Marine biology and AP Biology students explore Catalina Island

The night sky filled with stars as the sun set over the horizon. Animals on Catalina Island were preparing to sleep, but for 25 marine biology and AP Biology students, it was time to go snorkel among the bioluminescent algae.

The students took a trip to Catalina Island from Jan. 16-18. With them were AP Biology teacher Cheryl Lenz, marine biology teacher Jill McCrystal, earth science and biology teacher Lisa Cochrum and principal Paul Robinson. During those three days, students stayed at Catalina Island Marine Institute (CIMI) at Toyon Bay, engaging in activities led by camp counselors.

Senior Sydney Torrens recalled her first experience on the island, where she asked a counselor about the presence of the island’s unique Pacific bison.

“We walked up to the island and I asked the camp counselor if there were really any Pacific Bison on the island because [my friends and I] had looked that up on Wikipedia,” Torrens said. “And then, instead of saying anything, he pointed to the side and said ‘Look’ and I looked. And there was this big old bison in the middle of the quad.”

Catalina Island has been used for many purposes in the past. The buildings that are now being used for a research institute and camp used to be part of an all-boys private school and the island was used for military testing in World War II.

The bison arrived on the island for a movie production of “The Vanishing American” in 1925. However, the Catalina scenes never made it into the movie, and for unknown reasons, the moviemakers left the bison stranded on the island.  

One of the trip’s highlights occurred when senior Jordan Vogel tried to take a picture of the bison with his GoPro camera and realized that bison accelerate quickly when charging.

“I wasn’t thinking much past making sure I don’t get trampled,” Vogel said. “When I got closer to it, I just started marveling how close I was to such a big creature. I guess he thought I was too close.”

Junior Michael Fukuda was especially excited to go snorkeling for the first time.

“I enjoyed seeing all of the fish in their natural habitat because before I had only seen them in tanks or in pictures,” Fukuda said.

They started out with an instructional on how to put on the wetsuits and then headed out in the water for a beginning snorkel. For nighttime snorkelling, they were equipped with flashlights, but they did not need them for the main attraction: bioluminescent phytoplankton.

Students spent most of their time for the rest of the trip at the research facility learning about fish, sharks, algae, plankton, oceanography and invertebrates.

“I thought that the marine labs were very engaging and interesting,” said senior Bianca Oliveri. “I really liked how they wouldn't just lecture, but we would always get to have hands-on experiments and experiences with the organisms we learned about.”

Fukuda also enjoyed learning in the labs.

“I thought the classes were taught in a very interactive way,” Fukuda said. “Before, I knew literally next to nothing about the marine wildlife here, but now I can pull up random facts without even thinking about it.”

In addition, students engaged in team-building activities and entertainment,  such as struggling to balance on a giant wooden board, scaling a two-story rock climbing wall and walking on metal wires in pairs. They enjoyed on the second night an astronomy night hike where they learned stories about the constellations, then went back to lounge at a campfire and roast marshmallows by the shore.

Vogel said he would recommend the trip to anyone who likes the ocean or wants to have an adventure.

“It’s a great experience that doesn’t really come along that often,” Vogel said. “When something like that does get offered, you’ve got to seize those opportunities and get out of the ‘Saratoga bubble.’”

Oliveri said the trip opened her eyes to human influence on the environment.

“It was short, but in just those few days you have the most beautiful and impactful adventure,” Oliveri said. “You really realize how much of an impact we have on the ecosystem and environment and it inspires you to change your habits and make a difference.”