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Un Mar de Colores · Del Mar, CA
Monthly beach cleanups combine hands-on debris removal with environmental justice education — free for Del Mar families.
Un Mar de Colores hosts ongoing Ocean Stewardship cleanup and conservation programming across the Del Mar area and surrounding coast. Monthly events combine hands-on beach cleanup with environmental justice education, citizen science data collection, and policy literacy. Our Del Mar programming partners with Del Mar Foundation, Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, San Dieguito River Park — Lagoon Stewards, and all events are free and family-friendly.
Monthly cleanups, quarterly workshops · Completely free
Del Mar's 2.5-mile coastline produces some of the cleanest water and most consistent small waves in the region, protected by the San Dieguito River mouth eddies. Our 15th Street Beach lessons sit in front of Powerhouse Park, which doubles as our outdoor classroom. We partner with Del Mar Union's Del Mar Heights and Ashley Falls Elementary — serving primarily inland Del Mar Mesa and Carmel Valley neighborhoods.
Plastic pollution education during cleanups answers why Del Mar shores accumulate debris after storms — watershed-to-ocean tracing, not isolated litter narratives.
Community service hours for Del Mar Union School District students are documented at every Un Mar cleanup — Del Mar teens get verified hours with environmental depth, not parking-lot volunteer slots.
The ocean off Del Mar belongs to everyone. Un Mar de Colores exists because San Diego has spent decades telling BIPOC youth otherwise — and we're changing that story one cohort at a time.
When we say free for Del Mar youth, we mean wetsuits, soft-tops, rashguards, sunscreen, transportation, and instruction — the full stack commercial programs charge $50–$150 per session for.
Un Mar's primary Del Mar location, directly in front of Powerhouse Park — which doubles as our outdoor classroom space.
15th Street sits in the heart of Del Mar Village, adjacent to Powerhouse Park, the historic 1928 beach concession building that gives the park its name.
In partnership with Del Mar Union School District and local community organizations, we recruit youth from 2+ Title I schools.
Ocean Stewardship at Un Mar de Colores connects coastal cleanup action with deeper environmental justice education. Monthly cleanups run across Oceanside, Imperial Beach, Cardiff, and partner sites, with each event combining hands-on debris removal with short teaching moments about the watershed-to-ocean pipeline, the plastic pollution crisis, and California coastal policy. Our Ocean Stewardship program is free and family-friendly, and we specifically prioritize recruitment from BIPOC communities whose relationships with the coast have historically been gated by cost or culture. Every participant contributes to our citizen science database tracking pollution patterns across San Diego County.
Program safety is documented: lifeguard coordination, 4:1 ratios on youth water days, trauma-informed staff training, and parent communication protocols in English and Spanish.
“"He used to approach new activities with extreme anxiety — to the point where sometimes we couldn't even get out of the car. Now he goes much deeper into the water."”
Yes — bilingual safety briefings and materials are standard. In Del Mar, where 8% of households are Spanish-speaking, English and Spanish instructions precede every event.
Yes — students receive certificates of community service with documented hours suitable for Del Mar Union School District requirements. Del Mar teens get verified environmental service, not generic parking-lot volunteer slots.
We connect cleanup action to who bears pollution burden — especially cross-border Tijuana River watershed impacts that close beaches near Del Mar. Stewardship isn't just litter; it's justice framing for BIPOC communities gated from coastal spaces.
Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs in Del Mar are 100% free — including 3/2mm wetsuits, soft-top surfboards, transportation from partner schools like Del Mar Heights Elementary, Ashley Falls Elementary, and certified bilingual instruction. Funding comes from the San Diego Foundation, community grants, and individual donors. No Del Mar family has ever paid for our programming.
Primary water sessions run at 15th Street Beach. Classroom components happen at Del Mar Foundation and other partner sites. All water activities happen within lifeguard-flag zones.
We serve youth ages All ages. In Del Mar specifically, our recruitment runs through Del Mar Union School District — with priority enrollment for students from Del Mar Heights Elementary, Ashley Falls Elementary. Cohorts are age-appropriate (One Ocean for 6–12, Ocean Stewards for 13–17).
No. We begin every cohort with ocean-safety fundamentals in chest-deep whitewater at 15th Street Beach, supervised by instructors certified by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Lifeguard Division. Water comfort is built progressively. In Del Mar, we also run pre-cohort pool-familiarization sessions at local community pools for students who request extra comfort-building.
Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs are bilingual — and in Del Mar, where 8% of households are Spanish-speaking, we intentionally pair at least one bilingual coach to every session. Cultural programming is delivered in both languages, and parent communications are always sent in Spanish and English.
Three ways: (1) everything is free, while most Del Mar surf programs charge $50–$150 per lesson; (2) we are BIPOC-led and our coaches reflect the 20%-BIPOC Del Mar community we serve; (3) our curriculum includes environmental justice, Kumeyaay coastal history, and cultural arts — not just surf skills. We exist because the ocean should belong to everyone in Del Mar, not just those who can afford access.
Visit our sign-up page or contact us directly. Priority enrollment goes to students of Del Mar Heights Elementary, Ashley Falls Elementary and referrals from Del Mar Foundation and Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve. Summer cohorts fill 3–4 weeks before start, so early contact is recommended.
Spots in our Del Mar cohorts are limited to keep instructor ratios safe. Contact us to reserve a place.
All Un Mar de Colores programs are free for Del Mar youth. Reach out to enroll, volunteer, or support the movement.
Un Mar de Colores is a BIPOC-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Oceanside, California. We provide free surf, ocean, and environmental programming for youth across San Diego and Tijuana — bridging cultures, coasts, and communities since 2018.
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