the day with the Interpretive staff as they led a small group of students on a tide pool discovery lesson.  As mentioned the group had a scheduled the class at high tide, so the pools were slim to none.  The Rangers, however, carried on and did a very good job adapting to the situation and made the best of what they could.  A side from it being a very interesting and educational lesson, I got to see more of the beautiful Maine coast and the lobster-men out and about checking their traps. 

   Later on in the week I continued to work along side the seasonal L.E. Rangers and partake in the L.E. refresher courses and training.  During this time a learned a great deal about what being an L.E. Ranger is all about.

   As a have no idea to whether this posted or not, as I didn't hit the publish button, I'm going to cut this short and try my hand at another one, with some details about the rescue I assisted on during my first Search and Rescue responds and fill you in on how doing defense tactics and volunteering to play the bad guy when the Rangers have simmunitions is not always the best idea.