Program title: The Secret Life of Larval Fish: A Geocaching Adventure

Overview: Geocaching is a GPS-based scavenger hunt in which participants search for hidden containers. In this project, we are placing 3-4 geocaches around the Coastal Science Campus. These caches have a “passport” associated with them, which can be picked up at the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. Further, there is a specific question about larval fish that is associated with each cache. The information needed to answer the cache (sometimes it’s an image, sometimes it’s a short paragraph of text) is hidden inside the container, along with a stamp to mark the passport. Visitors who complete the passport receive a commemorative coin at the Seymour Center. This project offers a unique form of long-term, inquiry-based learning that is accessible to all ages.

Current program leader/contact: Kat Dale

Partners: Seymour Marine Discovery Center

Funding: Western Division of the American Fisheries Society

History:

  • October 2016: Project designed and presented to Seymour Center
  • May 2017: Funding received from Western Division of AFS ($500)
  • October-December 2017: Project initiated
  • Early March 2018: Caches placed