Class size is limited for each trip and one chaperone for every 10 students is required.

Tidal flat, salt marsh, and Rachel Carson Reserve trips are scheduled to coincide with a low tide and require walking in shallow water and mud.

1. Tidal Flat and Salt Marsh (preschool-adult, $30 fee)
Investigate a sand flat and adjacent salt marsh to study intertidal organisms and their adaptations, food chains, productivity, and the estuarine nursery area. A seine net is pulled in shallow water to view a sample of marine animals. (1-1/2 hours; maximum of 30 participants)

2. Beaufort Walk (4th grade - adult, $5 fee/adult, $2 fee/student)
Begin at the museum observation deck and take a walking tour of Beaufort to hear stories and view gardens and historic points of interest. (2 hours; maximum of 10 participants)

3. Rachel Carson Reserve (5th grade-adult, 30 participants maximum, $60 fee plus cost of the ferry)
This island component of the N.C. National Estuarine Research Reserves provides opportunities to study dune plants, feral horses, and organisms of intertidal mud flats and sounds. Participants cross Beaufort's harbor by boat, wade in shallow water, and walk 1/2 mile across a mud flat to the beach. (2-1/2 -3 hours)

4. Marine Life Collecting Cruise (6th grade-adult; inquire for current fees)
After an orientation in the museum participants board a research vessel equipped with sampling-sized commercial fishing gear to collect and observe estuarine and ocean organisms. Discussion focuses on species identification and natural history. (2-1/2 hours; maximum of 20 participants)

5. Kayaking the Estuaries (7th grade - adult, $35 fee/ person)
Suitable for beginning to advanced kayakers. Groups kayak through and study estuaries and learn about currents and tides, and navigation. The program includes on hour of preparation/instruction; two hours of paddling; and 30 minutes of clean up. (3 1/2 hours; maximum of 10 participants, 4 person minimum).

North Carolina Maritime Museum
315 Front Street
Beaufort, NC 28516-2125
Phone: (252) 728-7317, Fax: (252) 728-2108
Email maritime@ncdcr.gov