Local youths explore estuary, barrier island environment
The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation and Captiva Cruises recently hosted 17 children, ranging in age from 6-12, from the Children’s Advocacy Center of Southwest Florida as part of the No Child Left On Shore initiative.
The environmental, educational outreach program provides the younger generation of Southwest Florida with an informative and fun way to gain experiential knowledge of the region’s marine ecology.
No Child Left On Shore was founded in 2010 by Captiva Cruises and SCCF educator Richard Finkel and Paul McCarthy, the former owner of Captiva Cruises, as a collaborative effort with the SCCF.
Many of the recent participants had never been on a boat before the field trip, officials reported.
Departing McCarthy’s Marina aboard The Playtime, Captiva Cruises’ motor catamaran, the children were thrilled to observe dolphins while cruising the waters of the Pine Island Sound on the way to Cayo Costa State Park. The youths then had the opportunity to get their feet wet, explore the shoreline and discover the diversity of marine life on the island with Finkel.
Due to a stormy afternoon, their time on the water and exploring the beach habitat was cut short, but they excitedly talked about wanting to come back as they recounted the highlights of their field trip.
“It’s such a wonderful way to enrich how our summer program participants experience Southwest Florida,” Children’s Advocacy Center Chief Financial Officer John Raho, who is also a SCCF Board of Trustee member, said. “Getting out on the water and up to Cayo Costa helps them appreciate our natural world and the value of healthy ecosystems.”
For more information about No Child Left On Shore initiative or to sponsor a youth group field trip, contact Finkel at richardfinkel@captivacruises.com or 239-472-5300.