Requests for spring programs will be accepted over a period of a few days before we begin scheduling them into the spring calendar. As we transition into an online booking form, we hope that this will allow teachers the flexibility to read through all of the information without the pressure of having the form submitted by a deadline. The form will open on September 19, 2024, and we will begin scheduling the requests that we have received on September 25. Requests that have come in by that date will have first priority.

We will send out an email early in the school year with instructions about our new booking process. If you do not already receive emails from us regarding school program opportunities, please send an email to shannon@akcoastalstudies.org to be added to the list!

While there is no firm deadline before our spring season starts in early to mid-April, our overnight programs are generally full by January. Having the flexibility of traveling on the weekends or during weaker tide series will increase chances of getting into the spring season.

The priority booking window for Alaska Coastal Ecology overnight programs is September 19th-23rd, 2024.

Reservation requests for the Wynn Nature Center and other CACS day programs can be made at any time.

Due to the high volume of requests that we receive for the spring season, we do not begin accepting request forms until a specific day each fall, usually in September. We set this date by the end of each summer so that teachers have a few weeks to check school calendars before making a request. Once the date is selected, it will be posted online and emailed out to our teacher list. Please visit our booking page for specific details and guidelines on this process.

Low tide dates that are in high demand will be selected on a lottery system. If your class had a -3 or lower the previous year, please consider choosing a slightly less exciting tide to allow other groups rotate through the few dates of the “best” tides each spring.

While spring (April-May) is certainly our busiest time, August-September are wonderful times for a school trip. Some advantages to this time of year are (usually) no snow and generally nicer weather, less competitive scheduling, and the potential for late season berries and bioluminescence. Fall reservations are taken on a rolling basis, but reserving earlier in the year increases the chance of good tides!

The price of the program covers boat transportation between the Homer Harbor and the program location (boats are arranged by CACS), lodging, instruction, and facilities use/ program materials. The program price does not include food for the group, which is arranged by the teacher and/or chaperones. You can find some tips and suggestions for this in the Teacher Guide.

Please note that leftover food cannot be left behind at either location! This creates extra work for our staff and leaves less kitchen space for the next group.

Spring trip deposits are due by December 1, 2024.

Deposits for fall and winter programs are due upon receiving your confirmation letter.

A non-refundable deposit of $300 is due for each Alaska Coastal Ecology or Oceanography program.

If your deposit is not made by the deadline, your trip dates may be offered to classes on our waiting list.

Our pricing is per participant (student or adult) with one teacher or group leader fully discounted. If your group would benefit from a scholarship, please get in touch with us. We often have a scholarship fund or grant that can provide a small scholarship.

The Alaska Coastal Ecology programs take place at either the CACS-managed Peterson Bay Field Station or NOAA’s Kasitsna Bay Laboratory. Both of these locations are across Kachemak Bay from Homer, where CACS Headquarters are located.

While CACS arranges all boat transportation across the bay, you are responsible for arranging your group’s transportation to and from our departure point at the Homer Harbor. Lodging is included in your program upon arriving at either PBFS or Kasitsna, and is not provided on the Homer side before or after your scheduled program.

Unless otherwise discussed as a portion of your overall program, CACS does not provide any programs on the Homer side of the bay while your group is in town. If your group is traveling from outside of Homer, we encourage you to take advantage of some of the other educational facilities in town while you’re here, like the Alaska Maritime Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center.

There is a packing list included in the Teacher Planning Guide. You can access it on our website, and the School Program Coordinator will also send it with an info email several weeks prior to your trip.

Some general things that might be included are:

• Sleeping bag or sheets to cover a mattress (our yurts have mattresses on the bunk beds!)

• Rain jacket and rain pants

• Warm wool-based clothing layers, including hats, long underwear, and tall warm socks

• Flashlight or headlamp

• Knee-high rubber boots like Xtra Tuffs or Muck Boots

• Etc.

Peterson Bay Field Station

Participants will sleep in 5 heated yurts on the property. There is space for 6 people in each yurt, with the option of putting one more on the floor. (We have extra mattresses to accommodate this.) There are three bunkbeds in each yurt, all with foam camp mattresses. Participants should bring a sheet to cover the mattress and either a sleeping bag or blanket. CACS requires each yurt to have an adult chaperone.

Kasitsna Bay Lab

There are 7 rooms available for participants in the bunkhouse at the lab, sleeping 4 people each. While we do not require a chaperone to be in each room, we do expect that each room will have a chaperone nearby who is assigned to those students.

The district should already have this information! If they request it, let them know that all of the boats we charter with are instructed to list school districts as additional insured, and copies of the certificate and supporting documents like Coast Guard inspection certificates should be sent to risk management departments of each district. If this hasn’t happened, the district office will need to contact the taxi organizations directly.

No. Due to tidally-dependent dock access, boat schedules, insurance requirements, and various background logistics, it is imperative that the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies handle all boat logistics and work with our known water taxi contractors.

It is pretty rare that the weather is bad enough that we can’t get across the bay, but it has been known to happen! If this seems like it might be an issue for your group, our School Program Coordinator will reach out to you ahead of time. Each situation is different, and the Coordinator will be able to let you know what contingency plans could look like for your group.

Because marine weather forecasts are not 100% accurate, getting across the bay can sometimes be a bit of a game-time decision. Again, if this could apply to your group, the Coordinator will let you know. We fully trust the water taxi captains we partner with, and collaborate closely with them when weather becomes more of a factor. This can takes some time if there are multiple boats that we are working with, so we appreciate your patience and understanding as we gather all the information possible to make the best decision we can.