Maritime Summer Camp

Welcome to Maritime STEM Camps, where campers spend each day exploring the best the San Francisco waterfront has to offer--both by land and by sea--every single day! Most days are split; 1/2 the time is spent on the water learning to row and sail our fleet of small craft, and the other half is spent on a field trip to one of the many excellent adventurous and educational locations nearby. Campers explore the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, engage in submarine science aboard the USS Pampanito (a WWII submarine) at historic Pier 45, learn about our local ecosystem in Aquatic Park through inquiry-based curriculum, and more. 

Our rowing & sailing training program is conducted aboard our diverse fleet of small craft. Campers start in our 24-foot longboat, where they all work together to row in unison and pilot the boat safely around the park's lagoon. They then graduate to the small row boats that fit 1 - 5 campers at a time. There, campers learn to handle a set of oars by themselves and steer a boat independently. When the conditions are good--i.e., when the wind and tides are in our favor--campers will get to sail our fleet of Pelican sailboats. These are hardy craft explicitly designed for the San Francisco Bay, making excellent sail training vessels. Campers will handle the tiller and learn to steer the boat to keep it sailing; they'll trim the sheets and learn to adjust the sail, and once proficient, they'll even race each other in the lagoon! Remember that learning to row & sail with skill are both lifelong pursuits, so if your camper's goal is to become proficient, you should consider attending camp for multiple weeks. 

Campers in the Park will explore the maritime history of the Maritime Museum Building and Visitor Center exhibits.  And what maritime camp would be complete without a beach party on the aquatic park beach?

Fisherman's Wharf has much to offer as well! At Historic Pier 45, campers visit the historic WW2 submarine "USS Pampanito" where they learn some of the science that submariners used to keep the submarine afloat or submerged (buoyancy), to escape detection (sonar), to reach their destination safely (navigation), to see what was at the water's surface (periscopes), and keep the lights on (batteries). They'll learn what life was like aboard a submarine for the brave individuals who chose that service. 

 Campers and families love the diverse, adventurous, educational experience and return year after year. We've been reaching capacity earlier each year, so if you want to secure a spot in your 1st choice of sessions, don't delay!