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Marine Madness
Ocean Exploration!
Ages 11-13
Marine Madness will take you on an ocean adventure exploring
coastal ecosystems and marine habitats. The Rhode Island and Connecticut
coastlines provide the backdrop for your week. You will visit and
examine rocky shores, salt marshes, estuaries and Long Island Sound
using hands-on exploration. In addition to Alton Jones, you will
use the facilities and interact with the staff of both Mystic Aquarium
and Project Oceanology in nearby Connecticut. This program
offers a chance to learn more about the marine world while making new
friends and having fun.
Sunday and Monday are spent at the W. Alton Jones Campus. You will
sleep in cabins with some campers who are in your group and some
who are in other themes, which will allow you to get to know lots
of other kids. You will eat your meals in the dining hall, except
Tuesday lunch through Wednesday dinner. Sunday is devoted to meeting
and getting to know your cabin-mates and fellow Marine Madness campers,
junior counselors, counselors and Mystic Aquarium staff. Sunday
night also includes an all-camp campfire where you will
meet and see other campers and counselors in Earth Camp for the
week.
Monday focuses on freshwater as a basis and comparison to
the marine ecosystems. Swim tests, free-swim time and canoeing occur
at Lake Eisenhower in the morning, so be ready to get wet! Monday
afternoon is spent exploring freshwater ponds and streams on the
W. Alton Jones Campus. Find critters in the wetlands
and learn more about how they survive. Monday night involves an
all-camp activity before heading to the cabin for a good night's
sleep.
From Tuesday to Wednesday, the group travels to Connecticut. After
breakfast, the group will travel in one or two 12 or 15-passenger vans to Mystic
Aquarium (approx. 45 min. drive). We will meet up with the Mystic staff
for the following activities (order may vary):
·
Wet Lab at Mystic. The group settles into one of the classrooms
in the Aquarium and participates in a lab. The lab offers participants
the opportunity to get up close and personal with the subject matter.
Hands-on work and a “marine” snack are highlights of
the lab.
·
Trip to Hammonasett State Beach, Clinton, Ct. This van
ride is approximately 45 minutes from Mystic. While at the
state beach, you will have a pack-out lunch and be given free swim
time after lunch. We then move to a special permit-only area of
the beach to explore the salt marsh and rocky shore. Seine nets
and other sampling gear is used to view the inhabitants of these
areas.
·
Explore the Aquarium. Tuesday late afternoon you
will return to the Aquarium and be given time to change and explore
the aquarium exhibits with the Mystic staff while your counselors
prepare your dinner. Dinner is served in a lounge in the aquarium.
Nighttime observations and “backstage tours”
are often a part of the evening at the aquarium.
·
Mystic Sleepover. Tuesday is the sleepover at the
Mystic Aquarium. Campers get ready for bed and set-up their sleeping
bags in the aquarium's Undersea World right next to the exhibits! A marine-related
movie is usually shown as campers settle in for the night.
Wednesday morning you wake-up, pack-up and get ready for the day.
After breakfast at the aquarium, the group heads off for the day’s
activities (order may vary):
·
Boat trip with Project Oceanology, Groton, Ct.: This van
ride is approximately 15 minutes from Mystic. Upon arrival you will
hop onboard the R/V Enviro-Lab and you will head out into Long Island
Sound. While on-board you will help conduct research by catching
organisms in an otter trawl net and by testing various forms of
water quality. A pack-out lunch is eaten back on land after the
boat ride.
·
Crabbing at Barn Island, Stonington, Ct.: After
a brief (15 min.) van ride you will arrive at Barn Island to catch
some crabs. You are involved in all aspects of catching the crabs,
including, baiting your own line! Time is spent learning about the
different kinds of crabs and you may even have some fun with crab races.
You will return to W. Alton Jones Wednesday in time to get cleaned-up
and ready for dinner. After dinner, you will be involved in an Earth
Camp all-camp activity.
Thursday you will go on an all-day field trip to continue to explore
the marine world. On the island of Jamestown, RI you will explore
the rocky coast of Beavertail State Park and go snorkeling to see
ocean creatures living in their natural habitat. You will return in time to get ready and have dinner at
camp. Thursday evening, you will participate in the final night of
all-camp activities, which includes the closing campfire.
Friday is spent putting the whole week together with review and wrap-up
activities. After lunch, phone numbers and e-mail addresses are usually
exchanged before the family program and checkout.
In addition to the standard Earth Camp packing list, here are a few
things to highlight, add, or to have packed separately for the
overnight trip to Mystic Aquarium:
__Extra bathing suit
(having 2 suits is helpful)
__Separate swim and shower towels
__Water
bottle
__Sunscreen and Insect Repellant
__Motion Sickness
Pills (if you need them--for either the van rides or the boat trip)
__Sweatshirt
__Rain
Coat
__Day pack
__Change of clothes, toothbrush, toothpaste, sleeping bag,
etc. for the overnight
__Closed toed water shoes or old sneakers
(flip-flops, sandals, or other open-toed shoes are not
acceptable--see below)
About Footwear: Marine Madness
is all about water so be prepared to get your feet wet! A pair
of old sneakers that still fit comfortably serve as excellent water
shoes. Canvas tennis shoes or running sneakers with minimal
amounts of leather are best as they dry faster than all-leather
sneakers. Keene-type closed sandals, croc clogs with the back
strap intact, or river shoes with full foot protection are also
appropriate. Aqua socks, although popular, can chafe if they
are too tight, can cause blisters, and don't provide much protection
if you drop something on your foot or step on a sharp object.
A second pair of dry shoes to change into at day's end is also
important. For foot safety, flip-flops, river sandals, or
other open-toed shoes are not allowed at any time except in the
shower back at camp.
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