2009 Field Trip Descriptions for New and **Returning Families
**Additional trip options are being evaluated and will be available in 2009 for Returning Families.**

Below is a description of the field trips families will be participating in throughout the week.  Each trip is approximately 2 to 3 hours long, unless otherwise stated.  In addition to the field trips, new families go on The Whale Watch, The Nature Cruise trip (departing from Bass Harbor) and Diver Ed; Returning families may choose 3 boat trips from the 6 listed.
 
Orientation to Acadia National Park and the Geology of Mount Desert Island: Acadia National Park is a geological marvel with its cliffs, glacial markings, granite and history.  The trip provides a guided tour of the Park Loop Road and an orientation to the Park and island attractions you may wish to visit during your free time.  This field trip makes several stops at some of the island's extraordinary geological sites, including beautiful Sand Beach.

Field Ecology Hike: Acadia National Park offers diverse mountain trails.  Our leaders assess the varied ages and abilities of the group prior to departure and choose an appropriate trail for the group. Your naturalist guide will discuss the flora and fauna observed along the trail. 

Additional Hikes: Additional hikes are available for everyone who wants to explore the many trails throughout Acadia National Park. Our coordinators have directions, trail information and self-guided maps. 

Science Adventure with Tony Sohns: Tony may bring his Leapin' Lizards and introduce you to the world of reptiles and amphibians.  Maybe he will present Maine's Wild Wonders, with the help of museum specimens such as beavers, skunks, coyotes, porcupines and more.  Whichever program Tony presents, be there with your children and enjoy this popular activity.

George B. Dorr Natural History Museum: Dioramas, Sea Water Touch Tank, Hands On Tracking Activity.  Museum educators will guide you through COA's natural history museum featuring dioramas, aquaria and other exhibits created by COA students. The dioramas show animals native to the area such as raccoons, black bear, deer, fox, marine birds, etc.  Following this,  it is on to the salt water touch tank, where youngsters get a mini lesson about many of the ocean's littlest creatures while they touch and hold them.  Finally the museum presents a hands-on program:  Tracking:  Who Goes There?  Animals write the story of their life with every step they take!  Learn to read the fascinating tales written in the sand, mud and snow by deciphering animal tracks in a hands(and feet!)-on program.  After examining  paws and claws on museum specimens, you'll learn about track patterns and make tracks to take home.

Tide Pools: Families enjoy getting wet and having fun as they explore tide pools left behind by the ebb tide.  The average rise of the tide in Bar Harbor is 10 to 11 feet so the view of the shoreline is always changing.  Tide pools provide hands-on exploration in one of the most unique and diverse environments in Acadia National Park.

Beaver Watch: This trip will acquaint families with one of the more shy and retiring mammals of Mount Desert Island.  Participants will walk to "active" beaver sites, get a close look at beaver lodges, learn how to identify the presence of beaver activity and, if everyone is very quiet, perhaps observe beavers in their natural habitat. This trip is taken at dusk because that is the beaver's active work and play period.

Explore the World of Bats!  Bats, found on every continent except Antarctica play a vital role in the world's ecology from pollinating important plants, re-seeding rain forests and keeping insect populations in check.  See their amazing diversity in a stunning slide show and video presentation.  Did you know there are bats that eat fish, bats that make tents and the vampire bat who may hold medical secrets that could save lives?  Discover the true facts about bats and hear their ultrasound echolocation with the aid of a bat detector. Every summer this show grips many, many of our younger participants as they discover bats right out of a Harry Potter novel.

