FAQ SECTIONS:

1. General info for schools and individual campers
2. How well trained are your camp director, supervisor?
3. School Groups
4. Catalina Summer Campers
5. Day Camp

How safe are your facilities? Our facilities are safety inspected on a regular basis, as required by law.

Did anything ever happen there? All of our staff are well trained and certified. We have an excellent safety record and have had no major occurrences.

How long have you been in business? We have been in business since 1997, this year we are celebrating our 10th year in business!

Do you have references? Yes. Please see below….

Are you a registered organization? We are a non-profit organization. A 501C-3 registered through the state and federal government.

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Instructing staff: 
All instructors have previous experience working with children. The hiring process includes an in depth three phase interview process as well as a thorough background check. MSA staff is hired based on integrity, experience, attitude, skills and leadership ability.

Training consists of an intensive two week course of coaching and instruction with educators, field biologists, and safety trainers.  All staff are first aid, CPR and lifeguard licensed through the most rigorous course in the nation. Four hours of in-service training are required monthly which keeps all staff sharp on safety skills.

Staff have college degrees in various areas such as: education, environmental science, biology, communication, leadership and other related fields.

Directing staff: 
Besides the above requirements, directors must have a minimum of five years working in leadership roles with youth in a camp or school setting.

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Is there still space available at the date I am looking for? We receive camp registrations via Internet, fax and phone. Therefore we ask that you verify availability by calling our San Pedro, CA office or by emailing office@mountainandsea.org

Are there lights in the tents at the Two Harbors camp? No – the tents have no lights. This is camping!  A true adventure!

How far do the kids have to walk to the bathroom? We have outhouses within 100 feet of the camping area. Showers and bathrooms are about a 10 minute walk from the tent area.

Is there an adult in the tent with the children? We have at least one counselor in each tent.

My son/daughter is not a good swimmer. Are they safe in the water? Everyone wears a wet suit in the water(which keeps them afloat) and life jackets while on the boat. All water programs have two lifeguard/instructors per group of approximately 15 students. Water safety instructions are given at the beginning of each activity.

I am not able to download the registration form. Can you help me? Our San Pedro, CA office will assist you in registering your child. We now also offer online registration. Visit the Summer Camp portion of our website

Do we have to bring sleeping bags? Yes – every child has to bring a sleeping bag.

Why can our child not bring a cell phone? Children cannot bring phones to camp as it interrupts the program.  Our program emphasizes getting away from the distractions of everyday life so that character and team building activities have full impact. If a child is in need, we will contact the parent.

How many kids in one tent? The tents have a maximum capacity of eight (8) children per tent.

Are boys and girls separate? Boys and girls have separate tents. So do kids and teens.

Can our kids choose fast food or a restaurant, if they don’t like your food? There is only one restaurant in Two Harbors and they cater our meals.The food is excellent!  Therefore there is no need for the children to look for fast food. Our island store sells snacks if needed.

Can we visit our child during the camp week?  Visitors during camp week can pose logistical challenges as campers will be active on safaris and other programs.  If one child has a parent visit it often causes homesickness in other campers.  If parents want to spend time with their children on the island, they are welcome to do so, after the camp session is over. Parents can inspect the camp site before registering a child, but please no visitors during the session.

We are coming to the island and want to spend some extra time there with our child. Can we pick him/her up from the camp site on Friday? Parents can pick up their children at the boat site, before departure. Please do not try to pick up your child at camp, since this would disrupt the camp experience for the other children. We must have advance notice if your child will not be traveling back to the mainland with the other campers.  Please make your own ferry, bus and lodging arrangements.

Can you place our children with their friends, who are coming also? We try our best to group siblings and friends together. As long as they belong to the same age group. Please remember that we separate boys from girls and teens from kids at nights. They will be spending time together during the day as a group in various activities even if they are not in the same tent group.

When do you want to see our final payment? Your final payment is due two weeks prior to camp.

Does Annie still work there? She is the one who usually talks to us? We are happy to say that due to the tremendous growth of Mountain and Sea, Annie has hired help for support. Annie is the founder and President of the organization and thus very busy with the details of running an organization.  She would love to talk to you if she is available.

Are there refrigerators? My child takes medication. All medications are kept in a cooler if needed.

Can someone assist with the medication? Our instructors will assist each child with his/her medicines if needed. Please provide us with instructions and details.

Are there mosquitoes or bees on the island? In the tents? Mosquitoes are very rare on the island. Bees, yellow jackets and wasps are seen occasionally, in case your child is allergic, please let us know and provide us with the medications that you usually administer for bug bites and stings.

What is the weather like on the island? The weather is seasonal and usually warm during the summer months. During the summer it is typically in the 70’s to low 80’s during the day and in the 60’s during the night.  Please have your child bring sufficient sunscreen and some protective clothing for cooler nights.

Can my teenager be a supervisor? Will this reduce the price? Teens that have camped with us before can supervise and support our counselor (be a counselor in training), depending on their maturity and experience. Please contact our Avalon, CA office for details.

What are your multi child discounts? Multi child discounts are listed on our website and might vary each year. We usually offer early bird discounts as well. Please pay attention to our advertisements and to our website.

Can our child come for several weeks? You can sign up your child for as many weeks as you wish. Please be aware that everyone, including our instructors, leaves the island on weekends.

Can someone pick my child up at LAX? Pick-up of a child at LAX is not part of our usual service. Under certain circumstances though we will try to support you. There is an extra charge of $100.00 to cover the cost of parking and staff time.

Are there MSA members on the MDR Flyer? How many? Since everyone leaves the island on weekends, our staff returns on the same boat as the children. We schedule one instructor for a max. of 8 children.

My child will turn eight (8) years old in September. Can he/she come anyway? That depends on the maturity of the child. Please contact our office to discuss the circumstance.

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Do you repeat the same activities every week? We offer certain programs during our camp weeks, as described in our advertisement, , yet each experience is exciting, unique and fun. Let your child know, that it can make a difference by being disciplined, adventurous and open to new things.

According to the agenda, is there a difference in activities between each week? For example, the "Whale Week" and the "Dolphin Week"? Yes, each week is filled with different activities. Please check our website and advertisement for details.

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