Stars to Sea
Immerse yourself in adventure, wildlife, and nature with our “Stars to Sea” program, offering a unique opportunity to engage in genuine community science focused on one of the world’s most elusive and captivating creatures.
The Baja Experience
Prepare for an extraordinary adventure as part of the Baja Experience—a remarkable exploration journey! An exceptional live aboard expedition in the captivating Midriff Islands of the Gulf of California. Dive into crystal-clear waters, explore vibrant marine life, and make lasting memories on this fabulous adventure.
Wilderness First Responder Certification
Experience a remarkable approach to safety training. Our hybrid Spanish/English course offers an exceptional environment to master life-saving skills. It’s a fabulous opportunity to practice communication and technical skills simultaneously, ensuring you’re prepared for any situation you might encounter.
Build-Your-Own-Adventure
Whether it’s grade school, graduate school or a yoga retreat, it’s clear that location based, immersive, field experiences in nature offer the most impactful educational experiences.
Help Us Save The Sea
At the Vermilion Sea Institute, we engage our local community alongside visiting students, scholars and researchers in science-based programs that strive to build a more sustainable future. Our interdisciplinary approach to research in ecological, cultural, economic and sociopolitical aspects of environmental issues inspires and educates our future leaders.
Local Engagement
Educating and empowering Bahía’s next generation of conservation leaders.
Photo by Kirk Lightfoot
Community Science
Combining adventure and immersion in nature with the opportunity to participate in meaningful marine science research.
Photo by Jack Didier
Education Partnerships
Hosting elementary through graduate-level educational programs that examine ecosystems from multi-disciplinary perspectives.
Photo by Meghann McDonald
Research Opportunities
Welcoming professional scientists and students alike to our facility to study the wonders of Bahía de los Ángeles.
Photo by Courtney Baxter
Blog
Read vibrant stories from the field, from nurturing conservation leaders to studying marine ecosystems.
Photo by Courtney Baxter
Our Whale Shark Encounters!
This interactive map serves as a living record of our community science work in the Gulf of California, visualizing individual whale shark encounters documented by our team and partners around Bahía de los Ángeles.
You can use the chronological slider to scrub through the data one year at a time
These are our encounters! Click individual points to view more information on sharkbook.
Last updated April 16, 2026