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Ocean Institute Offers Introduction to Tidepool Life, Behind the Scenes Tour

DANA POINT, CA, February 1, 2007 - California's coastline is rich with ocean wildlife. One collection of especially interesting and diverse sea creatures can be found in tidepools along our beaches. Low tides during the winter months offer the ideal time to view and enjoy these creatures, and to understand the harm that can be done when visitors remove them to take them home as souvenirs.

Take a tour of the Dana Point Marine Life Refuge tidepools with an Ocean Institute naturalist on Saturday and Sunday, February 17 & 18, 2:30 - 4 p.m. each day, and Saturday and Sunday, March 17 & 18, 2:30 - 4 p.m. and 3 - 4:30 p.m. The tidepools are in close walking distance to the Institute; the tours are free with paid admission to the Institute. Tour size will be limited to the first 35 people present at the tour time. The experience is for ages 6 and up; wear sturdy, close-toed shoes and dress warmly. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult; the activity requires walking over rocky train for a half mile or more.

Behind the Scenes Tour

Before going on the Tidepool tour, visitors can enjoy an enhanced "Behind the Scenes" introduction to ocean science and to learn about life onboard a tall ship during the golden era of sail at the Ocean Institute, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Highlights include new interactive exhibits, a chance to view hundreds of sea creatures and witness animal feedings, and an opportunity to tour the tall ship Pilgrim on most Sundays. The program will continue weekends through March 31, 2007.

New in 2007 are a variety of innovative, 20-minute activities inspired from the popular school programs the Living Systems Lab, Sea Floor Explorer Lab and LiteraSea class. Additionally, there will be family-friendly experiences at the new stingray touch pool, the "Good-Tidepooler" Surge Tank and the ocean tank where a Remotely-Operated-Vehicle (ROV) is used to teach engineering.

On most Sundays, visitors can tour the Ocean Institute's historic brig Pilgrim, which annually hosts thousands of students through unique living history programs based on the book Two Years Before the Mast. Sailors in period costume will be on hand to lead tours.

For additional information on weekend activities at the Ocean Institute, visit www.ocean-institute.org or call (949) 496-2274.

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