Students are in groups no larger than 25 ,with 1 instructor and 4 adults provided by the school (per the chaperon ratio).

The school/group needs to provide 1 adult per 6 children. Example if you have 36 kids you would need to have 6 adults.

Each school has a specific form to fill out, your school/group will send you a link from Camp Wise. The form can not be found on this website.

We work closely with Lifeguards to recruit Junior Lifeguard instructors as well as other marine science and religious organizations to create a pool of highly qualified instructors to choose from.

There is no cell service and if there happens to be a signal it is unstable and spiritic. There is no Wi-fi for campers or chaperons to utilize. Camp staff have access for emergencies to contact the proper authorities. There is a landline for campers and chaperons to use while at camp to contact family. Please read the chaperon agreement closely as it outlines the use of phones at camp. If you are expecting to work using the internet or your cell service while at camp, we can not accommodate this. We hope that you can unplug and enjoy nature to its fullest whilst being present for the kids.

All CBS Staff, CSA staff and instructors are background checked for peace of mind.

The ferry from Newport takes about 1 hour and 15 mins. If you get sea sick we recommend taking some medication before you board the boat. Stay outside on the boat to get fresh air and look at the horizon to prevent feeling sick.

We offer our standard marine science curriculum and our “Christ Centered” curriculum.

All campers share a centralized, modern restroom facility complete with solar-assisted, hot showers and electricity since cabins do not have attached bathrooms. Each gender has access to five shower stalls and five flush toilet stalls. Additional outhouses are located at waterfront and behind the volleyball courts.

Adult Responsibilities Help students locate their classes, location list is posted on main meeting area doors and on the light house doors Show up to classes after bell rings Help maintain classroom order alongside instructors 2 adults must participate in aquatic classes (snorkel and kayak) During classes sit among students to keep chatter down Follow safety instructions from CSA staff and help implement to students Inform CSA staff before hiking during free time or morning exercise If sharing housing with students maintain quiet hours 10pm-7am Know where your group of students are after dark and during quiet hours. Enforce student rules Stay on campus During scheduled hike class one parent stays at the rear of the class Oversee OTS for your group Inform CSA staff of students who are not following rules, 3 strike system. Chores are consequences. If bathroom time is not shared with students, adults may use the showers 6-7am and 10-11pm. Outhouses are individual stalls by the playground and across the bridge from the ping pong tables.

Of course! It is so fun to receive a letter from a loved one while at camp. Make sure you send your letter with your school name and your child's name. To have the letter arrive during camp please send it at least 5 days before camp. Send your mail to: 1 Gallager’s Cove PO Box 466 Avalon, CA 90704

We are isolated from convenience stores and shopping centers so packing all of the essentials is important. Here is a list of the things your camper will need. With all things school related, we highly suggest putting your name and school on everything and we mean everything! If you are planning on putting your sleeping bag in a trash bag please get a heavy duty one (use duct tape to write your name on it) as it will be thrown around and we would love for you to reuse that same bag on the way home. Sleeping Bag and pillow Hiking shoes/running shoes Swim suit 2 Towels, one for showering and one for water activities Warm clothes for night time, sweatpants, sweatshirt, beanie etc Pants and a pair of shorts or capris Socks and underwear Shirts or tank tops Sun protection: Sunscreen, sunglasses, hat, sun shirt, rash guard (not mandatory but nice for kayaking) If you wear glasses please bring contacts so you can fully enjoy snorkeling. There is no mask that will allow the use of any type of eye wear. If you have board shorts to wear or clothes you don't mind getting wet for kayaking Shoes to get wet for kayaking, crocs or water shoes are acceptable. Toiletries: tooth paste, tooth brush, comb/brush, shampoo, conditioner, soap, deodorant, sunscreen for face and body Reusable water bottle Headlamp or lantern Pen and pencil, easy to forget but important! Items you may bring but are not mandatory as we supply them: Snacks in a ziploc bag with your name on it Mask and snorkel Fins Wetsuit Money for snack shop Disposable underwater camera, gro pro, or digital camera If you would like to bring any props for your skit feel free to bring them.

