Beaches, Dunes, and Tidepools: July 29-August 2, 2019

This week’s exciting adventures will have students kayaking to the sandpit to explore the 3- story dunes and beaches on the estuary and ocean side of the sandpit, which offers miles of shoreline for wandering. Summer is a great time for invertebrate scavenger hunts along the shores of the estuary. Students will explore the beaches and dunes of Montana de Oro State Park. There will also be tide pool exploration at Quarry Cove and Corrlina Cove. Students will observe the effects of tide cycles on life in the estuary, learn to read tide charts, and use them to predict high and low tides times.

Maximum Students 10

Monday-Friday 9:00 am - 3:30 pm

Enrollment Fee $280.00

Ages: 7years and above

Meeting locations include Morro Bay Marina, The Sandpit Beach and Spooner’s Cove in Montana de Oro State Park,

Exploring Morro Bay Estuary 1: June 17- 21, 2019

(This Camp is Full)

Maximum students: 12

Monday - Friday 8:30 am - 4:00 pm

Enrollment Fee: $280.00

Meet @ Morro Bay State Park Marina, Tidelands Park, and Morro Bay Harbor Patrol

Ages

Students will explore Morro Bay Estuary to gain an appreciation for the importance of estuaries, in sustaining marine life in the open ocean.  We’ll observe the behavior of local marine birds, summer migrants, and predatory birds that patrol the estuary.  During “Belly Biology” on the docks, we’ll study the many organisms that make their homes underneath.

 We’ll explore the salt marsh, mudflats, and rocky shores of the harbor mouth.  We’ll visit an oyster farm, and  kayak to the Sandspit to explore the sand spit dunes and beaches which offer miles of open shoreline for wandering, and scavenger hunts for sea hares sea slugs and other invertebrates. Students will observe the effects of tide cycles on life in the estuary, learn to read tide charts, and use them to predict high and low tides times.  Students will also get a great orientation on Harbor Patrol activities and get a chance to cruise the harbor on a Harbor Patrol boat. If scheduling permits. We will also participate in a Watershed Workshop at the Morro Bay National Estuary Program Office on the Embarcadero.

We'll cap off the week with ice cream at Sun n' Buns and lunch at Giovanni's

Exploring Morro Bay Estuary 2: June 24-28, 2019 (This camp is Full)

Maximum Students: 12

Monday - Friday 8:30 am - 4:00 pm

Enrollment Fee: $280.00

Meet @ Morro Bay State Park Marina, Tidelands Park, and Morro Bay Harbor Patrol

Age 1st - 4th grade

Students will explore Morro Bay Estuary to gain an appreciation for the importance of estuaries, in sustaining marine life in the open ocean.  We’ll observe the behavior of local marine birds, summer migrants, and predatory birds that patrol the estuary.  During “Belly Biology” on the docks, we’ll study the many organisms that make their homes underneath.

 We’ll explore the salt marsh, mudflats, and rocky shores of the harbor mouth.  We’ll visit an oyster farm, and  kayak to the Sandspit to explore the sand spit dunes and beaches which offer miles of open shoreline for wandering, and scavenger hunts for sea hares sea slugs and other invertebrates. Students will observe the effects of tide cycles on life in the estuary, learn to read tide charts, and use them to predict high and low tides times.  Students will also get a great orientation on Harbor Patrol activities and get a chance to cruise the harbor on a Harbor Patrol boat. If scheduling permits. We will also participate in a Watershed Workshop at the Morro Bay National Estuary Program Office on the Embarcadero.

We'll cap off the week with ice cream at Sun n' Buns and lunch at Giovanni's

Marine Science Gumbo 1:  June 24-28, 2019   

Age: 3rd grade and above

Monday - Friday 8:30 am - 4:00 pm

Enrollment Fee: $320.00

Maximum Enrollment: 10

Meet @ Morro Bay State Park Marina across from Morro Bay State Park Campground

We will explore the inter-tidal zones of Morro Bay, and Estero Bay, searching for life among the rocks.  We’ll have kayak scavenger hunts, looking for marine invertebrates under the docks and piers.   We’ll also explore the sandspit and dune systems around Estero Bay that offer great opportunities for rolling and tumbling in the sand. We will have hands on marine labs and activities designed to enhance student understanding of biological  interactions in marine ecosystems  We will also explore the human impact on marine ecosystems with a field study on plastic debris.  The upper division group will close out the week by going on a whale watching cruise to search for humpbacks and other marine mammals..

Exploring Freshwater Creeks and Riparian Ecosystems: July 8-12, 2019

Young scientists and explorers will have an opportunity to investigate and explore local creeks and lakes, learning about riparian (river) ecosystems including macro-invertebrates, insects, crayfish, and various riparian plants. Students will come to appreciate the importance of these habitats and the role they play specifically on the Central Coast. Students will perform basic water quality tests similar to what would be done with a home aquarium. Students will learn how water temperature, movement, and creek substrate affect the types of of organisms you see in specific areas. They will learn about the importance of watersheds and, they will spend considerable time just EXPLORING.

