Nature Provides the Ultimate Lesson Plan
Where Lasting Lessons are Learned
This unconventional classroom offers unlimited possibilities for students to learn enduring lessons from beyond the textbook. Focusing on sailing, wildlife, ecology, sustainability, and marine biology, our school trips are driven by observational learning and students taking on large leadership roles. With the aid of our knowledgeable and expert crew, students are encouraged to fully participate in all aspects of boat life with the belief that the best learning takes place in the most unexpected places.
A Day in the Life
Typically 5 days in length, running during March and April, our school tours are purposefully left flexible to allow our captains the autonomy to cater the trip’s schedule to each group’s specific interests and objectives. While we can’t say for sure exactly where you’ll journey, the flow of the day remains relatively similar.
Groups can choose to arrive the night prior to their trip start date or the morning of their trip departure. All trips begin at Port Sidney Marina, in Sidney, BC. Upon arrival to the boat, the crew (captain, crew and naturalist) will give an orientation of the cabins, bathrooms, and introduce themselves.
The watch system will be explained, student roles and expectations outlined, and a thorough safety briefing will take place prior to pushing off from the dock.
Each day begins with one of the watch groups making breakfast while the other groups complete boat chores and connect with the naturalist. Depending on the anchorage and weather, kayaking may also be offered.
After breakfast, participants can expect to engage in a lesson on sailing, keep watch with the naturalist, or support the captain with navigation. Around midday the watch groups will rotate, and one group will be responsible for making lunch.
An activity is typically planned, such as hiking up to a panoramic viewpoint, sailing, scouting for marine mammals on deck, exploring intertidal life, or playing games in the temperate rainforest.
In the late afternoon, the final watch rotation will occur and one group will start dinner prep while we look for an anchorage for the evening. There may be a chance to kayak once we are at anchor.
After dinner, the group will gather to plot the course from the day on a chart, make a list of species spotted, and perhaps take part in a lesson on sail theory, navigation, or participate in a natural history activity before it’s lights out!
Experiential Learning
Not All Classrooms Need Four Walls
By providing the opportunity for students to ‘learn by doing,’ we are creating a space for them to develop their skills whilst building relationships with their peers, themselves, and the world in a broader sense.
We encourage students to try everything onboard, and under our crew’s expert supervision, we create a space where trying the task is more important than the successful completion of it. We hope that when trying sea kayaking for the first time and getting frustrated but trying again, that lesson in perseverance permeates into other areas of that student’s lived experience.
Contact Us
The Bluewater office is always here to help. Connect with us to receive personal assistance during any step of your trip experience.
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