Onset Bay Center Programs

The Onset Bay Center, operated by the Buzzards Bay Coalition, offers immersive school programs that bring students out of the classroom and onto the water.

Located on the shores of Onset Bay in Wareham, Massachusetts, the Onset Bay Center provides students with hands-on experiences through sailing, paddling, marine science, coastal exploration, teamwork, and adventure on Buzzards Bay. These programs are offered to Greater New Bedford public schools and Wareham Public Schools at no cost thanks to the support of donors, grants, and community partnerships. Programs are also available to homeschool groups at a nominal fee. Students paddle through marshes, explore beaches, raise sails, test water quality, observe wildlife, work together aboard boats, and discover coastal habitats firsthand. Programs are designed to encourage curiosity, confidence, teamwork, leadership, and adventure through direct outdoor experiences.

Outdoor Exploration on and Around Onset Bay

Activities can include:
  • Kayaking and paddling
  • Sailing and rowing
  • Beach and marsh exploration
  • Marine science investigations
  • Crabbing and shellfishing
  • Watershed exploration
  • Navigation and teamwork activities
  • Coastal habitat discovery
  • Island exploration

Exploration Destinations

Students participate in habitat exploration, tidepool investigations, wildlife observation, coastal geology discovery, and island adventures.

Students explore maritime dunes, sandplain heathlands, pine and oak woodlands, and shoreline ecosystems.

Students paddle through salt marshes while conducting water quality testing, wildlife observation, and tidal ecosystem exploration.

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