Oceanographic cruises are offered April through October on the calm waters of Sandy Hook Bay. Regularly scheduled workshops for teachers and the general public are offered in April, May, August, September and October. School trips can be scheduled for grades 6 through 12 and adult groups throughout the warmer weather.
Important information you should know:
- the boat is US Coast Guard inspected
- participants must wear life jackets (provided by the boat)
- boat capacity is 30 including chaperones
- a typical trip lasts 3 hours; however, we can modify the schedule and accommodate up to three groups per day and rotate students between the boat and beach activities at Sandy Hook
- activities include boat safety, maritime history, navigation techniques and equipment, biological sampling, water chemistry, and if time permits, some hook and line fishing.
Before you contact us about a school trip, please be aware of the following:
- grades 6 and above only
- the vessel is not handicap accessible
- full payment must be received in advance of the trip, please note that boat trips are more expensive than regular field trips to Sandy Hook (see brochure for updates on costs)
- participants will receive safety instructions prior to departure and teachers and chaperones are expected to supervise the students throughout the cruise
- For information, please contact: Dave Grant, Box 533, Sandy Hook, NJ 07732
Sail the calm waters of Sandy Hook Bay.
Safe - Educational - Comfortable - Fun
On a 50 foot, fully equipped, United States Coast Guard inspected, research, sight-seeing and fishing vessel designed for the study of Sandy Hook Bay. The diesel powered boat is certified to carry 30 students and teachers; has a walk-around deck, full railings, wheel house, main cabin and rest room. We can accommodate groups of up to 75 students per day. Please note that all boat trips must be paid in full, in advance.
SAFETY AND DEMONSTRATION EQUIPMENT: U.S. Coast Guard-approved and inspected life jackets, life rings, first aid kit, fire extinguisher, ship-to-shore radio, depth finder and radar. The boats unfortunately are NOT handicap accessible. We can make no exceptions, sorry for the inconvenience.
SCIENTIFIC EQUIPMENT: Bottom trawls, benthic dredges, plankton nets, invertebrate traps, microscope, secchi disc, water chemistry testing devices, research tags for studying fish migration, and recreational fishing equipment.
PROGRAMS include:
Note: these hands-on programs are supplemented with curriculum materials for your Grades 5-12 and college students. Classroom presentations can be arranged to prepare them prior to the cruise.
SAILING DATES: available for charter April through October. Please do not request a boat trip unless you have three dates that you are certain your school is available and that you are able to pay for the trip in full and in advance.
STAFF AND FACULTY: skippered by a U.S. Coast Guard-certified captain.
Faculty includes David Grant; Director of Brookdale College’s Ocean Institute. Grant has conducted field trips around Sandy Hook for over 20 years and has worked with tens of thousands of students. He has more than 20 years experience teaching college-level Oceanography, Marine Biology and Earth Science; has worked at Rutgers University, Monmouth University, Mercy College, Oceanographic and Limnological Research Ltd., Energy Resources Corporation, the National Park Service, and the Acadia Institute of Oceanography. He is also a certified Teacher/Supervisor/Principal; served on the panel that developed the Department of Education’s High School Earth Science Proficiencies; developed science packets for the DISCOVER SCIENCE and SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN FRONTIERS television series; and has developed nationally-distributed, award winning science curricula for Gifted and Talented students. He runs the College’s weather satellite receiving station. He studied biology, environmental science, earth science and oceanography at Monmouth University, Long Island University, the University of San Diego, the University of Delaware, Johns Hopkins University Space Grant Consortium, Boston University and Weber State University.
To schedule a program, contact the Ocean Institute at Box 533, Sandy Hook, New Jersey 07732.
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