MSC

Marine Science Courses (MSC) is a special site held at the Notre Dame of Maryland University in Baltimore. The site consists of two courses: Chesapeake Bay Ecology and Whales and Estuary Systems. Both are composed of a field portion and a land portion, each nine days in length. The programs are in a partnership with the Living Classrooms Foundation, which is what makes them different from most sites. Instructors, TAs, and boat crew are all Living Classroom members, so they will not be wearing the regular CTY staff lanyards. Students will only attend one dance at the JHU campus and will leave before canon is played, meaning they will not experience American Pie or any other canon.

Field Portion

The Field Portion is arguably the most interesting part of the course. The field portion of both courses is what sets this site apart from all others. Students set sail to travel around either the Chesapeake bay (C-Bay) or along the entire east coast from the Chesapeake up to Rhode Island (WHALES). During this section of the course, students encounter marine life, including dolphins, rays, fish, seabirds, crabs, etc. They will expand their knowledge on marine ecology throughout their stay either on board the Lady Maryland (Whales and Estuary Systems) or the Sigsbee (Chesapeake Bay Ecology). The course is divided up in two groups, separated by age. The group of younger kids (ages 12-13) stay on land for the first 9 days, while the other group goes to the field.

The Chesapeake Bay

The Chesapeake Bay ecology course (C-Bay) gives students extensive knowledge on the Chesapeake Bay watershed and marine life in the Bay. Students will see plenty of marine life and visit two Maritime museums, while traveling along the Skipjack Sigsbee.

Whales and Estuary Systems

During the field portion of this trip, students travel on the Pungy Schooner Lady Maryland through most of the East Coast, beginning in Baltimore and traveling all the way to Rhode Island.