Bring Your Students

BMSC hosts multi-day immersion field trips to complement your credit course.

While our focus is on marine and coastal sciences, we encourage custom programs.

Take advantage of activities provided by our Education Team, or allow us to facilitate your objectives.

Field trips

Oceanography and Biodiversity in Grappler Inlet (2 hours)
Grappler Inlet provides the backdrop for an examination of the biotic and abiotic characteristics of the ocean. Oceanographic measurements and plankton collections are taken at two locations, the head and mouth of the inlet. At each location students measure temperature, salinity, and turbidity. Back in the laboratory, the data are discussed, comparing between the head and mouth of the inlet, and added to an ongoing multi-year study. The Plankton Lab provides a microscopic examination of the sample.

Research Vessel MV Alta (>1.5 hours)
A field trip to the Deer Group Islands on the MV Alta includes sampling from the subtidal environment and marine mammal and bird observation. A dredge net sampling from the sea floor yields a diversity of organisms including sea stars, urchins, octopuses, crabs, fish, sea cucumbers, and many others not inhabiting the intertidal zone. During a trip to the open ocean, depending upon the season and migration pattern, whales, harbour seals, sea lions, and a diversity of marine birds can be observed. There is an additional cost for these trips, please see pricing guide (maximum 12 people per trip).

Research Vessel Barkley Star
Experience marine mammal and bird surveys in BMSC’s research and diving vessel. The Barkley Star is equipped with a remotely operated vehicle.

There is an additional cost for these trips, please see pricing guide (maximum 12 people per trip).

Intertidal Exploration (3-4 hours)
Brady’s Beach, with its picturesque sea stacks, sandy and rocky shores, and Eagle Bay, with an outstanding diversity of intertidal animals and seaweeds provide opportunities to observe the organisms in their natural environment. Brady’s Beach is an ideal site to conduct quantitative and qualitative studies, for example, tide pool studies involve mapping, estimating volume, and observing organismal interactions. Eagle Bay has a spectacular diversity of marine algae.

Temperate Rainforest Ecology (1 – 3 hours)
Experience Vancouver Island’s coastal temperate rainforest. BMSC’s forest path meanders through old growth before entering into second growth, allowing students to compare the two. Quantitative studies using biodiversity indices can be done here. Study the biology of many plants, including fungi, mosses, ferns, shrubs, and trees and learn about traditional cultural uses (ethnobotany) with our Education Team. Culturally modified trees along the path illustrate how first nations people harvest from trees.  Temperate rainforest ecology can also be incorporated with the Brady’s Beach, Pachena Bay or day-long hike on the West Coast Trail.

Laboratory study

BMSC provides flexible research and teaching support with specialized laboratories for physical ecology, hydrodynamics, animal behavior, plant and animal ecology, molecular biology, comparative fish physiology, neurophysiology, developmental biology, and aquaculture.

See our Facilities page for an overview

3-Day Sample Itinerary, Invertebrate Biology Class

Day 1
17:00     Arrive at BMSC, settle into accommodations
18:00     Dinner in cafeteria

Day 2 (Low tide of 1.0 m @ 14:12)
7:30     Breakfast
8:30     Tour of the facilities and safety orientation (Meet in traffic circle) (two groups)


Group 1Group 2Group 3Group 4
9:30Boat trip: Zooplankton collection (Meet at docks, 2 boats required)Lab: Marine invertebrate diversity in Barkley Sound. (Whale Lab)
11:00Field trip: Examination of life on docks and pilings (Meet at docks)Boat trip: Zooplankton collection (Meet at docks, 2 boats required)

12:30   Lunch
13:30   All: Field trip: Sandy and rocky shores of Brady’s beach (Meet at docks)


Group 1Group 2Group 3Group 4
16:30Lab: Marine invertebrate diversity in Barkley Sound (Whale Lab)Field trip: Docks and pilings (Meet at docks)Field trip: Alta (Meet at docks, dress warm)

18:00   Dinner
19:00   All: Presentation: Future study opportunities at BMSC (Rix A)

Day 3
7:30     Breakfast, pack up and move out of accommodations. Move gear to Main Bldg. Foyer


Group 1Group 2Group 3Group 4
8:30Field trip: Alta (Meet at docks, dress warm)Lab: Microscopic examination of plankton (Rix lower level)Field trip: Life on docks and pilings (Meet at docks)
10:00Lab: Microscopic examination of plankton (Rix lower level)Field trip: Alta (Meet at docks, dress warm)Study time: Whale Lab openLab: Microscopic examination of plankton (Upper Main Lab)
11:30Study time: Whale Lab openField trip: Alta (Meet at docks, dress warm)Study time: Whale Lab open
12:30

Lunch

 

Lunch

 

Lunch

 

13:00Late lunch

13:30   (Optional) souvenir sales in the Whale Lab, load bus.

14:00   Depart BMSC

Faculty and students from our Member Universities, as well as other Canadian and international institutions that have participated in our Field Trips:

In 2014, UVIC students from these courses participated in BMSC field trips:

University of Alberta students last participated in BMSC field trips in 2009: