About the Kino Alumni Trip November 2023

Come join us for a week of exploring the biocultural riches of the Midriff Island Region of the Gulf of California. This trip is full of activities designed to reconnect alumni with each other, with the Center, and with this beautiful region where the desert meets the sea! The six-day program includes many opportunities to participate in the Center's activities alongside Center students and staff and within the local ecosystems and communities.

About the Prescott College Kino Bay Center

The Vision

The Center is located five hours south of the international border on the Sonoran shores of the Gulf of California. We provide information, training, and support for students, scientists, educators, and community members; and builds platforms for equitable collaborations between people from different cultures and institutions to co-create viable solutions to complex socio-environmental challenges.

The Opportunities

The Center hosts a full calendar of classes covering topics in marine science, climate studies, community-based conservation, social justice, art, language, writing, and research. Each year, we host approximately 1,400 visitors including researchers, students, faculty, community members, and partners from dozens of institutions, as well as community groups from Mexico, the United States, and around the world. The Center's mission, staff, and programs are supported and enriched by our deep connections and long presence in the region. For more information, view our Annual Report.

Join Us

The Kino Bay Center's community-based conservation work is informed by both science and traditional ecological knowledge, and at each step of the process owe facilitate dialog, civic engagement, and experiential education. We believe effective conservation is a collective action, and we invite you to join us in exploring and protecting some of the most bioculturally rich marine and coastal ecosystems in the world.

Prescott College Alumni Trip

November 7th-12th 2023

Day 1

Introduction

• Transport from Prescott, Phoenix, Tucson, and Hermosillo airport
• Arrive in Kino, get settled
• Station Orientation
• Individual introductions

 Day 2

Nearshore Boat Day

• Breakfast at Casablanca
• Boat trip to Isla Alcatraz, Laguna la Cruz and points beyond
• Natural history, birds and community- based conservation
• Lunch at a restaurant on the shores of the estuary with local conservation leaders
• Back at the Center – an introduction to the Kino Bay Center 2023
• Dinner at a local restaurant

Day 3

Cultural Geography: Activities with PC Class

• Breakfast at Casablanca
• Field trips with the PC Cultural Geography class
• Field lunch
• Dinner at local restaurant

Day 4

Explorations in the Infiernillo Canal

• Breakfast at Casablanca
• Presentation about the historical and current context of the Comcaac people
• Biocultural explorations by boat of the Infiernillo Canal with Comcaac partners
• Intertidal zone explorations in Estero Santa Rosa
• Dinner at a local restaurant

Day 5

Offshore boat trip: birds, dolphins, islands, fisheries and snorkeling

• Breakfast at Casablanca
• Offshore boat trip: birds, dolphins, islands, fisheries and snorkeling
• Carne asada with students and center staff

Day 6

Departure

• Van leaving at 6:30 a.m.
• Drop-offs at the airport according to flights

Trip cost of $1500
(Please Register Below)

Lodging at the Kino Bay Center, lunches, transportation from Prescott, Phoenix, Tucson, or Hermosillo in a Prescott College van, breakfast (if you are staying in a hotel), boat support, individualized program set-up and facilitation, community-based activities facilitation, and safety support.

Trip cost excludes:

Airfare costs, hotel, dinners, and breakfasts (if you are staying at the center).

Required:

You will need a current passport to participate in this trip.

-Be prepared with layered clothing and sun protection. This part of the Sonoran Desert experiences climatic extremes. Heat, dehydration, sun exposure, wind, and varying water temperatures are all important factors. In November, the weather will be comfortable during the day but still very sunny, and at night it will be chilly and windy.

-All visitors must bring their own bedding/sleeping bag; the station can provide cots for sleeping. Visitors also must bring their own towels and toiletry items. Kitchens are well equipped, and visitors may bring their own food from the States, buy food in Hermosillo or Kino, or eat out at restaurants.

Recommended items to bring:

Field Gear
Sleeping Bag, Sleeping Pad, Sheet, and Pillow (The sleeping area is outside under palapa roof with bug nets)
Bug spray
Binoculars and Camera
Watch
Day Pack
Water Bottle, Coffee Mug, Personal Tupperware
Flashlight/Headlamp (spare batteries)

Personal Items
Clothes: Prepare for cold and hot weather and items to protect you from the wind, rain, and sun. Presentable attire for a formal presentation.
Bring a bathing suit, hat, and culturally appropriate clothing to wear when going into town.
Shoes: Sandals, running shoes/hiking boots, and water shoes (optional).
Towel and Toiletries: Glasses/contacts, sunglasses, sunscreen, insect repellent, medications, etc.
Extras: Musical instruments, soccerball, volleyball, frisbee, art supplies, etc.

General
Passport and Tourist Visa (Received at Immigration
Checkpoint in HMO airport)
Extra cash and an ATM card
Spanish/English Dictionary