Wake up at 7am, breakfast at 8, two activities before lunch at 12:30, another two activities before dinner at 6 and two more activities before bed at 10. Activities vary by group and by the day but all students will experience each of the five main classes: kayaking, hiking, snorkeling, squid dissection, and tide pools. We have a star hike the first night and a bonfire the second night. There is an opportunity to free swim in the ocean and free time to play games like basketball, volleyball, or gaga ball. We had out and post schedules when schools arrive. To find out more about our classes and schedule click the button below.

During camp students will be able to snorkel, kayak, and swim in the Pacific Ocean. We always take into account ocean conditions as it changes by the hour. If it is deemed unsafe due to high wind or high surf we will cancel and try to reschedule the activity. Students will be paired together in a kayak and snorkel for safety purposes and the number of students in each group will not exceed 25. Our chaperons are mandated to assist in water activities and enables more eyes on the students during these activities. Our instructors are trained in rock rescue, boat tipping scenarios, snorkel tour leading, and basic lifeguarding skills including CPR. It is mandatory while kayaking to wear a lifejacket the entire time. During snorkel we have optional lifejackets and other flotation devices such as boogie boards to make the activity more comfortable. In addition, our leaders carry a lifeguard buoy. There is a set time for students to enjoy the ocean with no structured class. During that open water time we have 3 or more lifeguards on duty watching their free time.

3 and 5 day trips. Check out our Classes page for more info

Campers who have medication will be able to keep their medication dry or cold if necessary in a safe place away from others to access. Schools who have permission to administer medications will carry the proper forms to do so. Catalina School Adventures does not have dedicated staff to administer any medications.

We do not have a nurse on staff. Most schools bring someone to handle all the students medications and the distribution of them. Our staff is all first aid and CPR trained but not able to administer drugs to campers. If your child felt ill we have an infirmary with basic medications and parents would be contacted to see what they would like to do going forward. If you chose to have your child leave camp, a parent or guardian would need to meet the child in Avalon for their journey home.

Campus by the Sea has some of the best cabins on the island. Most open air cabins have 6-8 beds. Open air means there is a small cut out at the top of the cabin wall to allow air flow and light inside. The other option for lodging is canvas tents. These tents are very well insulated and have the same comfortable beds as the cabins. Each tent has a screen to keep bugs and critters outside. In both the cabins and the tents there is no electricity. Campers must bring their own sleeping bag and pillows, as well as headlamps or lanterns. (see list of what to bring for other items). The cabins are separated by gender. Male and female chaperons stay in the same cabin with the students unless school policy prohibits this. In that case, chaperons will stay in cabins neighboring students to monitor any night activity. For more information click the button below to see pictures and descriptions of the housing and facilities.

Responses to emergencies are as followed: Fire on the island- If the fire is close to camp we will evacuate the students using all our boats and activate our neighboring campuses emergency relief system to help take students to safety. A serious cut or broken bone- our staff will provide the basic care and packaging in order to get them into town to see the doctor at the hospital in Avalon ( approximately 10 min boat ride). For other serious injuries where we are unable to move the camper to the city of Avalon and they require immediate care, we are fortunate to have Los Angeles County Fire Department serves all of Catalina Island and has a high speed boat that comes directly to camp. In the extremely rare occasion that an injury or situation arises were none of the above could assist we have the option to air lift out patients using the US Coast Guard.

Yes, we will work with you to make your Catalina experience the best possible. For example if your group would prefer to have a night snorkel instead of a star hike we can adjust the schedule accordingly.

Campus by the Sea (campusbythesea.org) located at Gallagher’s Cove approximately 3 miles west of Avalon.

5th grade – college.

Transportation to and from camp (the island), lodging, meals, curriculum (journals) and instructors.

Our food service team serves vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, and diary free options. It is a peanut free facility. When you fill out your welcome packet online there is a portion on dietary restrictions. Please list your restrictions there as it goes directly to the head chef so they can order the proper amount of food for your camp dates. Dietary restricted food is separated from the main food so that there is no cross contamination. Campers are instructed at the beginning of the meals as to where they can find their food and who to ask if they need anything else. For campers who have extremely strict diets and would like to bring their own food we have refrigerators and pantries for camper use.

We utilize a 6-1 ratio (6 campers to 1 supervising adult) and those adults receive a discounted price.