I do love the Living Coast Discovery Center!! As you can see my little one checking out the Turtles in the front of the center and below looking at the sharks and crab! We had so much fun looking at everything and taking a hike as well. And now we have Coastweeks coming up too! More fun events for all the family to enjoy!
Join them at the Living Coast Discovery Center for the inaugural Coastweeks
Celebration!
They’ll be celebrating our magnificent coastal resources and local coastal
wildlife through three weeks of fun-filled family activities, special
speakers, hands-on art workshops and more, all highlighting the special
places and species of our unique local coastline habitats.
Activities Highlights:
For more information, or for program registration, visit
http://www.thelivingcoast.org/
Coastal Cleanup at Sweetwater Marsh National Wildlife Refuge
September 15th, 9am-12pm
To kick off the celebration, we will be hosting a public cleanup day on our
own Sweetwater Marsh National Wildlife Refuge. As a part of the California
Coastal Cleanup Day, we will be hosting one of 87 sites state-wide.
Participants to the Sweetwater Marsh cleanup site will receive a free
reusable tote bag with goodies inside (while supplies last), including a
ticket to the Living Coast Discovery Center! Participants must be 10 years
of age or older. To participate, preregistration is required at
www.cleanupday.org. Choose the Sweetwater Marsh
cleanup site.
Direct link to the Sweetwater Marsh Cleanup.
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Coastal Connections Weekly Lecture Series
Thursdays During Coastweeks
Local experts on coastal issues and species will share with us each week!
Space is limited, so preregistration is required.
Thursday September 20th -6:30pm – 8:30pm: Clapper Rail Comeback! with
speaker Charles Gailband of Team Clapper Rail. The light-footed clapper rail
is one of the most endangered coastal birds of southern California. However,
conservation efforts and a reintroduction program conducted by Team Clapper
Rail have helped this beautiful marsh bird double its population since the
mid-1980s. Hear the wonderful story of recovery efforts for this rare and
secretive coastal inhabitant.
Thursday September 27th- 6:30pm – 8:30pm: Ocean Friendly Gardens with Susan
Krzywicki of the San Diego Surfrider Foundation. Urban runoff from gardens
and hard surfaces is the #1 source of ocean pollution. But gardens can be
beautiful, resourceful, wildlife-friendly AND prevent runoff. How? Attend
this fun and interesting presentation to find out how to create a garden to
help revive our watersheds and oceans!
Thursday October 4th – 6:30-8:30pm: Of Skimmers & Sea Turtles with Sheila
Madrak and Chris Millow, UCSD research biologists. Local researchers share
their discoveries of the local endangered green sea turtles and black
skimmers of South San Diego Bay!
Members: FREE with preregistration
Non-members: $10 with preregistration
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Coastal Connections Marine Debris Art Workshops
Hands-on fun for the whole family! Travel to a different coastal destination
each week with local artist and environmentalist, Teresa Espaniola, and
create fun take home works of art using marine debris. Artistic ability not
necessary! Attend all four sessions for the most fun. Themed door prizes
will be awarded each week plus we’ll have snacks, games, festive music and
getting an up-close and personal encounter with one of our Discovery Center
animals. Appropriate for age 5 and older. Limited space available, so
preregistration is suggested.
Saturdays: 1-3pm
September 15th- Japan
Become a master synthetic sushi chef! Create your own platter of decorative
sushi from marine debris and recycled materials while tracking and learning
about the tsunami debris and its impact on our coastal habitats.
September 22nd- Venice Italy
Come to coastal Venice for a Masked Ball! Decorate your own mask out of
recycled materials and marine debris in a carnival-like atmosphere with
games for everyone. Learn about pollution in coastal Venice and how it
impacts all of us – and the little things we can do at home.
September 29th- Australia
Experience and learn about Australia’s coastal habitats as you create the
Great Barrier Reef out of colorful marine debris and recycled materials!
Take home your own creatively crafted starfish magnet! You will never look
at trash the same way again.
October 6th- California
Gain a new perspective about our own California Coastal kelp forests and the
animals that call it home. You will not believe the mini kelp forest that
you will make using recycled plastic bottles and marine debris!
