Un Mar de Colores · Point Loma, CA
Free Cross-Border Watershed Learning in Point Loma
Water belongs to everyone in Point Loma. Watershed education reclaims the story of who protects it.
Un Mar de Colores's Watershed Explorers program brings Point Loma youth into the full watershed-to-ocean story of San Diego County. Day trips and overnight summer cohorts trace mountain streams from Cuyamaca State Park to the coast, including your own Point Loma beaches. We partner with San Diego Unified School District and community organizations including Cabrillo National Monument (NPS) and Point Loma Nazarene University to recruit from Point Loma High, Cabrillo Elementary. Every program integrates the Tijuana River watershed case study — the only cross-border river in Southern California.
Schedule — Point Loma Program Days
Summer cohorts + year-round school field trips · Completely free
You Might Be Feeling This
- —Overnight environmental camps cost $400+ per student — watershed immersion feels impossible for Point Loma working families.
- —Your teen asks why the ocean smells after rain — school never mapped the pipeline from Point Loma storm drains to Sunset Cliffs and Garbage Beach.
- —Citizen science sounds exclusive — you didn't know Point Loma students could contribute to real hydrology databases.
What Changes When Youth Get in the Water
- Year-round day-trip field trips serve San Diego Unified School District classrooms across Point Loma Title I partner schools.
- Climate change and coastal resilience modules connect science to Point Loma beaches your family uses.
- Transportation from partner schools included — inland Point Loma classrooms reach mountain and coastal sites.
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
Watershed Education in Point Loma — What You Should Know
School field trips from inland Point Loma (on the coast from coast) reach mountain and coastal sites because Un Mar provides transportation — teachers aren't fundraising for buses.
Pathways from watershed education to ocean stewardship and Ocean Stewards after-school give Point Loma teens year-round environmental arcs.
Why Point Loma Matters to Our Mission
The ocean off Point Loma 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.
Recruitment in Point Loma runs through counselors, teachers, and community partners who know which students need this most. We don't run open enrollment chaos — we build intentional cohorts.
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
The Watershed Explorers program is Un Mar de Colores's flagship environmental education offering. Summer overnight cohorts trace the journey from Cuyamaca Rancho State Park's mountain streams to the San Diego coast, with special focus on the Tijuana River watershed — California's most cross-border and pollution-impacted river system. Curriculum integrates hydrology fundamentals, Indigenous Kumeyaay perspectives on water, and California coastal policy. Year-round day trips serve school field-trip groups across our 15+ Title I partner schools, and all programming is free with transportation included.
- →Hydrology fundamentals
- →Cuyamaca to coast watershed tracing
- →Tijuana River cross-border watershed case study
- →Indigenous Kumeyaay relationship with water
- →Climate change and coastal resilience
- →Policy and advocacy for clean water
What's Included — Free for Every Point Loma Youth
- ✓Overnight summer program option (Watershed Explorers)
- ✓Day-trip school field trips throughout the year
- ✓Bilingual curriculum materials
- ✓Transportation from partner schools
- ✓Certified naturalist educators
- ✓Family engagement opportunities
Why Un Mar de Colores
Our coaches include graduates of the Surf Athletic Scholarship program and bilingual educators who reflect the BIPOC communities we serve. We partner with 15+ Title I schools across North County and San Diego.
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 — Watershed Education in Point Loma
How is watershed education different from aquarium field trips?+
Aquarium trips show marine life in tanks. Watershed education traces the full pipeline — students stand in mountain streams, visit estuaries, and connect runoff from Point Loma to conditions at Sunset Cliffs and Garbage Beach. Field science with advocacy depth.
Is watershed education bilingual in Point Loma?+
Yes — bilingual curriculum materials and field instruction are standard. In Point Loma, where 17% of households are Spanish-speaking, educators deliver watershed science in English and Spanish.
What ages can join watershed programs from Point Loma?+
Watershed Explorers overnight cohorts and field trips serve all ages — school field trips align to classroom grades, and family engagement opportunities welcome multi-generational Point Loma households.
Are watershed education 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 watershed education 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 watershed education 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?
Spots in our Point Loma cohorts are limited to keep instructor ratios safe. Contact us to reserve a place.
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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