Carolina Ocean Studies

Name: Carolina Ocean Studies
Address: 100 Carl Winner Drive, Carolina Beach, NC, 28428, US
Telephone: (910) 458-7302
Price range: $
Rating: 5

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Carolina Ocean Studies

Discover the Wonder of the Carolina coast on a field trip with Carolina Ocean Studies! The places we visit are part of our nation's natural treasures.

es in the Eastern United States. The Cape Lookout Lighthouse has been warning ships of North Carolina's infamous shoals for over 150 years. The pristine and secluded beaches of Masonboro Island bring both awe and solace to its visitors. Our school programs are curriculum-based and are conducted by experienced instructors, many of whom have years of classroom experience. Each year we take over 25,000 students on educational programs. Teachers have been recommending our cruises for 20 years. While our organization primarily caters to school groups, we also work with scout, senior, church, and 4-H groups. We will adapt our cruises to your group's specific needs. All of our programs take place on vessels that are regularly inspected and certified by the United States Coast Guard. Most of our boats range in size from 60 to 85 feet.

08/23/2025

A student finding beautiful knobbed whelks and a....pineapple?? You never know what you'll find on the beach at Cape Lookout! Knobbed whelks are predatory marine snails found along the Atlantic coast. With their strong, spiraled shells lined with distinctive “knobs,” they are built to survive in sandy and muddy habitats. These snails use a specialized proboscis to feed on bivalves like clams and mussels, playing an important role in keeping populations in balance within the ecosystem. Their shells, often washed ashore, are also excellent teaching tools. Students learn how the shape and thickness of the shell reveal the whelk’s adaptations for protection and survival. Because shells are made of calcium carbonate, they also connect to discussions about ocean chemistry and environmental change.

08/21/2025

Raise your hands if you're excited for the fall field trip season to start! Turn your next field trip into an adventure with Carolina Ocean Studies! Students will explore marine life, discover barrier island ecosystems, and dive into coastal history — all while having fun on the water!
📚 Standards-based experiences include:
🔬 Science: Marine biology, ecosystems, food webs, and adaptations
🌎 Social Studies: Maritime history, coastal culture, and human–environment connections
📏 Math: Real-world data collection and measurements

Hands-on activities like fishing, crabbing, and beach exploration make learning interactive, memorable, and directly tied to the classroom!

08/18/2025

Students cruising the Calabash waterfront — a place known as the “Seafood Capital of the World” — where fishing heritage runs deep. While out on the water, they got hands-on with a King Mackerel anatomy lesson, connecting science with culture right where the two meet. By examining the King Mackerel’s streamlined body, sharp teeth, and gills, students learned how this powerful fish thrives in the open ocean. But beyond biology, they also discovered how fish like the King Mackerel have supported local livelihoods for generations. Calabash’s fishing fleets have not only provided food, but also shaped the community’s identity, traditions, and economy. From science to heritage, Calabash gave students a deeper understanding of how nature and culture are intertwined.

08/16/2025

Our Ocean Ecology Cruise field trip isn’t just about reeling in a catch — it's about reeling in some BIG lessons too! Students get hands-on experience with rods and reels, learning how fishing combines patience, persistence, and problem-solving skills. It’s a perfect way to show kids that success often takes practice, focus, and a little patience. Being out on the water gives us a chance to explore marine ecosystems, invertebrates/vertebrates, and understand how people and nature are connected. The best part? Seeing the excitement on every student’s face when they feel that first tug on the line!

07/28/2025

Student catching a pigfish — and no, it doesn’t oink, but it does grunt! These little guys are a favorite baitfish for larger predators, but they’re fascinating in their own right. With their spiny fins, blunt snouts, and vibrant stripes, pigfish are well-adapted to life near the ocean floor. They’re bottom-dwellers that love sandy or muddy areas and play a key role in the food web of our coastal ecosystems. This fish was released after the photo. #

07/25/2025

We had a wonderful time hosting the students from the Science House last week! Students attend our Island Hopping the Outer Banks program, where we visit Shackleford Banks and Cape Lookout! Throughout the trip, students engaged in hands-on ecology lessons, studying barrier island dynamics, intertidal zones, and the fragile relationship between native species and their shifting habitats. Crabs, shorebirds, sea oats, and even the shape of the shoreline—all are interconnected in this ever-changing ecosystem!

