Marine Biology Camps and Trips

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Marine biology camps and trips are now available in many coastal cities all over the world. Marine biology camps offer a wide variety of activities for young people of all ages. They provide an excellent opportunity for children to get hands-on experience with animals by feeding, swimming and interacting with diverse marine wildlife.

Where to Find Them

Marine biology summer camps are held in coastal cities all over the U.S.:
  • Marine Bio Camp at Sea starts off in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and spends time in the Bahamas, 55 miles to the east.
  • Sea Camp at Catalina is 25 miles from the coast of Long Beach, California.
  • SeaWorld holds Adventure Camps in Tampa Bay and Orlando, Florida, San Antonio, Texas and San Diego, California.
Similar camps are also offered in Wilmington, NC, Cambria, CA, Grand Manan Island, ME, Canada, Big Pine Key, FL, Seal Harbor, ME, Awendaw, SC, and many other locations. Some are held outside the U.S., in the Caribbean, Bahamas, Costa Rica, Australia, Honduras, Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands.

Activities at Marine Biology Camp

Because there are so many options to choose from, the list below describes only a limited number of available activities at the aforementioned camps. Each camp has its own specialties and caters to young people in a specific age group.

SeaWorld Adventure Camps

SeaWorld hosts activities for children from grade four through college. Classes for younger kids include getting to know animals, learning how to care for the animals and how to boogie board.
 
Classes for teens and young adults teach about pursuing a career in the animal care field. These courses offer a hands-on look at preparing animal food, clean-up and working with animals. Participants in these camps also learn how to surf and snorkel.

Marine Bio Camp at Sea

Marine Bio Camp at Sea accepts teenage participants from age 14 to 18. This camp explores the work that is performed on research vessels. Participants learn about and swim with dolphins. This gentle introduction to marine life and research offers an opportunity for kids to feel comfortable at the sea.

Catalina Junior Sea Camp

Catalina Junior Sea Camp is for kids age 8 to 12. At this camp, kids enjoy snorkeling, sailing, kayaking, hiking trails and learning about the ocean. After snorkeling and seeing hundreds of fish in the ocean, kids come back and learn more about fish species in the fish and shark labs. The labs are stocked with fish in aquariums, pictures, specimens and exhibits.
 
There is also an algae lab where kids learn the many types and uses of seaweed today. They are also taken aboard a flat-top research boat and brought out to sea to perform experiments. Afterwards, the samples are taken back and the children use microscopes to observe plankton in the lab. There are also invertebrate and marine mammal labs in which the children can touch the invertebrates in tanks and see skeletons of mammals.

Catalina Sea Camp

Catalina Sea Camp is for pre-teens and teens aged 12 to 17. These older kids SCUBA, snorkel, sail, surf, and kayak. They enroll in courses in marine biology, invertebrates and ichthyology, ocean exploration and discovery, aquarium design, maintenance and behind the scenes, hot topics in marine conservation, and seafood cookery.
 
Participants also have the option of taking courses in arts and crafts, including painting, nature sketching and photography, jewelry design and creation. Camp participants also may opt to help replant vegetation on the island and clean up the shorelines.

Cost of Marine Biology Camps

The cost for marine biology summer camps varies widely, depending on the location and offerings. Included here is a sample of costs for the camps described above:
  • Catalina Junior Sea Camp costs $1150 for one week.
  • Catalina Sea Camp costs $3300 for three weeks.
  • Six nights at SeaWorld costs $1025 for grades 4 to 6, $1075 for grades 7 to 9 and $1125 for career camp for grades 10 to 12.
  • Tuition starts at $2495 for Marine Bio Camp at Sea.
Resources
 
Marine Bio Camp (2008). Retrieved March 18, 2008, from the Dolphin Camp Web site.
 
Guided Discoveries: Catalina Sea Camp (2008). Retrieved March 18, 2008, from the Guided Discoveries Web site.
 
Marine Science Summer Camps for Kids and Teens (2008). Retrieved March 18, 2008, from the My Summer Camps Network Web site. 
 
Adventure Camps (2008). Retrieved March 18, 2008, from the SeaWorld/Busch Gardens Web site.