Last week, grade 6 went on its yearly coastal exploration, visiting Elkhorn Slough at Monterey Bay and Redwood Glen in the Santa Cruz Mountains. To prepare for the ropes courses at Redwood Glen, students spent Oct. 23 at Harker undergoing an important safety training program. The next day, they departed in three groups. At Elkhorn Slough, students went kayaking along the 7-mile stretch of water, viewing wildlife such as otters, jellyfish and sea lions. Their time at Redwood Glen was spent learning about the ecology and geology of the area, and navigating its rope courses through cooperation and teamwork. At night, the students went on an astronomy hike. “All these activities combined with the energy supplied by the students filled the day to overflowing,” said middle school division head Cindy Ellis, who accompanied the students.

The kayaking activity, she later said, “has been the best we have ever encountered at Elkhorn Slough. The perfectly blue skies and the abundant wildlife has amazed even the most seasoned kayak veterans among the faculty.”