Ocean Institute of Dana Point
Providing Exciting and Innovative Learning Opportunities
By Tom Morrow

One of the world's finest marine science and maritime history educational centers can be found in Dana Point on the sprawling campus of the Ocean Institute.

Carrying the Institute's motto of "Experience is the Teacher" like a beacon, CEO Dan Stetson has helped develop the popular oceanographic facility into becoming an award-winning hands-on marine science, environmental and maritime education center. The Institute annually provides thousands of South Coast elementary and high school students with an oceanography experience few other marine programs can boast.

Stetson has devoted the last 15 years to make the Ocean Institute one of the world's premier marine educational centers. The sea is his life. This Torrance native has spent most of his 55 years in, on and around the ocean.

"I won't take a job east of Pacific Coast Highway, said Stetson, with a big laugh. "I worked my way through college at UC Santa Barbara and UC San Diego teaching sailing and serving in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve."

Stetson said his years with the Coast Guard gave him some great nautical experiences. He was a qualified boat coxswain for a 41-foot rescue boat while stationed at Terminal Island in Los Angeles Harbor.

Stetson's love for the water came to him much earlier in life, however.

"My mother introduced me to the Sea Scouts (part of the Boy Scouts of America)," he recalled. "My first big ocean-going experience was working on a crew in a sailboat race to Hawaii," Stetson said. "Actor James Arness ("Gunsmoke") donated his "Sea Smoke" sailboat to the Sea Scouts and we had a ball." Stetson said his crew came in second in the race.

During another sailing race to Ensenada, the late actor Buddy Epsen ("Beverly Hillbillies") was the Scout crew's navigator." "Mr. Epsen taught me how to drink from a gallon jug slung over my shoulder," Stetson, recalled, laughing. "Don't worry, it was water."

Stetson said fundraising always has to be a big part of the Institute's annual activities.

"We're very entrepreneurial in our fundraising activities," he explained.

"We recently completed our 3rd annual $1 million home raffle. It was the first time we sold all 18,000 $150 tickets." The Institute raised $1 million for its many educational and historical programs.

"The Institute is a very special place; it's a wonderful community resource," Stetson maintains. "We have a state-of-the-art facility, the best staff and the most powerful educational programs available anywhere. The Institute helps schools address the critical need for improved science and environmental education."

Stetson's always looking to the Institute's future.

"Our challenge now is to build an endowment to provide for the Institute's future," he says. "It is the only way to make sure our children will have these same opportunities tomorrow."

Founded in 1977, the Ocean Institute is a non-profit educational organization providing exciting and innovative learning opportunities to Southern California students. The Institute uses immersion-style teaching techniques to educate children about the ocean, science and maritime history.

The Ocean Institute has become world-famous for its hands-on marine science, environmental education and maritime history programs. Elementary students and teachers annually participate in the Institute's 61 award-winning, immersion style programs.

Education isn't just limited to within the confines of the Institute's Dana Point facilities. To learn oceanography and science, students voyage onto the ocean to feel and taste the salty sea spray, sort through live specimens, observe migrating whales and collect scientific data.

To learn maritime history and literature, students spend an entire night aboard either the Danish-built sailing brig Pilgrim or the Spirit of Dana Point. Oceanography science also is being taught aboard a third Institute vessel, the Sea Explorer.

Each student gets to experience hauling lines, hoisting sails, standing night watch and swabbing decks," Stetson explained. "The Pilgrim doesn't go out much, but we have an extensive sailing program with the 'Spirit of Dana Point,' a sailing ship built in the United States."

Next summer's big event will be the arrival of a series of tall ships from all over the world. While the larger vessels will have to anchor in the bigger harbors like Long Beach-Los Angeles, the smaller boats will be arriving for the Ocean Institute's 24th annual Toshiba Tall Ships Festival during the second weekend of September.

"We've just celebrated our 30th anniversary," Stetson said. "We're now educating more than 109,000 students weekdays during the school year. On the weekends, the Institute is open to the public, but in the summer time we have all sorts of programs for the entire family."

Stetson reminded that gray whale season is near and the Institute will be operating whale-watching excursions for the public.

The Ocean Institute
24200 Dana Point Harbor Dr.
Dana Point, CA
(949) 496-2274

(Winter 2007)