45
“Whoa! Look at
the fish, Mommy!”
boat. They named the channel
Link Port and invited
their friend Johnson, founder
of the Harbor Branch Foundation,
to join them. Link’s
new submersible was given
to the Smithsonian, commissioned
in 1971 in Fort Pierce
at Link Port and named the
Johnson-Sea-Link. Shortly
after that, the Smithsonian
started a Fort Pierce bureau,
and Johnson built a science
center adjacent to Link Port.
Rice came to Fort Pierce
in 1972 with a field assistant
and was a visiting scientist
at the Smithsonian’s Link
Port facility.
“Several natural history
scientists had an interest in
working in Fort Pierce and
encouraged the Smithsonian
to set up a
permanent
facility,” says
Rice. The
Smithsonian
Marine Station
at Link
Port was
established in
1981 and Rice
was appointed
director.
A World War II Army barge
was brought into Link Port
and retrofitted to serve as
the new Smithsonian Lab for
visiting scientists and their
colleagues. “This whole endeavor
turned out to be very
successful,” says Rice. “We
had our visiting scientists,
but we also started a post
doctoral fellows program.”
MARINE RESEARCH
>>
• For all ages
• 3 levels of courses
• New “all-zip” option
• Jungle bridges
• Tarzan swing
• Feed gentle giraffe
• Kayak past animals
• Get wet in Paws On
• Pet a Rhino
• Explore the aquarium
• Ride the train
The Smithsonian Marine Ecosystems Exhibit houses a diverse number of
living corals. Live animals in aquariums and a touch tank provide great
learning experiences for both children and adults.
Edwin A. Link
founded Link Port
in Fort Pierce where
the Smithsonian
Marine Station was
first established.
/www.BrevardZoo.org