Optional Kayak Nature Tour(not included in program fees):  Many participants enjoy exploring the shores of Mount Desert Island from a kayak.  These tours, led by registered Maine Guides, depart and return from our campus pebble beach. No experience is necessary and tandem kayaks, paddles, life jackets, spray skirts and safety gear are provided to Family Nature Camp participants.  The tours normally last about 2 1/2 hours and include a lesson covering proper kayak procedure, safety, correct way to paddle, etc. The kayaks are safe, stable, fun and provide the perfect platform for observing seals, porpoise and eagles.  Booking: To receive information or reserve space on one of the daily trips contact Leslie or Tom at Fitness Adventures: email, associatti@aol.com  / phone 540-797-0477.  Families interested in making reservations for a kayak tour must do so at least 90 days before arriving on campus.

Bicycle Touring in Acadia National Park (not included in program fees): Bikes can be rented nearby for half day or all day at the Bar Harbor Bicycle Shop 288-3886 (www.barharborbike.com). Rides on the scenic carriage trails over moderate terrain can vary in length and athletic challenge to suit your time and ability (no motorized vehicles are permitted on the carriage trials). Tours provide breathtaking scenery of the mountains, ocean, and lakes. On your ride you may see deer, beaver, ducks, loons, eagles, and occasionally the Great Blue Heron.

Optional Advanced Kayak Tour (not included in program fees): Tom and Leslie have designed this 6 hour kayak tour which goes into Frenchman's Bay and across major channels to the outer Porcupine islands. During the trip, there will be more contact with sea life, such as porpoise and the seals that bask in the sun on the outer islands. Departing from the college's beach at 8:30 am, you will paddle approximately 2 to 3 hours before stopping on one of the islands to eat your box lunch. Depending on weather, etc., the famous Rum Key Ledge and Long Porcupine will be the target destinations. You will learn about the colorful history these islands played in Bar Harbor's past. After lunch you will have the opportunity to explore the area before starting the journey back to COA. The trip will include going past sea caves, tidal pools, eagles nests, middens and various bird colonies. This trip is extensive and requires a lot of paddling. We strongly recommend the advanced kayak tour for people over the age of 10, unless a parent is prepared to paddle a tandem kayak the entire route by themselves. This is an excellent trip for those who have kayaked with Tom and Leslie in the past or paddlers  who have had some sea kayaking experience.  Note: New families may sign up for this trip, however, due to the length of the trip, it is possible that you may miss one of the regular field trips, i.e. tide pool, hike, etc.  Booking: To receive information or reserve space on one of the daily trips contact Leslie or Tom at Fitness Adventures: email, associatti@aol.com  / phone 540-797-0477.  Families interested in making reservations for a kayak tour must do so at least 90 days before arriving on campus.

Whale Watch Boat Trip: This trip takes you approximately 25 miles off the coast and is approximately 4 hours long. On your way to the whale grounds, you may observe harbor seals, gray seals, pods of harbor porpoises and a variety of seabirds such as storm petrels, four types of shearwaters, northern gannets and the North Atlantic puffins.  The most commonly seen whales are finbacks, humpbacks and minkes, however you may also spot the rare right whale, pilot whale or basking sharks.  An on-board naturalist describes the wildlife as well as providing passengers with a history of the bay and area.  Warm clothes are needed for this trip.  We recommend 5 layers of clothing for whale watching.  The whale watch boats are designed for passenger comfort, however families still report being seasick.  We strongly suggest taking motion sickness medication prior to this trip. Returning families may choose this trip as one of their 3 boat trips. 

Nature Cruise Boat Trip: This cruise departs from Bass Harbor  on the "quiet" side of Mt. Desert Island, where you will go past Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse on your way to the outer islands of Blue Hill Bay.  Besides abundant wildlife, this trip will relate the fascinating history of the islands and the business and politics of the Maine fishermen.  Wildlife may include seals taking their daily sunbath on the ledges, awe-inspiring bald eagles, porpoise, loons, herons and osprey.  You will also see farming pens where Atlantic salmon are raised and watch as your captain hauls lobster traps. The skillful boat captain gives everyone a clear view of the wildlife and scenery this cruise provides.  Returning families may choose this trip as one of their 3 boat trips.

