North End dive for kinder class...?

[kixy1]

Hi!

I need to find someplace to hold a day of outdoor school. The curriculum is sealife...

We have some parent-divers so I'm hoping that we can get down and bring up some things for the kids to see and learn about (all goes back!)

I need a beach with enough room to have a few classroom 'stations', someplace to eat and bathrooms are a must. I'd LOVE someplace with tidepools!

What I'd like is:
Nice, even, open, safe beach (with tidepools?!)
Easy access dive site with critter potential
Bathrooms (possibly a covered picnic area?)
In the North End. We'll be coming out of Marysville so it should be within an hour drive of there.

Does such a place exist?

Thanks!

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I've participated in a couple of these events for elementary school kids over at Camano Island State Park. I think they have everything you're looking for, with the possible exception of tidepools (it's a sand beach). But we had little kiddie wading pools that we used for "touch tanks". Basically, volunteer divers collect critters for the touch tank, and then a naturalist from the Aquarium or one of the community college marine biologists will come down and let everyone know what they're looking at. When the event's over, all the critters get returned to the sea.

There's also Richmond Beach State Park in Shoreline ... our dive club does similar events there every year. This year we'll be there July 05-06 and July 19-20. These events are for the public ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[WADiverBob]

I live in Marysville. I had few times for Elementary schools at Kayak Point and Camano Island State Park. Both have facilities. A reservation for covered picnic shelters if need. We care of critters and kids touched them and fun. What name of school ? Send PM me if you need anything else.

 

[danclem]

The two best locations I know of are Edmonds close in, and Breazeale Interpretive Center on Padilla Bay east of Anacortes if you want to travel a bit. Edmonds has a Beach Ranger program that can probably help you out, and Breazeale is fantastic. Just south of the interpretive center is Bay View Park, which is also nice.

Hope this helps,

Dan