By Brent McGrath | Aventurero
The Vermilion Sea Field Station (VSFS or the station) is a layered complex of buildings, pathways, beaches, and nearly a century of history. It serves as the home base of the Aventurero program in Bahia de Los Angeles and is a popular hangout spot for many of our participants. When the windy spring weather prohibits outdoor activities, the station transforms into a safe, wondrous, and comfortable facility for the Aventureros to learn and explore.
On such an afternoon, we delved into the station’s extensive collection of microscopes, quickly learning their differences and proper usage. Suddenly, our enclosed confines expanded infinitely as the microscopic world came into view. We eagerly collected leaves, food, clothes, bones, plankton, and shoreline oddities to explore further.
The simple questions we asked sparked more complex ones, and the station always provided the right tool or person to assist us in our expanding investigations.
Summer arrived abruptly, and the Aventureros eagerly embraced it with plans to explore the ocean a little beyond the shore. Without a moment’s hesitation, we were equipped with life jackets and underwent a comprehensive water safety training session. Then, the exciting journey of kayak training commenced! As a team, we learned the art of preparing, maintaining, and transporting our equipment. We also mastered the skill of safely launching from the shore and practiced a few basic paddling maneuvers. Finally, we honed our knot-tying skills to secure our kayaks. As the water temperature rose, kayaking evolved into a delightful blend with paddleboarding. This dynamic duo was further complemented by swimming and snorkeling, allowing us to immerse ourselves in the underwater wonders. Nearly every day, we embark on hours-long adventures, exploring the sea right in front of VSFS.
The Aventureros program is proud to carry on supporting the brave and curious young minds of Bahia de Los Angeles for its seventh consecutive summer in 2025. As a group of organizers, volunteers, participants, and families, we promote community conservation by providing the expertise and resources needed to safely explore and better understand the natural wonders right in our backyard. Donations are crucial in providing transportation to and from Aventureros activities, funding diverse and nutritious meals during programming, and in keeping all participation completely free.
Links:
By Kylie Rench | Vermilion Sea Institute Communications Volunteer
By Heidi Malizia | Director of Programs
Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can receive an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.
Support this important cause by creating a personalized fundraising page.
Start a Fundraiser
