SEA-DISC sleeps beneath the stars on final camping trip of the year
Maddie Alsterlind
The 2023 juniors and seniors of Sea Disc on their end of year camping trip at China Camp.
On Monday, May 22, the SEA-DISC academy drove to China Camp State Park campground for a one-night outdoor excursion. The camping trip served as a final sendoff for SEA-DISC’s seniors, as it was their last trip with the academy.
Students left after school Monday and set up camp once they arrived. They played volleyball and Spike Ball before going on a sunset hike overlooking the estuary. During the evening, students enjoyed a potluck-style dinner, games, and a gratitude circle around the campfire to close out the day.
“I loved the gratitude circle around the fire because it was very bonding and people were being honest about what they were grateful for and how they felt. I just thought it was really sweet to hear everyone’s perspective on SEA-DISC and their growth,” said junior Anjali Vincelette.
Afterwards, attendees slept beneath the stars and woke up the following day to observe nearby tide pools at Duxbury Reef in Bolinas. Leading up to the camping trip, the academy had focused its learning on ocean acidification. Going to the tide pools gave students an opportunity to learn more about marine ecosystems, get hands-on experience, and collect data about each individual tidepool.
“We put this grid out, it was a foot by a foot, and we measured what kind of creatures were in there and the algae and the moss and whatnot and seaweed crabs,” said Max Crock, a junior in SEA-DISC.
This was the second camping trip that SEA-DISC attended this year, and while the trip did serve educational purposes, it was also a community bonding experience. In comparison to a trip SEA-DISC had taken earlier in the year, junior Alicia Richard says students had become much closer and bonded throughout the year.
“It was just kind of cool to see how [by] the trip at the very end of the year, everyone knew each other from being in project groups and just from mixing up the classes,” said Alicia. “…it was really cool because everyone was friends now.”
Current juniors are excited for similar opportunities next year, and to explore new destinations on future field trips.
“I would love to do it next year, but I think it would be fun to go to a different place,” said Anjali.
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