Western Section Catalina Island Guided Workshop

This four-day immersive workshop will introduce participants to the natural history, conservation efforts, and cultural prehistory of Santa Catalina Island, the largest of California’s southern Channel Islands. You’ll have an opportunity to explore within the wild-urban interface of Avalon, while engaging in citizen science. Splitting our time between marine and terrestrial ecosystems, we’ll discuss the island’s biology, as well as its archaeology, geology, and conservation in situ. You’ll have a chance to snorkel in a location voted the world's healthiest marine environment by Scuba Diving Magazine; meet some of the island’s champions of conservation; and look for unique endemic species found only on Catalina. Participants can expect to snorkel, hike, bird, and even collect specimens for research institutions. There will be free time for exploring on your own, as well. By the end of the workshop, you will be a certified Catalina Naturalist.

What to Expect: This trip is geared for people (aged 18 to 94) with a strong interest in natural history. Our experts will be pointing out anything from plants to bugs to flints to scat. One can expect to engage in hands-on outdoor activities and all must be physically fit to walk up to several miles a day in 80-90 degree weather, ride bumpy roads and boats, and snorkel (no previous experience necessary). Conversely, some tourist activities in the bustling town of Avalon are included. We won’t be backpacking, but we will be staying in a rustic camp without electricity and cannot plan around opportunities for cell service or internet. Our daily routine will vary, but anticipate having breakfast as early as 7AM and sometimes staying up as late as 11PM. Free time is also built into the schedule. As with any travel experience, unforeseen changes may force us to change our itinerary, so participants must be willing to be flexible. While we anticipate seeing wildlife, wildlife can never be guaranteed! Our goal is to provide a fun, educational, and memorable experience.

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