WHOI stands for Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. I headed up there for a quick visit to do some last minute research for my book. 

If you haven't been, I HIGHLY recommend an adventure to Woods Hole. It's the name of the town AND the name of the scientific research station. It's also the home for many of the ocean-going research vessels in the Northeast. 

WHOI is one of my (many) favorite places. It's all about hands-on science. The whole village of Woods Hole is dedicated to thinking about ocean research and science. What's not to love?

We were there so I could spend some time studying the model Alvin, WHOI's famous research sub. The staff at the Visitor's Center could not have been more generous with their time and knowledge! We got a great tour and I got lots of resources to help push me over the finish line! 

In addition to being able to see a reproduction of Alvin's controls, you can also see a shark camera featured on a recent Discovery show. Note the shark bite marks on the camera! I also got to look at a shark tag, used to research where sharks travel, up close. It's really like a shark computer: check out all of those circuits and wires! Tags used for tracking sharks and whales communicate with a satellite. Whenever the shark comes to the surface, the tag sends a signal to the satellite. That allows scientists to chart shark movement on a map to learn more about their behavior in the wild. 

There's also a lovely aquarium in Woods Hole. Unlike many aquariums, you can go behind the scenes and learn more about the research they are doing there. I've highlighted some seahorses from my visit to the aquarium.

And, of course, no road trip would be complete without some ocean time! Here, in Massachusetts, there are lots of signs about sharks. Check out all of the things to think about before you hit the water!