Aboard Captain Dave’s Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari’s vessel, the Hoku Nai’a, members of Big Brothers Big Sisters Orange County embarked on a whale watching excursion out of the Dana Point Harbor on Saturday, Jan. 28.
The whale-watching excursion is one of many activities that are part of Dana Point Harbor Partners’ newly developed community outreach program, which provides marine education and ocean experiences to underserved youths.
As a condition for approval of a coastal development permit for the $400 million redevelopment of the Dana Point Harbor, the California Coastal Commission required the Dana Point Harbor Partners to develop an education and sailing program for underserved youth.
Under the new program, the Dana Point Harbor Partners is required to provide year-round “interactive ocean education experiences” for a minimum of 1,000 youths per year “from low-income and other underserved communities that lack equitable access to coastal resources in Orange County for the lifetime of the proposed development,” according to the coastal development permit.
The Dana Point Harbor Partners collaborated with Surfrider Foundation over the last several years to develop the program.
The program launched in August 2022, along with the commencement of construction on the Dana Point Marina, offering opportunities to experience ocean education and activities to hundreds of underserved youths in the community.
When the Dana Point Harbor Partners shared details of the program with stakeholders in the harbor, Dana Point resident and Stand Up To Trash founder Vicki Patterson decided to apply for the role of Youth Program coordinator.
Patterson said she felt like the program aligned with her own efforts to promote marine and environmental education and good ocean stewardship.
As Youth Program Coordinator, Patterson works to engage youth organizations as beneficiaries and local partners such as Captain Dave’s, Westwind Sailing, Stand Up To Trash, Girl in the Curl, OCC Sailing, Dana Wharf, Ocean Institute Pure Water Sports and more.
“We work with the Title I schools, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Boys and Girls Club, Laura’s House, Orangewood, Waymakers, Casa (Youth Shelter),” Patterson said. “We’re reaching out into the community of kids who wouldn’t otherwise be able to do these things and get them a fun day on the water.”
In 2023, the Dana Harbor Partners “aims to provide unforgettable ocean experiences and education to more than 1,000 underserved youths,” according to a recent media release.
“Now as we enter into our first full year, it is incredible that we have more than twenty organizations participating in our efforts,” Bellingham Marine owner and Bellwether Financial Group founder and President Joe Ueberroth said in a media release.
“The environmental education component was learning about plastic pollution and marine debris, ocean and marine science, water quality and marine fish and mammals,” Patterson said. “So, they’re not just coming to the beach or to the harbor and going whale watching. We want to teach them why the water, why watersheds are important.”
Patterson noticed that after kids have a snack or lunch, they’re mindful of packing or throwing away their trash, adding that “it’s nice to see an impact.”
Paterson said that the most rewarding aspect of her role as Youth Program Coordinator is seeing participants’ faces light up at the chance to do something new.
“Because it is all new for them and no matter what the age of the child, they just have big, bright eyes and just so excited whether they’re learning how to sail or seeing a whale or dolphin for the first time or getting on a kayak for the first time or paddle board, it’s really fun to see that,” she said.
About a third of the kids aboard Saturday’s whale watching excursion had never been whale watching before, Patterson said. She added that it’s “especially fun to see the face of a child when they see a whale for the first time.”
“Everybody is so excited and wants to be a part of it,” Patterson added. “There’s so much need and I feel like I almost get to do an angel job because I get to bring something to kids that they wouldn’t normally otherwise have available.”
Ueberroth, a partner of the Dana Point Harbor Partners, added, “my partners and I look forward to continuing this program in 2023 and beyond for seeing the smile and reaction of a child that has just learned to swim or stepped on their first boat or rode their first wave never loses its magic for all of us involved.”
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