IMMS Summer Camp

Since 2010, the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies has been offering a summer camp to marine enthusiasts across the United States.

It’s summertime on the Coast and that means children are flocking to the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies in Gulfport for the annual Ocean Adventures Summer Camp. Some kids have traveled hundreds of miles to experience the marine diversity of the Mississippi Gulf Coast, including Grace who travelled from South Carolina to get a chance at learning what the Gulf Coast is all about. “We went out on a pontoon in the Mississippi Sound and we got to take pictures and research the dolphins in their natural habitat and that was really exciting.”

This year’s summer camp introduces three new themes for campers to choose from, all which have the same goal. Summer camp Director Denise Reinke said, “The goal for summer camp is to make sure they learn a little bit about conservation, research, education of what we do with the marine mammals and the sea life around here. To have the kids exposed to that who are never exposed to any marine life and to also let them have a good time while they’re doing that, learn, but learn in a fun way.”

The children at the camp not only get a chance to go out and do the research, they also get a chance to have hands-on experiences with animals they’re studying. Camper Austin said, “My favorite part was petting the dolphin. They feel really weird.”

You might be wondering what exactly a dolphin feels like. “They feel like hotdogs,” said Austin.

Camp at the IMMS is one week and runs every week through July 27^th.