Winter Solstice Snorkeling in Sydney

Last week to celebrate the winter solstice (the shortest day of the year), we packed in the most amount of activity!

The students started off the day by catching the famous ferry to Manly. What better way to commute than with oceanside views of the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge!

Once at Manly, our exploration of aquatic and coastal ecosystems began. The students geared up to go snorkeling in Cabbage Tree Bay Aquatic Reserve. While in the water, we spotted stingarees, flatheads, cuttlefish, kelp forests, and more. With many of our students having never snorkeled before, this was truly quite the experience!

After snorkeling, we were lucky enough to go on a guided coastal walk up to the cliffside overlooking the ocean. Our guide shared with the students tons of facts about local ecology and ecological practices - did YOU know that there is an entire shark-monitoring network in place across the state of New South Wales? (Check out SharkSmart!) While overlooking the ocean at the top of our walk, we even saw whales out at sea.

Finally, we finished up our group adventure at Manly with a beach clean up. Our students recognize their duty to help do their part for the local environment, especially as we continue to enjoy it on our program. From collecting microplastics to full-on packaging, we were able to make a significant impact on the bay.

Whew, what a day! All our days here in Sydney are packed with adventure and we are excited to continue updating you all with our travels here "down undah".