Committed to providing an opportunity for all children to gain confidence and self-esteem through participation in outdoor activities

Marine Science

One of our core programs all summer long is our Marine Science Education/Snorkeling Program.  The program is a special collaboration between Outdoor Outreach, The San Diego Ocean´s Foundation and the Birch Aquarium at Scripps.  Many of the youth we serve have never been to the ocean, and this program gives us the opportunity to educate and inspire the kids to become passionate stewards of the local ocean ecosystem.

A typical snorkeling trip starts off with a visit to the Birch Aquarium at Scripps where snorkelers are given an informal introduction to the animals commonly seen while in the water. Once we arrive at the beach, snorkelers are provided images to help identify various organisms, told where to find such creatures and let in on some cool adaptations these animals have to help them survive in the big blue. Fun facts and entertaining stories get the kids pumped up and ready to dive in! Participants are taught basic snorkeling techniques, fitted for gear and are able to practice snorkeling in a shallow water environment. As soon as everyone is comfortable, we snorkel a short distance across a rocky reef area that is teeming with life. Here, snorkelers are able to observe all of the fish, invertebrates and algae we talked about first-hand. SDOF’s marine biologist instructors lead participants in small groups, focusing on organism identification as well as efforts to be taken in order to minimize our impacts on the local marine environment. We round out our trip by brainstorming ways to help protect these fascinating habitats in our everyday lives.
 

Link to: Photo Gallery View our Marine Science Photo Gallery