To discuss a field trip or curriculum ideas for your students, please call Kim Powell, Owner
at ( 831) 459- 8548 or email bluewaterventures@sbcglobal.net
Sea Kayaking Message to Teachers
(Elkhorn Slough: Our Most Popular Field Trip )
Tidepooling
Exploring Redwood Forests
Hiking Ano Nuevo or Pescadero Marsh
Classroom Visits
Field Trip Descriptions
Pulling a Seine Net, Big Sur
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.
Student Bird Reports, Elkhorn Slough
Sea Kayaking in Elkhorn Slough
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
Sea Kayaking and Tidepooling: Pillar Point/Half Moon Bay
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.
9:30am-2:00pm $44 per student weekdays or weekends
Seals, Sea Birds & Shell Middens: Ano Nuevo
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!
9:30am - 2:30pm $250
$275 includes a stop for a tidepool study at Davenport Landing
Tidepools of Coastal California
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.
$225 for 4 hour program
time varies with tide
Pre Hike Activity: Building a Model of the Marsh
Pescadero Marsh
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 - 2:30pm $250
$275 includes 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.
$225 for one classroom; $250 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 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
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 20 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 and corporations.
