“Use it while you can because things are changing fast, and you’ll miss it if you’re not paying attention.” – Volunteer with Ocean Connectors Eco Tours and San Diego Audubon Jim Pea on San Diego’s wilderness
Eco Tours with Ocean Connectors provide so much more than a visit to San Diego Bay. The tours encompass a web of connections between wildlife, people, tidal movements, wind, swell, and migration patterns that inspire thought and reflection and separate one from the distractions of our busy world. Eco Tours help friends and families connect and relax while spending time together in the outdoors. You may see an osprey boldly holding its post and curiously looking on as you kayak past with awe and reverence. You could witness a gray whale diving deep, showing off its fluke, or a pod of Pacific white-sided dolphins surfing and playing in the wake behind the boat. Or, as we did recently, you may spot a little stint, a tiny Arctic wading bird that is an incredibly rare sighting in San Diego. Whatever you see, each Eco Tour presents its own unique set of surprises.
Ocean Connectors launched our Eco Tour social enterprise program in partnership with local businesses in 2015. Eco Tours align with our mission of connecting individuals with the Pacific coast through providing outdoor recreation opportunities like kayaking, whale watching, and bird watching tours. Our primary goal is to create a sustainable source of revenue to support our free youth programs, ultimately helping us reach more underserved students in National City, California and Nayarit, Mexico and ensuring we can continue providing free coastal conservation lessons for low-income students. Eco Tours take the original Ocean Connectors programs focused on sea turtles, whales, and birds, and repackage them for the community at-large, thereby making our programs accessible for a wider audience and engaging the public in advancing our mission of getting underserved students outside.
Ocean Connectors Eco Tours provide personalized outdoor experiences for ages 6 and up, for groups of up to 15 people. We have shared Eco Tours with groups ranging from young patients getting re-introduced to outdoor activities to conference attendees and families visiting from around the U.S. We have celebrated birthdays, holidays, and employee team-building days, with each Eco Tour offering a sense of adventure, joy, and breathtaking views of wildlife. Our expert tour guides hold a variety of certifications that ensure guests have a safe, rewarding, and educational experience exploring the San Diego Bay by boat, kayak, or bicycle.
Become a part of the Ocean Connectors mission by booking your Eco Tour today – see our website for pre-scheduled tour dates, or use our online inquiry form to select your own date for groups of 6 or more. Eco Tours are offered throughout the year.
Ocean Connectors Eco Tours are conducted in close partnership with local businesses such as Chula Vista Kayak, Flagship Cruises & Events, and Stay Classy Bicycle Rentals, and are made possible thanks to support from the Port of San Diego, the County of San Diego, and various other community partners.
