Reef Ball Drop a Success!

The crew from Eagle Beach Construction prepare to drop the reef ball as tv crews film for the 6 O'clock news! 

Hello everyone:

On a sunny Friday, May 12, 2017, after months of research, emails and phone calls, the IPYNC finally dropped an artificial reef, called a reef ball, into St. Margaret's Bay.

The IPYNC was fortunate to have worked with Shelley Armsworthy, a Fishers and Oceans Canada Lobster Scientist, who found a reef ball in the Bedford Institute of Oceanography's parking for us. Without Shelley's enthusiastic help, we would not have got The Reef Ball Project  ball rolling.  A big thank you to Shelley who would every few weeks send us a photo of the snow surrounding the reef ball gradually melting away to finally be revealed the in April.

The reef ball slowly melting from the winter's snow at the BIO parking lot in March

We look forward in working with our partners the St. Margaret' s Bay Stewardship Association (https://www.heartofthebay.ca/) and the Bluenose Coastal Action Foundation (http://coastalaction.org/Wordpress/) on the project.

IPYNC's young naturalists will contribute to the pilot study that involves placing reef balls in St. Margaret's Bay and Mahone Bay  They will collecting data over the next three years to see if the reef balls habitats are beneficial to the Bays ecosystem. This will be done by campers will diving the 2M to the reef ball or by the use of underwater scope and camera to observe the creatures that are attracted to the reef balls.  After drying off, campers will record their observation.  This data will be submitted to DFO at the end of the summer.

CBC and GLOBAL television reporters were at the camp on Friday reporting on the project.  You can see GLOBAL's report and, by skipping ahead to 16:21 point, see the CBC report by clicking on the links below:

http://globalnews.ca/news/3448628/nature-club-releases-reef-ball-in-glen-haven-cove/

http://www.cbc.ca/player/play/942804035874

CBC's Colleen Jones twitter feed of the reef ball drop can be found at this link: https://twitter.com/cbccolleenjones?lang=en

We also want to thank Junior Counselor Emma for doing a great job being interviewed and the campers and families who came right from school to cheer on the reef ball but in the bay.

Peace, love and having a reef ball,

-I.P.Y.N.C Staff

2017's May Fair In The Park

Hi everyone:

Please join The IPYNC for their 10th annual scavenger hunt at Jerry Lawrence Provincial Park, Upper Tantallon, NS. on Sunday, May 28 from noon to 3 p.m.

Five Bridges Wilderness Heritage Trust (FBWHT)  runs this family fun event that also includes a BBQ at noon followed by face painting, games and a chance to enjoy the outdoors with friends and neighbors.  Its a Free event and everyone is welcome.  To learn more about the May Fair, visit the FBWHT Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/events/283470542108860/

-IPYNC Staff

Still Space available in ALL 2017 camps!

Camper Registration update: Now actively looking for new campers

2015 "Big Kids" Mud Sliding Adventure

Hello:

We have registered returning  campers for what will be our 14^th summer of fun outdoors.  Now its time to register new campers. We still have a number of registration spaces left; so if you have or know any children that would like to join the camp, this would be the time to register! Please contact Scott at ospreys@eastlink.ca for more information.

Peace, Love and great expectations,
-IPYNC Staff

2017 Summer Camps and Staff Announced

UPDATED APRIL 2, 2017

First Day of Camp August 2003

First Day of Camp August 2016

Hello: 

We’ve popped out of camp hibernation and announcing the IPYNC’s 2017 summer camps schedule and staffing today. 

Registration between now and April 2017 is open to kids who have attended a previous year.

In April between 10 -15 new kids get an opportunity to attend camp for the first time. 

At this time, parents of children who have not attend camp before are encouraged to contact us now to be put on a waiting list (more about this farther down in the post).

Here are the Camp dates and age groups:

Camp 1: Monday July 10th to Friday July 14th, 2017 for ages 5 to 12 

Camp 2: Monday July 24th to Friday July 28th, 2017 for ages 5 to 12 

Camp 3: Monday Aug. 7th to Friday Aug. 11th, 2017 for ages 5 to 12

Camp 4: Monday Aug. 21st to Friday Aug.25 th, 2016 for ages 12 to 15

The IPYNC started around my picnic table on a beautiful July morning in 2003 for 3 elementary aged children.  A few years later in 2007 the camps had become popular enough that we added a camp counselors and began offering a week-long day camp with 10 children in each.   Summers flew by and camps become more and more fun, so we added a second camp counselor and brought the number of children registered in each camp up to 15.  Six years ago, we realized we needed to add a Junior High aged camp for children who wanted to continue coming to the IPYNC; so in 2011 we introduced a fourth “Big Kids Camp”, as we began to call it, that year.

Also, today Scott is very happy to announce he will have both of his super camp counselor, Naomi, and Art teacher, Sadie, back again this summer.  Sadly, our counselor Karen Bolivar will not be back again this summer.  She has an opportunity to work in Cape Breton this summer for her coop program at Acadian University.  Speaking for all at the camp, we will miss greatly. 

With the departure of Karen, stepping up in her place will be long time campers and junior Counselors, Kyra Kenny, Michael Ellis and Mitchell Aguinaga.  Two of them each camp will join Naomi and Sadie to staff the camps this summer. 

As in the past, we will be actively looking for Junior Counselors for the three “Little Kids” camps.  The Junior Counselor position is open to all campers in the “Big Kids Camp” aged 13 to 15.  Please contact us if you have “Big Kid” in mind, which I’m sure lots of you do!        

We offer registration spots to returning campers exclusively until April.  After this time, registration will be opened-up to everyone else.  However, with the addition of a fifth camp for 15 to 17-year old’s, we are also actively looking for new campers for this camp starting today.  If you know anyone that has children this age that would like to attend, please have them contact Scott. We can put them on the waiting list. Usually we have about 20% of the spots left after we've heard back from all previous years’ camper’s parents, so there’s a pretty good chance of new campers getting in.    

Please visit the IPYNC blog at  http://indianpointyoungnaturalistclub.blogspot.ca/ in the coming weeks and months for the latest information on this summer activities. 

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

Peace, Love, yah to longer days,

- IPYNC Staff

A VERY SPECIAL WINTER HOLIDAY CAMP DECEMBER 23, 2016

Hi everyone:

Just wanted to let you know that The IPYNC will be holding a one-day Winter Holiday Camp next Friday, December 23 from 9 am to 3 pm for 5 to 12 year olds. 

Please see the camp newsletter below, The Seastar Times, for more details. 

Click to make larger

Peace, Love and Gingerbread,

-  The IPYNC Staff

November 5th Star pARTy CANCELLED

Hi everyone:

Sadie and I spoke last night, and we are sad to share that due to low registration and low clouds forecasted Saturday night, we have to cancel tomorrow's Star pARTy.

We plan to reschedule the party early on in the new year. We will let you know the dates and times.

Have a great weekend! 

IPYNC Staff