Members: Adults and Children – $17
Non-Members: Adults – $31; Children- $26 (Admission to the Center Included)
See the COASTWEEKS Photo Gallery for art project samples.
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Marsh Monday Kayaking Trips
Take a paddle through the coastal waters of South Bay with a guided
naturalist in search of birds, sea turtles and other local coastal wildlife.
Great for kids and adults! Single and tandem kayaks are available for use,
and are included in the registration costs. Preregistration is required.
September 17th- 8am-10am
September 24th- 4pm-6pm
October 1st- 8am-10am
Members: Single Kayak – $15; Double Kayak – $20
Non-Members: Single Kayak – $25; Double Kayak – $30
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Daily Coastal Themes!
The Living Coast Discovery Center is open daily from 10am-5pm. Enjoy a
different, super-fun coastal theme each day of the week during Coastweeks!
All activities and events are included in the admission costs for the
Center.
Shark and Ray Sundays
Sunday is the day for sharks and rays! Through interactive stations, hands
on games, and an up-close and personal look at some adorable baby sharks,
discover how these amazing animals have survived for over 400 million years.
Make your trip extra special by signing up for a VIP animal encounter to get
to feed our sharks and rays (limited space available and preregistration
required).
Marsh Mondays
The Sweetwater Marsh National Wildlife Refuge is a unique ecosystem that
many animals, birds and plants call home. Join us for an opportunity to see
the marsh from all angles by pre-registering for a unique kayaking trip or
searching for crabs on our protected beaches. Learn about the marsh through
a variety crafts, experiments, hands-on stations, animal encounters and
onsite exhibits all while visiting with local wildlife.
Tidal Zone Tuesdays
Take a look beneath the surface! Many spineless wonders, also known as
invertebrates, make their home along San Diego’s coasts. Come explore the
wide range of life that exists in each of the tidal zones. Touch sea stars,
urchins and snails, and other marine critters. Discover the most intelligent
invertebrate, the octopus, and see if she can open the most challenging of
toys to retrieve a special treat. Head to the shoreline for a plankton tow
to see how most marine creatures begin life in this unique habitat.
Watershed Wednesdays
Wednesday is water day! Chula Vista’s watershed includes more than 350,000
human residents plus our wildlife neighbors. Come learn how you can reduce
your water footprint through small, easy changes that can make a big
difference. Learn how to be a part of the solution while enjoying a
variety of hands-on stations, an interactive local plant tour given by
horticulturalist Mark Valen (2pm) and even participate in a wild water
fight!
Turtle Thursdays
Did you know that the endangered Eastern Pacific green sea turtle makes its
home right here in San Diego Bay? Watch the Center’s four sea turtles
through our up-close viewing windows, and enjoy a variety of turtle crafts,
turtle games and other hands-on stations. Make your trip extra special by
signing up for a VIP animal encounter to get to feed our sea turtles!
(limited space available and preregistration required).
Fishy Fridays
Catch a glimpse of the awesome fish that make the waters of San Diego their
home. Explore their diverse habitats and unique anatomy up-close through
dissections, dress up, games and crafts! Don’t forget to grab your Seafood
Watch card, or download the app, before leaving to be a powerful part of the
solution towards healthier fish populations on our coast.
Shore Bird Saturdays
Get to know the beautiful birds that make the coastal California wetlands
their home. Discover the endangered light-footed clapper rail and what the
Discovery Center is doing to help this rare local bird. We’ll have bird
games, bird stories and even the ability to sign up for a special shore bird
feed (Limited space available)!
Early Bird Saturdays- Especially for Birders!
Have you ever wished you could access the refuge earlier in the day for
bird-watching? Now is your chance! During COASTWEEKS we will be opening the
refuge early every Saturday, Sept. 15-Oct. 6. Grab your binoculars and bird
book and meet the shuttle in the parking lot. A shuttle will arrive on the
half hour to pick up birders beginning at 7:00am and going until 9:00am.
Note: The Discovery Center will not open until 10:00am, however the trails
will be open for hiking and bird-watching.
For additional information, please call (619) 409-5908.
