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Un Mar de Colores · Point Loma, CA
Where Point Loma Residents Join Free Beach Cleanups
The coast should belong to everyone in Point Loma. Cleanups rewrite who stewards the shoreline.
Un Mar de Colores hosts ongoing Ocean Stewardship cleanup and conservation programming across the Point Loma area and surrounding coast. Monthly events combine hands-on beach cleanup with environmental justice education, citizen science data collection, and policy literacy. Our Point Loma programming partners with Cabrillo National Monument (NPS), Point Loma Nazarene University, Point Loma Library, and all events are free and family-friendly.
Schedule — Point Loma Program Days
Monthly cleanups, quarterly workshops · Completely free
You Might Be Feeling This
- —Your family has been in Point Loma for generations yet coastal stewardship still feels tourist-first, local-last.
- —You worry about sharp debris and unsafe waste — nobody trained you on proper cleanup protocols.
- —Your child asks why the ocean is brown after rain — school never traced the watershed from mountains to Sunset Cliffs and Garbage Beach.
What Changes When Youth Get in the Water
- Partnership pathways to Watershed Explorers and Ocean Stewards after-school for Point Loma youth.
- Data visibility — participants see how their Point Loma cleanup fits county-wide pollution patterns.
- Plastic pollution and marine debris science taught on the sand — not abstract classroom slides.
Why We Run This Program in Point Loma
Point Loma's Sunset Cliffs coastline is too advanced for beginner instruction, but our Point Loma youth cohorts travel to OB Pier and Dog Beach for water sessions, with dryland instruction at Cabrillo National Monument and Point Loma Nazarene University (our educational partner). The Kumeyaay coastal history of the peninsula is woven into every Point Loma cohort curriculum.
- Population
- 32,000
- BIPOC residents
- 34%
- Spanish-speaking households
- 17%
- Distance to beach
- Coastal
Ocean Stewardship in Point Loma — What You Should Know
Plastic pollution education during cleanups answers why Point Loma shores accumulate debris after storms — watershed-to-ocean tracing, not isolated litter narratives.
Safe cleanup protocols trained every event — sharp debris, hazardous waste, and proper handling for nervous first-time volunteers from Point Loma.
Why Point Loma Matters to Our Mission
Environmental justice in Point Loma isn't abstract: watershed health, beach closures, and plastic pollution affect the same communities we serve. Our programs connect surf skills to stewardship of San Diego's coastline.
With 32,000 residents, Point Loma is one of the communities where a single free surf cohort can change dozens of lives per season. Our shuttles and school partnerships make distance (on the coast) a logistics problem we solve, not a barrier families carry alone.
Local Point Loma Partners & Referral Sources
In partnership with San Diego Unified School District and local community organizations, we recruit youth from 2+ Title I schools.
School district & Title I partners
- San Diego Unified School District
- •Point Loma High
- •Cabrillo Elementary
Community partners
- ◆Cabrillo National Monument (NPS)
- ◆Point Loma Nazarene University
- ◆Point Loma Library
Program Curriculum
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.
- →Beach cleanup fundamentals and safe practices
- →Plastic pollution and marine debris science
- →California coastal commission policy basics
- →Watershed-to-ocean connection
- →Citizen science data collection protocols
- →Advocacy and community organizing skills
What's Included — Free for Every Point Loma Youth
- ✓Cleanup supplies (buckets, grabbers, gloves)
- ✓Bilingual safety briefings
- ✓Data collection training
- ✓Post-cleanup debrief and reflection
- ✓Certificate of community service
- ✓Family-friendly participation
Why Un Mar de Colores
Our impact is measured in youth served, school partnerships, and watershed stewardship hours — published annually in our impact reports at mar-de-colores.org.
What our community says
“"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."”
Frequently Asked Questions — Ocean Stewardship in Point Loma
What supplies do I need for a beach cleanup?+
Nothing — we provide buckets, grabbers, gloves, and data collection materials. Show up in closed-toe shoes and sun protection. Point Loma families don't need to buy cleanup gear.
Do cleanups provide community service hours?+
Yes — students receive certificates of community service with documented hours suitable for San Diego Unified School District requirements. Point Loma teens get verified environmental service, not generic parking-lot volunteer slots.
Is citizen science part of ocean stewardship cleanups?+
Yes — every cleanup includes data collection training. Participants document debris types and locations, contributing to Un Mar's database tracking pollution patterns across San Diego. Point Loma volunteers contribute real science.
Are ocean stewardship in Point Loma really free?+
Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs in Point Loma are 100% free — including 3/2mm wetsuits, soft-top surfboards, transportation from partner schools like Point Loma High, Cabrillo Elementary, and certified bilingual instruction. Funding comes from the San Diego Foundation, community grants, and individual donors. No Point Loma family has ever paid for our programming.
Where exactly do ocean stewardship happen in Point Loma?+
Primary water sessions run at Sunset Cliffs. Classroom components happen at Cabrillo National Monument (NPS) and other partner sites. All water activities happen within lifeguard-flag zones.
What ages can enroll in Point Loma?+
We serve youth ages All ages. In Point Loma specifically, our recruitment runs through San Diego Unified School District — with priority enrollment for students from Point Loma High, Cabrillo Elementary. Cohorts are age-appropriate (One Ocean for 6–12, Ocean Stewards for 13–17).
Does my child need to know how to swim before starting?+
No. We begin every cohort with ocean-safety fundamentals in chest-deep whitewater at Sunset Cliffs, supervised by instructors certified by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Lifeguard Division. Water comfort is built progressively. In Point Loma, we also run pre-cohort pool-familiarization sessions at local community pools for students who request extra comfort-building.
Are lessons taught in Spanish in Point Loma?+
Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs are bilingual — and in Point Loma, where 17% 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.
How is Un Mar de Colores different from other ocean stewardship in Point Loma?+
Three ways: (1) everything is free, while most Point Loma surf programs charge $50–$150 per lesson; (2) we are BIPOC-led and our coaches reflect the 34%-BIPOC Point Loma 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 Point Loma, not just those who can afford access.
How do I sign my Point Loma child up?+
Visit our sign-up page or contact us directly. Priority enrollment goes to students of Point Loma High, Cabrillo Elementary and referrals from Cabrillo National Monument (NPS) and Point Loma Nazarene University. Summer cohorts fill 3–4 weeks before start, so early contact is recommended.
Ready to Get in the Water?
Don't wait for summer — year-round Point Loma cohorts fill fast. Reach out now for free enrollment.
All Un Mar de Colores programs are free for Point Loma 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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