Our day started off with a leisurely sleep in and then breakfast before our taxonomy lesson with Alex McIntire, who is completing his major in marine biology with a minor in chemistry at Oregon State University, in the science room on campus. After learning a bit about taxonomy, we then set out to look at the eelgrass beds on Fourth of July Beach. There, we took measurements using transects and quadrants to determine both the number of plants in one square meter as well as the amount of epiphytes growing along the blades of the grasses. We found a number of Hooded Nudibranchs and some juvenile Dungeness crabs as we wandered. Alex provided us with a wealth of information about the importance of eelgrass in the ecosystem, acting as both a nursery for fishes and a filter for toxins that have been introduced to the ecosystem. They are a welcome home for epiphytes which grow on the blades, blocking out sunlight are a nuisance to the plants. Recently eelgrass has come under threat by diseases that blacken the leaves and kill the plants. After wandering the mud flats, we loaded back into our van and drove to the local fairgrounds where a small competition was being held. We each tried to build our best edible coral reef out of candy. Congratulations to Henry who got the prize for worst reef.