07/06/2025

A beautiful sunrise captured at Kure Beach Pier! Did you know the pier was originally built in 1923? That makes it over 100 years old — one of the oldest fishing piers on the entire east coast! Stretching 711 feet into the Atlantic Ocean, offering ample space and excellent conditions for fishing and a Carolina Ocean Studies classroom! During our field trips, students catch pinfish, croaker, spot, flounder, bluefish, and pompano!

07/03/2025

Students diving into an exciting, hands-on fish investigation lesson with the remarkable Atlantic menhaden on Kure Beach Pier! Carefully examining this silvery fish to learn how its body works, they explored the gills to see how menhaden pull oxygen from the water, located the swim bladder that helps them stay buoyant, and saw how it filters plankton with their gill rakers! Atlantic menhaden form huge schools that can number in the thousands, so large they look like a shimmering river underwater! These fish are a critical link in the food web, feeding bigger fish like tuna and bluefish, as well as dolphins and seabirds. For centuries, people have harvested menhaden for fertilizer, animal feed, and fish oil rich in omega-3s. Talk about getting icky with education!

07/01/2025

Students stepped back in time on our educational field trip to Cape Lookout National Seashore, where history and science meet at the edge of the sea! We explored the historic Cape Lookout Lighthouse, a beacon built in 1859 that has guided mariners through the treacherous waters of the Graveyard of the Atlantic for over 160 years. Students learned how lighthouse keepers once lived in isolation, maintaining the light through storms and war to protect sailors navigating the Outer Banks. Through hands-on activities and storytelling, students connected maritime history with natural science—studying how barrier islands like Cape Lookout shift over time, how storms and shoals contributed to countless shipwrecks, and how this fragile ecosystem has supported human life for centuries.

06/28/2025

Leaving Masonboro Island and boarding on the Island Explorer! Our partner, , ferries our groups to and from the island during the day and cruises out to the Cape Fear River for sunset in the evening! During this 2-hour family-friendly sunset cruise, you can learn about the history of Snow's Cut, Carolina Beach, and the State Park. If you're ever in Carolina Beach, this cruise is a must and gives a unique view of the surrounding area!

06/26/2025

A field trip brought students ankle-deep into a living classroom—an estuarine tidal creek on Masonboro Island! Using the traditional method of hand-lining, students caught blue crabs while exploring one of the most productive ecosystems on Earth. While they patiently pulled in their lines, students observed firsthand how tidal creeks serve as nurseries for juvenile fish, shrimp, and crabs. They also learned how blue crabs use their sharp senses to detect food, the role they play in the food web, and how salinity, temperature, and tides affect their behavior.

Address

100 Carl Winner Drive
Carolina Beach, NC
28428

Telephone

(910) 458-7302

Website

http://www.carolinaoceanstudies.com/

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Our Story

Founded in 1992, Carolina Ocean Studies has shared the wonder of the Carolina coast with thousands of children and adults. We take groups to magnificent barrier islands and ocean reefs for thrilling environmental education. The sea's wonders are revealed when participants go fishing, crabbing, clamming and exploring remote beaches. The places we visit are part of our nation's natural treasures. Shackleford Banks has one of the largest populations of wild horses in the Eastern United States. The Cape Lookout Lighthouse has been warning ships of North Carolina's infamous shoals for over 150 years. The pristine and secluded beaches of Masonboro Island bring both awe and solace to its visitors. Our school programs are curriculum-based and are conducted by experienced instructors, many of whom have years of classroom experience. Each year we take over 25,000 students on educational programs. Teachers have been recommending our cruises for 25 years. We share the coast with school groups, home-schoolers, scouts and others. We will adapt our cruises to your group's specific needs. All of our programs take place on vessels that are regularly inspected and certified by the United States Coast Guard. Most of our boats range in size from 60 to 85 feet.