Captain Ed Underwater Video Tour Boat Trip: (Diver Ed)  Journey to the bottom of the sea, without getting wet!  This unique boat tour starts with a short boat ride to a dive site in Frenchman Bay.   At the dive site, children on board help the divers suit up and then push them overboard!  As the divers swim to the bottom of the sea, the boat turns into a mini-theater with LCD projector.  You will be able to see the bottom of the sea and talk to the divers. When the divers come back on board they bring with them a bag of underwater creatures such as lobsters, sea stars, scallops, sea cucumbers and other surprises.  Enjoy holding and touching these creatures, while learning about the underwater environment.  Don't worry, all creatures are returned safely back to the sea.   Returning families may choose this trip as one of their 3 boat trips.

Returning Families:  As part of our commitment to returning families, we identify new hikes and boat trips. Below are the alternative boat trips for alumni, including the Naturalist Cruise aboard the Sea Princess.  As an alumni family you may choose any of the 3 boat trips from the 6 offered.  These include: any of the six trips offered by the Bar Harbor Whale Watch; the Bass Harbor Nature Cruise; Diver Ed; a lunch cruise to Frenchboro Island; sailing on the Margaret Todd; or the naturalist trip aboard the Sea Princess. 

Lunch Cruise to Frenchboro Island (3-1/2  hours: The sightseeing part of this trip is the same trip as the Nature Cruise, but this trip then continues to Frenchboro Island).  Winding through the islands of Blue Hill Bay, this narrated nature cruise arrives on the off-shore fishing village of Frenchboro, approximately 8 miles off Mount Desert Island.  You may purchase a lunch at the Dockside Deli (or enjoy a box lunch from COA's kitchen), take a short walk around the harbor and visit their museum.  Frenchboro is the official name of the town located on Long Island in Blue Hill Bay.  The town of Frenchboro is actually made up of 14 islands, but Frenchboro is the only community with a year-round population hovering around 45.  The island supports a seasonal restaurant, a bed & breakfast, a seasonal museum and a full-time post office.  This 3 mile by 3 mile island with only one mile of paved road is truly an island of simple pleasures and unspoiled beauty. Returning families only.

4-Masted Schooner Margaret Todd: Take a sail on the first 4-masted schooner to work new England waters in over half a century.  Launched new in April of 1998, the 151' Margaret Todd continues in the tradition of other historic vessels that her captain has wither restored or built new.  We schedule you on an afternoon trip as this is the time there is generally a livelier, more exhilarating sail among the islands in Frenchman's Bay, due to the stronger afternoon sea breezes.  Relax, bring snacks, help them hoist the sails!  Returning families only.

Naturalist Cruise aboard the Sea Princess: This 2 hour and 45 minute trip leaves at 1:00 pm from Northeast Harbor's Town Marina where ample free parking is provided. The trip is "in-shore" in the calm and protected waters of the Great Harbor of Mount Desert Island, Somes Sound and The Cranberry Islands. Each trip is narrated by an experienced professional and offers a scenic tour with emphasis on the abundant wildlife and unique geology.  The panoramic vista of the entire chain of mountains making up the Mount Desert range forms a spectacular backdrop as your guide points out seals, nesting osprey, eagles, porpoise, loons, eider ducks and guillemots. You will pass by picturesque Bear Island Lighthouse and travel up Somes Sound, the only glacial-carved fjord in the Eastern United States.  Along the route of each cruise many aspects of the maritime industry are evident.  One of the highlights of the trip is a stop at the 200 year old lobster fishing village on Little Cranberry Island to visit Acadia National Park's renowned Islesford Historical Museum, and to see an unspoiled offshore island community reminiscent of days gone by.  Returning families only.

Register here for Family Nature Camp
 
Contact Information:
College of the Atlantic Summer Programs
Attn:  Jean Sylvia
105 Eden Street
Bar Harbor, ME  04609
Phone:  800-597-9500
Fax: 207-288-3780
Email: summer@coa.edu