Don't forget: The Visitor Center is operating on its summer schedule, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., seven days a week through Labor Day.

Daily activities
(June 29 through Labor Day)

• 11:00 a.m. Guided walking tour of the Yaquina estuary. Our mile-and-a-quarter trail is paved and wheelchair accessible.
• 1:30p.m. OceanQuest '08: Multimedia auditorium presentation of deep-sea research conducted in Antarctica by HMSC researchers. The presentation features stunning videos of undersea life and recordings of the calls of marine mammals.

Oregon Coast Quests
ongoing, year-round

Oregon Sea Grant and the Visitor Center have teamed up with other state and county organizations to present Oregon Coast Quests, fun and educational clue-directed hunts that encourage the year-round exploration of areas of natural and cultural significance in Lincoln County. In this self-guided activity, Questers are challenged to follow a map and find a series of clues designed to help them locate a hidden box -- and have fun learning along the way. Read all about this great new family activity ! New Quests are coming soon!

Don't miss our ongoing exhibit:

Invasion of the Habitat Snatchers

Hatfield Marine Science Center
Where science is always fun!
Admission is by donation; fees are required for classes and group activities

Don't forget to check what's going on at the Visitor Center bookstore, too.

Public viewing feeding times

Many visitors enjoy watching the aquarists feed our larger live animals, including the resident octopus. With our summer hours, the feeding schedule for the wolf eel and giant Pacific octopus will
be:

Sundays: Wolf eel feeding at 10:30*
Mondays: Octopus feeding at 1:00
Wednesdays: Wolf eel feeding at 10:30*
Thursdays: Octopus feeding at 1:00
Fridays: Wolf eel feeding at 10:30*
Saturdays: Octopus feeding at 1:00

*Note: Our Wolf eels are spending a few days having a medical checkup, but we expect them back in the tanks soon.

Other activities:
Guided tours and nature walks

Educational tours are available to groups for a small fee to help cover staff costs. Our volunteers and staff strive to provide every curious visitor with a friendly interpretive visit. To assist them in that goal, we request at least one week's advance notice for groups of more than a dozen people. Tour and fee information is available here.

For those who prefer to explore on their own, a pleasant, wheelchair-accessible paved trail permits easy access to the sights and sounds of the Yaquina Bay Estuary, with interpretive signage. And visitors are always welcomed to explore the indoor exhibits and auditorium presentations free of charge and have their questions answered by our volunteers.

For more information or to set up a tour, contact Maureen Collson, 541-867-0159 or 2030 S. Marine Science Drive, Newport, OR 97365.

Explore and enjoy from home:

Podcasting the HMSC: Ocean Learning is a virtual video tour of the Visitor Center via your iPod or computer.

Breaking Waves: Read the new Oregon Sea Grant blog and keep informed about events at the Visitor Center and other ocean and coastal news.

On-line adventure: Sounds from the Southern Ocean 2006

Marine educator Bill Hanshumaker reports on his second trip to Antarctica with an acoustic research team led by HMSC scientist Robert Dziak. Read about his adventures in his 2006 expedition blog - and read about the 2005 voyage here.

Bill's adventures blogging from Antarctica are featured on NOAA's Ocean Explorer site.

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