There’s no better place to beat the summer heat waves than out on the water in our numerous programs! Week 2 programs took excursions to Sandy Point, the Breakwall, and Chocomount on the sunny days and performed science projects inside during the stormy Friday. On the 4th of July, NESS campers and staff had a day off to celebrate! Thank you to all of our NESSians who celebrated with us by marching around the Stonington Borough with big smiles despite the heat and humidity. A shout out to our Founder and President, Spike Lobdell, for pulling our decorated NESS opti along with some camper passengers! Afterwards, some parade participants and observers stopped by to rent paddleboards, kayaks, and a sailboat. It was a picture perfect day!

Marine Science Students

Over the course of the week, the Little Aquanauts studied bioluminescence with projects involving slime, underwater volcanoes, and bubbles, as well as Earth’s habitats by snorkeling and exploring the shoreline! The Baybounders group built their own Aquarium system by studying animal husbandry on boat trips. Using ROVs and microscopes, the Baybounders inspected corals, fish skeletons, and crab claws. Ocean Explorers compared sharks to other elasmobranchs by studying shark behavior and performing a dissection. The afternoon class explored life as a pirate by catching fish, exploring local pirate history, telling stories, and analyzing myths. Marine Scientists had a action packed full day of NESS adventure sports and Project Oceanology science. This included kayaking and snorkeling in unique locations, boogie boarding, sailing, and exploring local habitats while analyzing discoveries.

Adventure Sports Students

In our mixed sports program, the younger NESSians focused on catching all types of waves on all different types of boats and boards in different locations. Meanwhile, the older NESSians became kayak experts, snorkeled to areas motorboats cannot reach, and learned to windsurf, using nature as their very own playground! Fishing discovered the strategies necessary for fresh and saltwater conditions, as well as what species of fish are present in each area. In the rolling waters of coastal Rhode Island, surfing learned about surfing safety, weather and waves, and board riding ability.

Sailing Students

From learning fundamentals without a sail to 420 racing, our sailing students became confident in their abilities. Our sailing instructors tailored learning to the individual camper to maximize improvement in our variety of programs including all different levels and ages. Our Opti Race Team spent last weekend at the New Bedford Junior Regatta and posted some impressive results! Click here to learn more.

What will you learn next in our programs? We are closing program registration at midnight on Wednesday, sign up today!