Maximum Students 10

Age range 1st - 4th grade

Enrollment Fee: $280.00

Meet@ Santa Rosa Park, Cuesta Canyon Park, El Chorro Regional Park,and Laguna Lake

Gone Fishing July 8-12, 2019 (This camp is full)

We will be fishing from local piers in Morro Bay and Avila Beach on the final day students will go on a deep sea fishing trip out of either Morro Bay or Port San Luis.

Maximum Students 4

Ages: 7 and above

Monday - Friday 8:30 am - 4:00 pm

Meeting @ Morro Bay and Avila. Exact locations will be communicated daily.

Exploring Morro Bay Estuary 3: July 15-19, 2019

Maximum Students: 10

Monday - Friday 8:30 am - 4:00 pm

Enrollment Fee: $280.00

Meet @ Morro Bay State Park Marina, Tidelands Park, and Morro Bay Harbor Patrol

Age 1st - 5th grade

Students will explore Morro Bay Estuary to gain an appreciation for the importance of estuaries, in sustaining marine life in the open ocean.  We’ll observe the behavior of local marine birds, summer migrants, and predatory birds that patrol the estuary.  During “Belly Biology” on the docks, we’ll study the many organisms that make their homes underneath.

 We’ll explore the salt marsh, mudflats, and rocky shores of the harbor mouth.  We’ll visit an oyster farm, and  kayak to the Sand spit to explore the sand spit dunes and beaches which offer miles of open shoreline for wandering, and scavenger hunts for sea hares sea slugs and other invertebrates. Students will observe the effects of tide cycles on life in the estuary, learn to read tide charts, and use them to predict high and low tides times.  Students will also get a great orientation on Harbor Patrol activities and get a chance to cruise the harbor on a Harbor Patrol boat. If scheduling permits. We will also participate in a Watershed Workshop at the Morro Bay National Estuary Program Office on the Embarcadero.

We'll cap off the week with ice cream at Sun n' Buns and lunch at Giovanni'

Marine Science Gumbo 2: The Kayaking Challenge Week July 15-19, 2019

We will explore intertidal zones searching for life among the rocks.  We’ll have kayak scavenger hunts, looking for marine invertebrates under the docks and piers.   We’ll also explore the Sand spit and dune systems around Morro Bay that offer great opportunities for rolling and tumbling in the sand, while studying dune formation and dune vegetation. We will visit an Oyster Farm, and have hands on marine labs and activities designed to enhance student understanding of ocean topography and the biological interactions in marine ecosystems  We will also explore the human impact on marine ecosystems with a field study on plastic debris.  We will be kayaking 4 of the 5 days this week.  

MAXIMUM STUDENTS: 10

ENROLLMENT FEE: $320.00

MONDAY - FRIDAY 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM

AGES: 3RD GRADE AND ABOVE

Washed Ashore or Left Behind: Beach Detectives and Plastic Artists: July 22-26 2109

This week young scientists will take part in a “citizen science” project involving collecting and categorizing beach litter. Our young scientists will learn to create site maps of the areas where litter collection occurs. We will only collect non-lethal beach litter using trash pickers and gloves, similar to what ECOSLO does with their “Beachkeepers” program. Students will then sort, categorize, and weigh the litter, and try determine it’s origins Prepared data sheets will be used to record data which will be entered into a national computer database. Small pieces of plastic litter will be saved for use in art projects that carry a message about environmental stewardship. There will also be time for kayaking, exploring the Dunes and beaches of Montana de Oro, and the Morro Bay Sand spit dunes wave tag.

Maximum students: 6

Age range: 3rd grade and above

enrollment fee: $200.00

Meeting location To be announced

Santa Cruz Island Adventure: August 5-9, 2019

Maximum students: 7

Ages: 3rd grade and above

Enrollment fee: $350.00

Santa Cruz Island’s varied landforms support more than 600 plant species in 10 different plant communities, from marshes and grasslands to chaparral and pine forests. There are 140 land bird and 11 land mammal species; three amphibian and five reptile species; large colonies of nesting seabirds, breeding seals, and sea lions; and other diverse marine animals and plants. Owing to millions of years of isolation, many distinctive plant and animals species have adapted to the island's unique environment, including the island scrub-jay and eight plant species found only on Santa Cruz and nowhere else in the world. Transportation across the channel to the island is provided by Island Packers located at the Ventura Harbor, We will be departing for the island at 12:00 pm on Monday August 5th. Our return trip is Wednesday August 7th. The trip across the Santa Barbara Channel takes 1-1.5 hrs. We’ll spend Wednesday and Thursday at an amazing HipCamp location on the site of the former Dos Pueblos Orchid farm, in Gaviota, which has it’s own private beach. Thursday morning we’ll hike to the painted caves. We’ll return to SLO on Friday morning, ending a fabulous Summer!!!.

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