​For those of you who have come to the USS Yorktown you know all about our animal room. People love to look at the burr fish, turtles, and frogs but they often miss one of our favorite animals in the room. The Mosquitofish might be small but it sure is interesting! First, when you look at them it sure is pretty easy to tell if you are looking at a boy or a girl. Females tend to be much bigger than males and have a large black spot on their side. The most interesting part of them is their name. They are named after one of our least favorite bugs, the Mosquito.  Many people ask if that means they drink blood…. NO WAY! That would be crazy. One of their favorite meals just happens to be mosquito larvae. This means that in some small ponds around your house these fish could really help with the mosquitos you see in your yard. This just goes to show you; even the smallest among us can have a big impact. 

​There sure has been a lot of talk about the USS Clamagore, and what will happen to it. Eventually it will make its way down to the sunny state of Florida and be sunk to create an artificial reef. You might be asking yourself what exactly is an artificial reef? It normally refers to  a man-made structure that is placed at the bottom of the ocean. This structure then begins to promote the growth of all kinds of life. Not only can these reefs provide much needed habitats for many different animals, but they can also do a lot for humans. They can help with beach erosion, recreational fishing and diving, and even improve surfing.

Did you know that Patriots Point has not always been called Patriots Point? Once, not too long ago it was called Hog Island, and it played an important part in the defense of Charleston during the Revolutionary War. Americans blocked Hog Island Channel by sinking ships and setting up mines so that the British could not gain access to the Cooper River. Over time the island was connected to the mainland due to the dredging of the Harbor. Today, Hog Island has been renamed and is no longer even an island.