July 12, 2003:
Pal around with the Pinnipeds

Join fellow NCSWAns, along with their family members and friends, for a one-hour private tour of the Marine Mammal Center in the Marin Headlands on Saturday, July 12. Get whisker-to-whisker with seals and sea lions at the center's hospital, and learn about the amazing ways these warm-blooded mammals have adapted to their cold, watery world. Elephant seals, for example, can dive 5,000 feet under water and stay down for two hours - all with one breath of air! Kids - and adults - can handle tanned pelts and bones. We'll also observe, from afar, the sea otters at the center. Because of sea otters' easy affinity for humans, the tour guides steer people away from these animals to keep them wild.

The Marine Mammal Center rescues sick and injured pinnipeds, the scientific term for marine mammals with front and hind flippers. It's the largest center of its kind worldwide, caring for more than 600 animals a year, most of which are released back to the wild. Since the center opened in 1975, its staff has treated more than 9,000 marine mammals. The center also leads a prominent pinniped research program, studying their immune systems, disease patterns, and how these creatures are affected by changes in the environment. For more information on the center, visit the Marine Mammal Center website.

WHEN: Saturday, July 12 from noon to 1 p.m.

WHERE: The Marine Mammal Center in the Marin Headlands. Park in the visitor's parking lot. For overflow parking, go to a dirt parking lot designed for tour buses. Directions to the center are online. That link also has information about bus service to the Center.

COST: $3.50 for adults, $2.50 for children (age 17 and under). Group size is limited to 30 people. A gift shop at the center will also be opened that day.

DRESS: Dress in layers, and be sure to bring a jacket. Even when it's sunny and warm in other Bay Area regions, there's a chance the Headlands could be shrouded in fog.

THIS EVENT IS GOING TO FILL UP FAST. Please RSVP by Thursday, July 3, e-mailing your RSVP to Suzanne Bohan at sbohan@stanfordalumni.org. Then, mail your check, payable to NCSWA, to:

Suzanne Bohan

If your check isn't received by July 7, we'll have to forfeit your place to the next person in the queue.

You're also welcome to bring a picnic lunch and join the group for a picnic on Rodeo Beach after the tour.