Catalina 2011

We had a great first day on Catalina Island, although it was a bit colder than we are used to! We obviously began with our bus ride through the night. All of the students attempted to sleep, some with more successful than others. Aside from struggling to get comfortable, it was an uneventful drive, and we arrived in Long Beach a little ahead of schedule. Our ferry ride was a fairly smooth one with slightly overcast skies for most of the trip. The students were excited to see some dolphins and sea lions swimming along the way. Once we arrived, we enjoyed a quick lunch and basic orientation session about the camp before beginning our first snorkel activity. The weather was perfect and the water was clear, so our students were able to see many different types of marine life, including bat rays, guitarfish, garibaldi, and a few leopard sharks. While the water was cold, it became even colder as they had to exit the water with the sun disappearing behind the mountains. After dinner we learned a great deal about marine mammals in our evening lab, where students participated in a scavenger hunt for facts. It was an exciting and exhausting day, one that ended with many students asleep long before our prescribed quiet time. Tomorrow we have several lab activities scheduled, as well as another snorkeling outing. With the exception of facing the cold water, the students are eager to get back out there to see some more marine life. You can see pictures of today’s activities by visiting www.flickr.com/photos/sandpiperprincipal. (This is not a link; cut and paste it into your address bar to see the photos.)