Kayaking and Channel Keeper

This summer, The Village Summer Camp has had the privilege of being partnered with Save the Mermaids, a foundation with its roots in environmental education. Executive director, Kaia Stachel- Zambryski has been introducing our students to ocean advocacy and ecological awareness through experiential learning. We started our hands on education with tide pooling in the beginning of the summer and have continued our adventures with the sea by kayaking with Channel Island Outfitters and a tour of the ocean floor on the Channel Keeper research boat. Many students had never been kayaking before and some students were very scared to get on the open water. By the end of the trip, all students had overcome their fears of the ocean and one child who was crying before even in the kayak said at the end, "I was born to do this!" On the Channel Keeper boat, students were able to see a live view of the ocean floor through an underwater camera our divers took down with them, which was connected to a screen on the boat. Students were even able to communicate with the divers through a microphone on deck. They continued their roles as ocean researchers by taking samples of plankton. We are very grateful to have had these experiences and can't wait to get back in the water!