After arrival, gather at Sea Base Orientation Pavilion for check-in and a welcome briefing that introduces safety protocols and the week's learning goals; scouts will meet instructors and form patrols while touring the campus. Spend the remainder of the morning on a guided shoreline walk to Crocodile Lake Research Station overlook and a hands-on tidepool exploration at Founders' Dock, where scouts practice basic knot-tying, identify local shells and juvenile fish, and log observations for a citizen science project.
After lunch, head to the Sea Base Marine Education Center for an interactive shell lab and a guided microscope session where scouts examine plankton and learn about food webs; participants will log findings into the program's digital field journal. Follow with a supervised paddle on the calm waters from Founders' Launch to the nearby Mangrove Learning Loop, practicing basic paddling strokes, shore-land navigation, and observing juvenile fish and wading birds as an introduction to the week's marine stewardship activities.
As the sun dips, gather for a low-key debrief and dinner at the Seaside Dining Pavilion, where instructors recap the day's discoveries and introduce tomorrow's snorkeling safety talk; scouts share highlights and add observations to the group field journal. After dinner, take a guided night-walk to the Lighthouse Point Boardwalk to listen for nocturnal shorebirds and learn about light pollution impacts, then return for a brief stargazing session led from the Open-Air Learning Terrace, tying constellations to navigation basics the scouts will practice later in the week.
Begin with a hands-on classroom session at the Marine Science Classroom, where instructors demonstrate reef ecology using preserved corals and interactive models, then head to the nearby Shallow Reef Training Site for pool-like snorkeling drills that teach mask-clearing, buoyancy control, and buddy checks. After mastering basics, practice guided shallow-water observation at the Seagrass Flats Study Area, recording fish ID, seagrass health, and water clarity for the group's citizen-science log to build on yesterday's tidepool observations.
After lunch, explore the shallow lagoon at Turtle Bay Observation Point for a guided seagrass and juvenile turtle-spotting swim where instructors teach gentle approach techniques and species ID; scouts log sightings into the program's digital field journal. Finish with a hands-on conservation exercise at Coral Nursery Platform, practicing coral outplanting demonstrations and learning how reef restoration ties to the citizen-science work started earlier in the trip.
As the group winds down, gather at the Coral Cove Amphitheater for an instructor-led debrief where scouts share snorkel observations and compare reef notes collected in their field journals. Follow with a twilight beach seine demonstration at Harbor Light Shoal-students help gently haul nets under supervision to examine small fish and invertebrates before releasing them-then finish the night with a hands-on identification session under portable lamps at the Field Lab Canopy, connecting tonight's finds to tomorrow's reef conservation lessons.
Rise early for a boat launch from Islamorada Harbor Marina to reach the protected Alligator Reef Shoals, where certified guides lead a family-friendly guided snorkel among patch reefs to spot parrotfish, surgeonfish, and colorful sponges while teaching in-water observation techniques and practicing quiet buoyancy control. After the snorkel, regroup at the floating Reef Restoration Platform for a hands-on coral gardening demo-kids help handle coral fragments, learn about outplanting methods, and log reef health observations into the program's citizen-science database to build on yesterday's seagrass and tidepool studies.
After lunch, head to the sheltered waters of Looe Key Marine Sanctuary for a guided shallow-reef snorkel focusing on fish behavior and coral health surveys, where kids use waterproof ID cards and tally sheets to contribute observations to the trip's citizen-science project. Follow with a hands-on session at the floating Reef Monitoring Platform-scouts assist instructors in conducting simple coral health checks and learn how to record bleaching signs and algal growth before returning to shore to debrief and add findings to the group's digital field journal.
As dusk approaches, gather at Windley Key Nature Preserve Boardwalk for a guided mangrove ecology walk that builds on the day's reef lessons by showing how nursery habitats support juvenile fish and corals; instructors lead a kid-friendly talk on food webs and the link between mangrove health and reef resilience. Afterward, enjoy a hands-on citizen-science session at Turtle Hospital Viewing Deck where scouts help log evening observations of local shorebirds and water quality readings, then end the night back at Harborfront Learning Circle with a reflective campfire-style debrief, reef restoration story time, and additions to the group's digital field journal.
