News
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Geology Rocks!
Geology Rocks was one out of eight experiences we had at our Explorations in Earth Sciences event at Sea Star Base last weekend. We showcased a briefcase full of rocks from all over North America, walked you through the geologic history of Texas, witnessed magnetic marvels, and had live volcano explosions!
Everyone learned about chemical reactions, the Earth’s magnetic field, how different rocks are formed and where they are found, and how valuable our planet is!
This experience was a total success and the feedback we got from this event will help us evolve it even more. Stay tuned to hear about our other amazing activities we presented!
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Join us for an Exploration in Earth Sciences at the Sea Star Base!
Custom Coastal Outreach is branching out! Of course we are still working on getting kids on boats, but we are also expanding our reach to include classroom style programming. This programming will help schools and summer camps broaden their curriculum through hands-on activities on land. Our debut program will be Explorations in Earth Sciences which will teach kids about the systems that affect our coastlines, how everything is connected, and why it is important to keep our planet healthy!
On Saturday February 15th we will be hosting an event at the Sea Star Base to showcase many fun activities that will be included in our new program! We welcome everyone to join us for this event and help us test them out. All ages are welcome, so join us from 12pm to 4pm in the Commodore Room at the Sea Star Base
The feedback from this event will help us perfect our program that will be held at Galveston College’s Summer Camp 2025! This will be a four week program that will consist of a different overall theme each week: Geology Rocks, Water Rolls, Bridging Land and Sea, and G-town and the Globe.
Stay tuned to hear more about the activities that we will be conducting at the Sea Star base and for more information on our upcoming summer camp! Help us spread the word by telling your friends and family and sharing our flyer below. If you plan on coming we would appreciate if you could RSVP by texting (832) 492-0773 or by emailing crew@customcoastal.org. We thank you all for your continued support, and we look forward to seeing everyone soon!
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Happy Giving Tuesday
Happy Tuesday everybody! The first Tuesday after Thanksgiving is Giving Tuesday.
One of the benefits of giving to nonprofits is you will receive a receipt to include in your 2024 taxes that make your donation tax exempt, meaning if you do owe anything to the IRS, your donation minimizes the amount due.
We are so excited to have received our first major donation! A private funder is so excited about the work we are doing that they have agreed to match all donations up to $25,000. We would love to invite you to donate any dollar amount to help us reach that match. We are so very thankful for any and all help!
Custom Coastal Outreach is a non-profit organization, meaning we are able to accomplish the awesome work we do with the support and generosity of people like you! Above we have included a digital flyer along with a few cool pictures of us in action so everyone can get a feel for the mission of CCO: access, educate, and inspire.
If you wish to donate today or any other day please visit the donation tab under “Join Us!”. Any donation goes a long way to helping us succeed in our mission to get kids on boats!
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A Visit to the Sea Life Facility
Last month we took a trip to Texas A&M Galveston’s Sea Life Facility. The mission of this facility is to provide a space where students, both undergraduates and graduates, along with faculty can get hands-on experience with aquatic organisms and conduct their own research projects as well.
During Texas Master Naturalist training earlier this summer, we visited the facility and witnessed the clownfish they had successfully bred. It was amazing to see how much they had grown in a few months. They are also doing research on a species of jellyfish that respond similar to the way corals do to ocean acidification. When corals are exposed to more acidic water they get bleached, but these jellies instead of turning white turn completely transparent!
We can’t wait to come back again for another visit to the Sea Life Facility to see all the new projects! However, the next visit we hope to bring some students eager to learn all about marine science!
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San Jacinto Community College Career Fair
We were so impressed with San Jacinto Community College’s Amy Arrowood and Krissy Murray who helped put on the Maritime Career Fair last month. They were able to bring together the industries hungry for the next generation of Merchant Mariners and the room was packed full of potential!
We were grateful for the time the industry leaders gave us to hear about our mission, which includes increasing the amount of qualified graduates they can recruit in the future. Custom Coastal is not just about getting kids on boats: we are introducing them to a diverse and oftentimes illusive maritime world of opportunities!
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Galveston Navy Week Boat Trip
We had an amazing outreach event on October 27th, a boat ride to celebrate Galveston Navy Week. We had representatives from the Navy, Beach Patrol, and United States Coast Guard. Setting sail on the Seagull II we were able to set out an ottertrawl net and gather live specimen for the attendees to interact with and learn about!
The turnout for this event was amazing and we loved getting to meet all of y’all! We had several productive discussions about the importance of marine fisheries and heard from the people who keep our seas safe. With many future explorations in the future we hope to see y’all there and inspire more minds!
Follow us on Instagram and Facebook to stay up to date on all our adventures!
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About Emily Evans, Founder
I graduated from Texas A&M University at Galveston with a degree in Ocean and Coastal Resources in 2004. This degree focused not only on the marine sciences (oceanography, geology, botany, biology, etc.), but also covered politics, economics, and law. This allowed for a wide perspective look at the sciences and how we can effectively manage our precious coastal resources.
At a time when most grads were going on to a career analyzing GIS (Geographic Information Systems) for oil companies, working towards graduate degrees, or working to get their Teacher Certifications, I landed my first job on Catalina Island as a Field Marine Science Instructor. This began a decade-long adventure that culminated in 7 years of working and living in La Paz, BCS, Mexico as a field instructor and later as a naturalist guide and custom trip planner.
I moved back to Texas in 2014 and somehow became a realtor. I did enjoy helping people buy their most precious coastal resource, their home; but I lacked passion and purpose. In the Fall of 2022, I obtained my OUPV (Operator of Un-Inspected Passenger Vessel, also known as the ‘6-pack’) and my Master 100-ton Captains’ licenses. I have been taking people out on my 20’ whaler for eco-trips in Galveston. To supplement my income, I got two part-time jobs: one at the Coast Guard Exchange and one as the Marine Biologist aboard GHF’s 50’ catamaran the SEAGULL II. From the moment I stepped onboard the SEAGULL II I was impressed, not only with the Captain and Crew but also the sheer quantity of ‘teachable moments’ illustrated by the examples within sight from the dock. The SEAGULL II can bring kids face-to-face with the beauty and joy found exploring the Galveston ship channel.
I created Custom Coastal Outreach because I believe that bringing together a vast network of people that are passionate about our coast, our children, our future, and our opportunities as a thriving port city we can benefit by exploring solutions to significant challenges that our area is sure to face in the coming years.
