2008 Tours & Demonstrations

Science gear on display as part of the ships tours.

All tours are free.

Vessel tours line up at the dock. No tickets required.

All other tours meet at the Tour/Information booth

Tour Schedule:

11:30 am & 2:30 pm Molluscan Broodstock Facility /Fish Disease Tour (60 min)
The aquaculture program at HMSC is focused on several different research topics. These include the Molluscan Broodstock Program (MBP) that is designed to improve broodstock of Pacific oysters through selective breeding so that the public can be supplied with better oysters. There will be tours of the MBP hatchery and nursery showing how algae and oysters are cultured.

11:00 am, 1:00 pm & 2:30 pm Seawater System Tour (30 min)
Tour of OSU's water filtration facilities will include an overall tour of the seawater distribution system. A skilled technician will take visitors through the circuit through which one million gallons of water flow daily as it is pumped, stored, filtered, distributed and cleaned. They will see the computer monitoring system, the UV and sand filters, and the alarms that keep things operating.

11:00 am, 1:00 pm & 2:30 pm Animal Husbandry Tour (45 min)
During the tour of HMSC Visitor Center facilities/ Animal Husbandry facility in the back wing of the Visitor Center, visitors will follow an Aquarist and see how animals and exhibits are prepared for exhibits and displays. The "behind the scenes tour" consists of walking down to the west wing area and explaining the work of supporting the animals in the visitors center through hospital, quarantine and animal management areas as well as supporting the aquarium sciences program at the community college through education and hand's on work areas.

11:30 am & 2:30 pm Estuary Trail Walks/ Shrimp Sampling
The Estuary Walk is about 1-mile long and follows a paved path. It will be led by an experienced HMSC interpreter who will show the plants, animals, and forces that make estuaries some of the most important and productive habitats in the world.

All Day HMSC Ship and Instruments
Out on the dock Visitors are invited to tour R/V Wecoma and learn about the oceanographic instrumentation used on board. Visitors are also invited to step aboard the R/V Elakha, used for nearshore ocean research.