Begin with a hands-on seamanship clinic at the Skiff Skills Dock, where scouts learn line handling, basic knots, and engine safety before launching; instructors run short drills practicing crew roles and emergency stop procedures. From there, take a guided bay transit to the Chart & Compass Cay, practicing coastal piloting with paper charts and handheld compasses while stopping to identify navigation markers and conduct a short shoreline plastics survey for the trip's citizen-science stewardship project.
After lunch, head to the Biscayne Bay Conservation Quay for a hands-on chart-plotting workshop using handheld GPS and laminated local charts, then practice real-time course corrections on a supervised dinghy run to Virginia Key Marker 12 while learning wind-reading and tide timing. Finish with a guided shoreline cleanup at Crandon Park Mangrove Point, where scouts catalog debris for the citizen-science stewardship log and compare observations to earlier plastics surveys and reef health notes to reinforce the link between boating practices and ecosystem health.
As sunset approaches, gather at Harbor Light Pier for a twilight chart-reading relay where scouts compare daytime GPS tracks with paper charts and practice plotting a safe return course while instructors introduce rules for night navigation. Follow with a guided mangrove shore survey at Sunset Estuary Point, where teams conduct water-quality dip tests, log plankton counts, and practice low-light species ID before finishing with a reflective lantern-lit debrief at Captain's Circle, tying tonight's findings to earlier reef and seagrass citizen-science entries.
After a coastal drive and luggage drop, gather at Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center for a ranger-led orientation that introduces Everglades hydrology and safety, then take a short guided tram to Mahogany Hammock Trailhead for a family-friendly boardwalk walk where scouts practice species ID, spotting tropical hardwood trees, and logging bird and insect observations into their field journals. Finish the morning with a hands-on water-sampling activity at Nine Mile Pond-kids test salinity and turbidity, learn how freshwater flow affects mangrove nurseries, and compare results to the group's earlier seagrass and reef data to reinforce ecosystem connections.
After lunch, head to Coastal Prairie Trailhead for a guided kayak outing through the calmer estuarine channels, where scouts practice shallow-water paddling techniques while spotting fiddler crabs and juvenile snook and logging sightings in their field journals. Later, visit the Tamiami Boardwalk Overlook for a family-friendly wetland soils demo and hands-on marl sampling-kids learn how peat and marl form, relate findings to morning hydrology lessons, and help record water-level observations for the trip's citizen-science log.
As dusk falls, gather families at Coote Marine Science Center overlook for a kid-friendly estuary talk and hands-on dip-netting in the sheltered flats to sample larval fish and crustaceans, then compare finds to earlier seagrass and reef logs. Finish with a guided sunset canoe glide from Black Point Launch through mangrove channels to practice silent wildlife watching-scouts record night-shift species and water-level notes for the citizen-science journal before a lantern-lit debrief at Pine Island Picnic Grove.
Kick off the morning with an exhilarating family-friendly airboat ride from Shark Valley Airboat Tours (or a nearby licensed operator) skimming sawgrass marshes to spot wading birds, alligators, and foraging turtles while a naturalist points out how seasonal water flow shapes habitat. After the ride, regroup at Shark Valley Visitor Center for a ranger-led hands-on session featuring seine-net sampling in a shallow slough and a short guided tram loop to study sawgrass ecology and water management techniques, linking these observations to earlier Everglades hydrology and coastal comparisons from Day 5.
After lunch, paddle a family-friendly guided tour through the quieter backchannels from Flamingo Kayak Launch to Bear Lake Picnic Area, where scouts practice species spotting for wading birds and freshwater turtles while learning about mangrove root zones and estuarine nursery functions. Follow with a hands-on soils and invertebrate session at Eco-Preserve Learning Platform, where a ranger leads interactive sampling of benthic invertebrates and demonstrates how changing water flow affects peat formation-kids record results to compare with morning airboat observations and the trip's citizen-science log.
Wind down the day's discoveries with a guided sunset boat glide from Chokoloskee Harbor Launch into calm backwater sloughs where scouts practice quiet spotting of night-active birds and early-foraging marsh mammals while a ranger demonstrates spotlight-free nocturnal observation techniques. Finish with a hands-on marsh lantern lab at Tamiami Twilight Pavilion, where families examine collected planktonic samples under LED microscopes, compare findings to earlier airboat and tram observations, and record new entries in the group's citizen-science journal.
