The Marine Science Consortium

...hands-on, feet-wet education

Thank you for considering

Ocean Adventures Summer Camps at 
The Marine Science Consortium!

Summer Programs at the Marine Science Consortium give campers the opportunity to investigate beaches, marshes, and mud flats as they explore the amazing variety of life in and around the Chesapeake Bay. At Ocean Adventures Summer Camp campers connect to nature and the sea while making new friends and exploring new places! We have great counselors with a low camper/staff ratio to assure safety and personal attention. The residential summer camp program is a perfect blend of nature and adventure for 4th to 12th graders. Along with educational marine-based lessons and activities, campers participate in a variety of arts and crafts, games, and many other traditional camp activities. Fees for weeklong summer camps are $599. Fees for 3-day summer camps are $299. Camp fees include instruction, meals, lodging, research cruises, and materials.

Why should you join us this summer?

• Personalized attention for every camper. We limit registration in our summer
  camps to ensure that every camper has an experience they will never forget!
• New, clean, comfortable facilities
• Great food
• Reasonable prices which cover activities, instruction, meals, lodging,
  research cruises, materials and entrance fees
• Close to home and major airports 3 hour drive from Washington D.C.,
  Baltimore, Virginia Beach, etc.

Accommodations and Meals
Accommodations
Campers will be staying in the Red Knot Residence Hall, which is split up into suites. Each suite has four rooms, three quads in which campers will stay and one double, in which counselor-interns will stay. There are 4 sinks, 4 showers, and 4 toilets in each suite. The residence hall also has a large common room, laundry facilities, and is centrally heated and air-conditioned.
 
Meals
We have a large cafeteria on campus that serves excellent buffet style meals. There is always a variety of hot food available, as well as a salad bar and cold items. If your child has any dietary restrictions, please let us know as soon as possible. We will do our best to accommodate all allergies and restrictions. There will always be vegetarian options available.
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Health and Safety at Camp

The health, safety and security of each camper is our primary concern.

Staffing
Each year, some of the brightest young minds join the staff team at the Marine Science Consortium. They share their enthusiasm, knowledge and love for nature with campers from diverse backgrounds. All staff are certified in First Aid and CPR. We also have many staff members certified as Emergency Medical Technicians, Wilderness First Responders, and Lifeguards.

Safety Standards
We maintain a low staff to camper ratio and all of our staff are trained to handle emergency situations. We are prepared to care for your child and provide a safe and secure environment.

Daily Camp Schedule

The general schedule for a typical day at camp is outlined below. Campers find this schedule rather easy to follow and usually get used to it within the first few days. Classes may start earlier or end later on certain days, and the schedule may change slightly due to any number of factors, but announcements about schedules and classes will be made at meals.

7:30 - Rise and Shine
8:00 - Announcements & Breakfast
8:45 - Dorm Clean-Up & Get Ready for the day
9:00-12:00 - Morning Sessions, Activities and Trips begin
12:30-1:00 - Lunch
1:00 - 1:30 - Chill Time & Camp Store
1:30 - 4:30 - Afternoon Sessions, Activities and Trips
5:15 – 5:45 –Dinner
6:00-7:00- Shower, Rest, & Relax
7:00 - 9:00-Evening Program
9:00 - 10:00 - Dorm Time
10:00 - Lights Out

Preparing For Camp

We are excited that you are coming to The Marine Science Consortium this summer and we're looking forward to your arrival! This summer will be the best one yet and you will have a lot of opportunities to make new friends and have new experiences.

To make sure you are ready for a great experience and that we are ready for you, there are a few things that you should get ready for before you jump in the car and head to camp. Please see our Packing List page for information about what you should bring.

Communication at Camp

You can communicate with your camper at camp via e-mail and regular mail. Communication is great; campers always love to hear from their families! We definitely encourage you to write or e-mail your camper regularly.

E-Mail
You can e-mail your son or daughter by writing to mscva@msconsortium.org  Because internet access is limited at camp, campers cannot respond to the e-mails.

Mail
Mail can be sent to your camper at:

Your Camper’s Name
c/o Marine Science Consortium
34001 Mill Dam Road
Wallops Island, VA 23337

Mail is delivered to camp Monday-Friday and distributed to campers daily.
Campers are also encouraged to send letters home to you and can drop their letters off at the camp office. Stamps and postcards are available in the camp store. Many campers also bring stamps, stationary and the like with them to camp.

Telephone
Our office is open from 8am-4:30pm Monday thru Friday. You can call and leave a message with the office staff and your child can return your call when they return from field trips. If it is a non-office hours emergency, you can call our emergency cell phone which is carried by a staff member from 4:30pm through 8:00am. The emergency number is 757-894-7708.