high/low ropes - Tucson International Academy

How do you approach a brand new experience? Do you cautiously dip one toe in, just to get a tiny feel? Do you slowly, but determinedly, wade in to your knees? Or do you take a running jump and cannonball right smack dab into the middle of a new adventure? Several of the TIA students who voyaged to Catalina Island in September saw and encountered the ocean for the very first time. Most had the “running cannonball” approach into their new adventure!

California Here We Come!

Fifteen 8th thru 12th grade TIA students, accompanied by TIA teachers Ms. Barbara Lane and Mr. Caleb Anderson, set out from Tucson late on the night of Sept 27. Their destination was the ocean. Specifically they were headed to Santa Catalina Island, more commonly known simply as Catalina Island. The rocky island, off the Californian coast, is located in the Gulf of Santa Catalina, about 22 miles south-southwest of Los Angeles. This trip to Catalina Island is offered to TIA students every other year in conjunction with the biology unit of their science curriculum.

Many TIA Students Encounter the Ocean for the First Time!

The group of desert rats left Tucson at 11 pm on Tuesday, Sept 27th. The trip started with an eight hour bus ride to Long Beach, during which the travelers tried, against the odds, to get some sleep. From Long Beach they boarded the ferry which would take them the last two and a half hours of their journey. For many, this ferry ride was the first time they ever laid eyes on the ocean. Amazingly, no one got seasick, and even in their sleep-deprived state, everyone seemed to enjoy the voyage.

Spectacular Ocean Views

Once they arrived on the Island, they were met by their hosts from the Catalina Island Marine Institute (CIMI). The girls and Ms. Lane were shown the way to their cabin and the boys and Mr. Anderson were directed to the cabin where they would stay. Their cabins looked out over the water and the view was spectacular!

Never a Dull Moment

But their adventure had just begun. The instructors from CIMI had activities planned to fill each hour and each student’s mind to the brim. Here are just a few of the fun and educationally rich activities they enjoyed.

Tidepool Exploration
Plankton Labs
Squid Dissections
Night Snorkeling
Hikes up to the Lookout Point of the Island
Oceanography Labs (where they could touch and encounter sealife such as starfish)

One of the most memorable activities was something the CIMI team called high/low ropes. Even those who were leery at first, begged for a second or third turn once they discovered how exhilarating swinging from the high ropes could be!

Such a Memorable Trip!

What an amazing opportunity and adventure this Catalina Island trip was for these desert-dwelling TIA students. Many will remember it for the rest of their lives, not only as their first ocean encounter but also as a highlight of their time at TIA -- A school that makes learning seriously fun!