“Educational programs such as the ones
provided by Carolina Ocean Studies are essential
to creating an interest in preserving our natural
resources and helping shape the next generation
of environmental stewards.”
c
AROLINA Ocean Studies (COS) has taken large and small
groups out to North Carolina’s barrier islands and reefs for
educational tours since 1992. In addition to providing a variety
of learning enrichment programs for students, the organization also serves
local Scout troops, home-schoolers, senior and church groups.
Because the school programs are curriculum-based and conducted by
experienced instructors, COS is consistently recommended as a learning
resource for teachers. Before being forced into a hiatus by COVID-19, the
organization offered pier- and lagoon-based learning programs, crabbing
and fishing trips, and nautical excursions to the ecologically fascinating
deserted beaches and spoil islands that make North Carolina the special
place it is.
“Educational programs such as the ones provided by Carolina Ocean
Studies are essential to creating an interest in preserving our natural
resources and helping shape the next generation of environmental stewards,”
says Kevin Piacenza, board chair of the Cape Fear chapter of the Surfrider
Foundation.
COS takes students and other groups to Masonboro Island and places
like Cape Lookout, the Core Banks, and Shackleford Banks where it is not
uncommon to see groups of wild ponies grazing in high numbers. These
educational tours allow participants to learn more about marine life and
ecology, catch fish and net other critters, view living history, and study
pristine beaches.
“The programs offered by Carolina Ocean Studies are wonderful, because
they really give the students an opportunity to experience their learning,”
says Victoria Minshew, a fifth-grade teacher at College Park Elementary in
Wilmington. “As a Title 1 school, some of these kids have never even seen
the ocean before, even though we are really close by, so these programs are
very meaningful.”
Though the company has taken a hit because of the downtime mandated
by the virus, Richard Cecelski explains that the decision to only use char-tered
vessels has been a key component in surviving the economic hit.
“Not having to pay for dock fees or deal with ongoing maintenance
issues has allowed us to concentrate on what we do best, namely, provid-ing
education-based coastal tours,” he says. “The rules for compliance
with the Coast Guard are always changing, and boats always seem to
need some sort of repair. The costs for being compliant with the rules and
obtaining necessary repairs can quickly spiral into the tens of thousands.”
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OFFICE HOURS: M-F 9 am–2 pm
910-794-9656
36
WBM july 2020