Begin with a hands-on tracking clinic at Pa-hay-okee Overlook, where a park naturalist teaches scouts to read animal sign-footprints, scat, and feeding traces-then lead a guided loop onto the Anhinga Trail Extension to practice documenting sightings of wading birds, raccoon prints, and alligator slides for the trip's citizen-science database. Finish the morning at the Visitor Center Citizen Lab, where kids input observations, compare notes with earlier marsh and mangrove surveys, and learn how their data helps park biologists monitor seasonal wildlife movements.
After lunch, head to Shark Valley Tram Trailhead Extension for a guided scavenger-hunt style tracking walk where scouts use plaster tracking kits to make casts of fresh prints and compare gait patterns from mammals and wading birds; instructors will demonstrate spoor identification and tie finds to seasonal movement patterns recorded earlier in the trip. Follow with a hands-on data session at Flamingo Citizen Science Kiosk, where kids enter their casts, photos, and water-level notes into a regional database and join a short marsh-insect sweep at the adjacent Taylor Slough Access Point to collect and ID macroinvertebrates that link food-web observations back to Days 5-6 wetland studies.
As golden hour arrives, gather for a guided creekside spotlight walk along the Nine Mile Creek Boardwalk, where a naturalist teaches quiet-travel techniques and uses infrared trail cameras to compare nocturnal activity with the morning's plaster casts; scouts help retrieve camera photos and annotate behavior notes for the trip's citizen-science portal. Finish with a hands-on field lab at the Marshside Learning Shelter, where kids examine collected scat and fur samples under microscopes, practice micro-habitat sampling, and upload their verified observations to regional wildlife monitoring projects to tie tonight's finds into the week's wetland and coastal data.
Begin with a conservation kickoff at Cape Sable Restoration Site, where scouts help transplant native marsh grasses and learn sediment stabilization techniques from park ecologists before recording survival plots for the group's citizen-science log. After the planting, paddle family-style from Florida Bay Backcountry Launch through a sheltered mangrove maze to practice silent spotting of juvenile fish and shorebirds, conduct guided root-zone water-quality tests, and map micro-habitats to compare with earlier reef and estuary findings.
After lunch, launch guided tandems from Long Pine Key Kayak Launch into sheltered mangrove channels for a skills-focused paddle where scouts practice eddy turns and silent spotting of juvenile snapper and mangrove crabs while instructors demonstrate root-zone restoration techniques. Midway, stop at Mudstone Nursery Cay for a hands-on seedling-planting session-kids help stake and anchor mangrove propagules, measure survival plots, and record GPS-tagged restoration data that ties directly to earlier marsh planting and citizen-science entries.
As twilight settles, gather for a hands-on debrief and citizen-science entry session at Harriet's Hammock Learning Dock, where families compare daytime restoration plots and upload GPS-tagged survival data from the morning's plantings. Then take a quiet, lantern-free paddle through Coral Hammock Passage to practice low-impact night-watching techniques-scouts record looming silhouettes of foraging waders and nocturnal fish activity in their field journals before a final reflective circle at Bayou Beacon Clearing to tie tonight's observations to the trip-wide conservation goals.
Gather at the Skills Recap Pavilion for a guided merit badge review where instructors lead hands-on stations-knot-tying at the Rigging Bench, marine ecology ID tests at the Tidepool Lab Table, and navigation drills using handheld GPS at the Chart Station-so scouts can demonstrate skills earned across the trip. Finish with a campus-wide pop quiz and certificate ceremony at the Harborfront Assembly Lawn, where families compare citizen-science logs compiled from reef, mangrove, and Everglades studies before final packing and shuttle departures.
After lunch, convene at the Harbor Skills Pavilion for final hands-on merit-badge stations where scouts demonstrate seamanship at the Rigging Row, enter their last citizen-science entries at the Digital Field Lab, and complete a guided species ID relay at the Shoreline Specimen Table. Then take a short observational paddle from Founders' Launch to Reflection Point Dock, where families practice silent wildlife watching, compare reef-to-wetland notes, and record final GPS-tagged observations before gear packing and pre-departure briefings at the Departure Assembly Canopy.
As the final sunset settles, gather families at the Reflection Pavilion Overlook for a guided ceremony where scouts present highlights from their field journals and exchange citizen-science summaries gathered across reef, mangrove, and Everglades sessions. Follow with a relaxed potluck-style dinner on the Seafarer's Terrace, a brief awards presentation at the Keeper's Deck, and a last shared stargazing circle using handheld red lights at the Navigation Lawn to reinforce night-navigation lessons before final gear checks and shuttle departures the next morning.