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To discuss a field trip or curriculum ideas for your students, please call Kim Powell, Owner & Lead Naturalist at (831) 459-8548 or by email at:
bluewaterventures@sbcglobal.net
Message to Teachers What Teachers Say
~ Sea Kayaking in Elkhorn Slough ~
(our most popular field trip)
~ Tidepooling ~ Exploring Redwood Forests ~
~ Hiking Ano Nuevo or Pescadero Marsh ~ Classroom Visits ~
Build your own Science Camp or Summer Program!
Field Trip Descriptions
Pulling a seine net, a favorite activity!
Sea Kayaking Programs
Our sea kayaking programs offer an exhilarating and educational experience
for students. Thorough instruction is provided by patient, qualified guides.
Each student and their partner work as a team in our stable tandem kayaks.
First time kayakers welcomed.
Appropriate for fifth grade through university level.
Destinations include: Elkhorn Slough, Half Moon Bay, Monterey Bay, Drakes Estero, Tomales Bay and Cannery Row with a visit to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Our land base activities incorporated into our sea kayaking curriculum makes our program unique. Check out students pulling a seine net and examining their catch here: Beach Seining Video
Student Bird Reports, Elkhorn Slough
Sea Kayaking in Elkhorn Slough: More Info
(our most popular field trip)
The abundant wildlife and protective water of Elkhorn Slough makes it our most
popular sea kayaking destination. Educational topics include: wetlands ecology,
endangered species, human history and adaptations of sea otters, birds and other slough residents.
Activities may include examining a bone box or pulling a large seine net to view fish and invertebrates.
A plankton tow and field telescope to study the Slough's micro biomass is another option.
9:30am-2:00pm $34 per student weekdays; $44 weekends
Our land base activities incorporated into our sea kayaking curriculum makes our program unique. Check out students pulling a seine net and examining their catch here: Beach Seining Video
Sea Kayaking &Tidepooling: Pillar Point/Half Moon Bay More Info
Pillar Point Harbor just north of Half Moon Bay is a wonderful coastal resource especially for San Francisco and East Bay Schools. Our field trip will include kayaking among an array of migratory birds, Fishing fleets and harbor seals. We will kayak across the protected harbor and explore the tidepools adjacent to Fitzgerald Marine Reserve.
Activities may include examining a bone box, pulling a large seine net and a tidepool study.
10:00am-2:30pm $44 per student weekdays or weekends
Adventure Paddle and Exploration of the Kelp Forest More info
Join our naturalist for an an eye level experience with Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary!
Using sit on top kayaks slide into our amazing bay and take a look at the kelp forest
using goggles or a mask and snorkel.
If you prefer to stay dry simply glide above the forest canopy on the
maneuverable sit on top kayaks searching for sea otters, harbor seals, sea lions and sea birds.
Destination: Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary via Santa Cruz Harbor.
During April-May, we'll launch our fleet of closed deck doubles and go in search of migrating Gray Whales with their babies in tow!
9:30am-1:30pm $44 per student weekdays or weekends
Watch a short video of our Kelp Forest Field Trip Here: Exploring the Kelp Forest
Seals, Sea Birds & Shell Middens: Ano Nuevo More Info
Ano Nuevo is rich in cultural and natural history. Students learn about the behavior of elephant seals and other marine animals. This area was once a large settlement site for the Ohlone Indians. Our day will include examining a shell midden left by the Ohlone Indians. Several hands on learning activities and environmental games will be offered along the way.
April-May is an excellent time to visit Ano Nuevo!
9:00am - 2:30pm
$275 for 28 students or less; $425 for 29-40 students
add $25 to include a stop for a tidepool study
Tidepools of Coastal California More Info
Learn about the ecology of tidepools and ocean awareness. Discover how tides
work, beaches form and about the survival strategies of intertidal inhabitants.
Activities may include collecting data from designated study sites, line transects and a beach discovery walk. We gear activities to appropriate age level.
$250 for 4 hour program in Santa Cruz County for 28 students or less
$400 for 29-40 students
time varies with tide; for other locations please email for fees to cover our travel cost
Pillar Point Harbor, adjacent to Fitzgerald Marine Reserve offers a great location for tidepooling, beach exploration and beach seining! Please add $30 to the above fees to cover our travel costs
For a real adventure, consider taking your students Extreme Tidepooling!
Watch our Extreme Video then email us for more details
Pre Hike Activity: Building a Model of the Marsh
Hiking Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve More Info
Pescadero Marsh is a wonderful resource for students. Fronted by Pescadero Beach, our day will include studying a variety of habitats including the sandy shore, riparian and marsh. Excellent tidepools are near by if teachers would like to include an intertidal study.
10:00am - 2:00pm $250 for 28 students or less
$400 for 29-40 students
add $25 to include a stop for a tidepool study
Marine Education in the Classroom
Let us bring the field trip into your classroom. Your students will learn about the intricate adaptations of tidepool animals by carefully examining live specimens in
touch tanks. Information on migrating whales, sea turtles, the deep sea and kelp forests will be included as we review the biologically diverse
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
This curriculum is a great compliment to a day in the field tidepooling or a visit with
the elephant seals of Ano Nuevo.
$250 for one classroom; $275 split between two or more classrooms
( available to schools in Santa Cruz County only )
Medicine Wheel and Stream Study Site
Temperate and Tropical Rain Forests
Learn about the ecology of our temperate rain forests by joining a naturalist at Fall Creek, Nisene Mark or Henry Cowell State Park. Students learn about the natural and cultural history of redwoods and may participate in a stream study.
10:00am - 2:00pm $250 for 28 students or less
$400 for 29-40 students
Compliment your field study with a Tropical Rain Forest Program
brought to the classroom.
$175 for 2 hour program.
( available to schools in Santa Cruz County only )
Most field trips are taught by Kim Powell, Owner of Blue Water Ventures.
With a Masters Degree in Environmental Interpretation,
Kim has taught marine education from the elementary to
university level. Additionally, she is an ACA certified sea kayaking
instructor with 25 years experience on the water. Kim brings to
the program a great deal of knowledge, enthusiasm
and safety awareness.
International field trips to tropical destinations are also available.
Waivers are required to be completed by parents.
Kayak tours available to groups of families, friends, scouts and corporations.
