Exploration Camp Itinerary

 Marine Extreme  Exploration Camp Itinerary:
Kayaking, Tidepools, Kelp Beds and Rivers

Designed for youth ages 10-13

For more information or questions email Kim at bluewaterventuressc@gmail.com or by phone at: 831 459 8548 (please note that during our 2021 camp, we will practice social distancing as mandated. Some photos from previous years do not reflect this)

Day One: Sit On Top Kayaking~ Games~Rescues ~Natural History

Today will  begin with an introduction to the use of sit on top style of kayaks.  Campers will learn paddling skills, kayak games, leadership  and water safety through a fun and informative approach.

Our day will include games and group challenges,  as well as learning about the ecology of sea otters, harbor seals  and other  wildlife of Elkhorn Slough.  Campers will learn how to self rescue when kayaking a sit on top style kayak in preparation for  our extreme adventure to the Santa Cruz Kelp beds! Begins at 9:30am in North Moss Landing Harbor and ends there at 2:00pm

Day Two: Extreme Tidepooling 

Camp will begin by exploring the dynamic rocky shore habitat at Davenport Landing or another coastal location with your camp naturalist. The Central California Coast contains some of the most diverse intertidal areas in the world! We will help campers understand the intricate adaptations of tidepool inhabitants such as sea anemones, sea stars, kelp crabs and cling fish. A minus tide allows us to explore some areas that are only accessible during low tides.

We refer to this experience as Extreme Tidepooling as we offer opportunities to explore nooks and crannies that require getting wet. Wearing a wetsuit is required and facilitates an entirely new way to experience the intertidal world.

Begins at Blue Water Ventures: 127 Mason Street, Santa Cruz at 7:00am and ends at our coastal destination  at 12:00pm. Parents will caravan together

Day Three: Adventure Paddle~Exploration of the Kelp Forest

Today campers will slide off  sit on top kayaks to have an eye level experience with the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary! Using goggles or a mask/snorkel, we’ll take a look at the kelp forest or choose to remain dry and simply glide over the forest canopy searching for sea otters, harbor seals, sea lions and sea birds. Encompassing 5,322 square miles of ocean, our remarkable sanctuary supports one of the planet’s most biologically diverse marine ecosystems.

The use of sit on top kayaks with the option to submerge into the water gives us an entirely different perspective on our ocean world.

Begins and ends at the Santa Cruz Wharf 9:30am-1:30pm

Day Four: From River to Sea: The San Lorenzo River Hike~Snorkeling ~River Boarding

Riparian corridors are an intricate component to all marine ecosystems. On this adventurous day, campers will hike up stream exploring the shallow clear pools of the San Lorenzo River. As we hike though the redwood forest that surrounds the river, we will discuss the natural and cultural history of these majestic trees.

Using a mask and snorkel, we can float down river and see what lives clinging to the submerged rocks. Our day will even include an opportunity to “shoot a rapid” using a boogie board.

Begins at Blue Water Ventures: 127 Mason Street, Santa Cruz at  8:30am.  We will caravan to our river location and the program will end there at 2:30pm

Swim back to camp