ALASKA COASTAL ECOLOGY Daytrip or residential 2 or 3-day program at Peterson Bay Coastal Science Field Station across Kachemak Bay from Homer. Grades 4-12. April-May or September

• The rich intertidal areas of both Peterson Bay's Otter Rock and China Poot Bay are within easy walking distance. More than 50 species of intertidal invertebrates are commonly observed during beach field trips during the extreme minus tides that occur each month in Kachemak Bay.
• Two marine live tanks and aquaria on deck of the Field Station are set up and maintained after the danger of frost is over to provide a diversity of marine invertebrates for student observation.
• A trail system provides opportunities for beach and forest hikes. Students take part in botany, ethnobotany, and forest ecology studies and activities along forest trails that wind through the northern edge of the coastal forest. The forest currently provides a living laboratory of ecological change.
• A prehistoric Native house site and nearby shell midden provide a glimpse of cultural history.
• A science lab room at the Field Station is equipped with microscopes for in-depth study or marine invertebrates, plants, and lichens.
• Slide presentations on birds, intertidal animals and the forest are available. A gravel beach is accessible during low tide for outdoor games.

Planning a Coastal Ecology Field Trip

Field trips for school groups in grades 4-12 are scheduled during April and May. Field trips may also be arranged for homeschool, charter school, or other youth groups after Memorial Day until early October.

Classes spend one to three days based at the Field Station. Overnight groups sleep in three yurts with bunks and mattresses (6-8 people per yurt), on the floor of the Field Station, or in their own private tents. The Field Station has electricity and running water on a seasonal basis. Classes bring their own food and have use of a kitchen that is fully equipped for food storage and cooking (electric stove + microwave). Pots and pans, cooking utensils, dishes, and silverware are provided. For a complete list of cookware and equipment, click here.

A minimum of 25 (students + adults) is required for trips before Memorial Day. It is more difficult to provide a quality education program around the logistics of groups larger than 40, so larger groups require additional planning time between CACS staff and the teacher and chaperones. CACS requires one adult chaperone per six students, plus teacher.

Teachers or group leaders will be provided with additional information (see PDF link below) about trip planning and logistics and background and curriculum materials before the field trip, including an "Atlas to Marine Invertebrates" that provides information on the species that students are likely to observe during beach field trips. CACS naturalists work with teachers and group leaders to plan the schedule of field trip activities to accommodate the teacher's learning objectives for the field trip.

Download a pdf-version of Teacher's Guide to the Alaska Coastal Ecology Program.

Boat Transportation

The Field Station is approximately a 30-minute boat ride from Homer onboard the 67' vessel, the M/V Rainbow Connection. A stop to observe the Gull Island seabird rookery is included in the field trip when the birds are present on the island. Departures and returns from Peterson Bay are usually in mid to late afternoon.

Reservations

Email reservations are not accepted. Reservations must be mailed or faxed using the CACS reservation form. Due to the demand for field trips during the limited minus tide periods in April and May, we have a "first come-first served" policy, but will try to place you during your first or second choice of minus tide series. Please consider including week-end days to take advantage of extreme low tides and consider September or early October field trips. For reservations received in September or October, we will notify you of the dates we have reserved for you by November 1. The boat schedule will be confirmed at a later date.

A non-refundable deposit of $100 is due 30 days after reservation is confirmed. Due to the planning required for the trip, it is very difficult to fill cancelled reservations. Therefore, we have instituted a $250 program cancellation fee after February 1. We will, however, refund the cancellation fee if we are able to replace the reservation.

Full payment for the trip is due within 10 days after completion of the program. The minimum payment for 25 people will be charged even if actual participation drops below this minimum.

Program Fees