Courtesy photos.
CAMARILLO — Imagine kayaking out to the mouth of the Channel Islands harbor to watch the sun dip into the ocean, then paddling back in the dusk. Or learning to sail. Or paddleboard. Or earn your lifesaving certificate.
All of these programs and more are available to the public and CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) students at the Channel Islands Boating Center (CIBC) at 3880 Bluefin Circle in Oxnard, overlooking the Channel Islands.
The Boating Center would not be able to offer the variety of programs it does were it not for the support of the California Division of Boating and Waterways (DBW), which just granted the Boating Center $38,498 for the 16th year in a row.
Assistant Director of Campus Recreation Josh Wade and CIBC coordinator Jennifer Maravola expressed their gratitude for the funding from the DBW, which is dedicated in part to providing public access to boating and water activities, as well as water safety and education. Wade oversees Water Recreation & Outdoor Adventures for CSUCI and Maravola oversees daily operation of the center and does community outreach.
“It’s vital,” Wade said. “It’s a lifeline that allows us to provide water sports and safety activities to community members who wouldn’t otherwise have access to this equipment. We have been fortunate to be able to get the grant every year since 2002.”
Wade said the majority of the grant goes for scholarships, so kids and families can take advantage of the summer camps the CIBC offers, including sailing, kayaking, paddleboarding, lifeguard training and marine science.
“This year alone we awarded $30,000 worth of scholarships,” Wade said. “We do one-week kayaking class, a two-week sailing class and standup paddleboarding camps.”
More than 200 students ages nine to 15 participated in CIBC’s 13th annual youth watersports summer camp this summer, but Wade stressed that lessons are available in fall and spring for both kids and adults.
Classes during the watersports summer camp included paddling or sailing around Channel Islands Harbor and sometimes, out into the ocean. They also visited the Marine Center & Aquarium, which is run by Oxnard College, to get close to starfish, sea urchins, garibaldi and sand sharks, to name a few of the ocean inhabitants.
Representatives from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration taught students about the area’s vast array of marine life and the ocean giving them a chance to test plankton by dipping nets into the ocean and taking a look at some of the tiniest ocean-dwellers through a microscope.
The summer camps are open to kids ages nine to 15, but there are numerous sailing, paddleboarding and kayaking classes for adults as well as lifeguard certification training. The CIBC also offers 16 to 18 positions for CSUCI students as student summer camp trainers for all the water classes.
There is also a sunset kayaking experience which is free to CSUCI students, and costs the public $45.
“We get on the water about a half an hour to 45 minutes before sunset, paddle out to the breakwall, watch the sun set, then paddle back,” Wade said.
The rest of the grant goes toward equipment for the CIBC and future programs, which Wade hopes includes scholarships for students at the Boys & Girls Clubs and Inspire Charter Schools.
To learn more about the CIBC and what it offers visit: www.ciboating.org/.
About California State University Channel Islands: CSU Channels Islands is reimagining higher education for a new generation and era. We are an innovative higher education institution that enables students to succeed and thrive, serves as an engine for social and economic vitality and provides the intellectual resources necessary for a thriving democracy. With more than 7,000 students, 1,200 employees and 16,000 alumni, CSUCI is designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Our strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master’s degrees. Connect with and learn more by visiting CSUCI’s Social Media.