Bermuda's teenagers will have a unique opportunity to visit the Jack Lightbourne shell collection at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute (BUEI) aboard the very boat that was instrumental in gathering the crustacean collection found in local waters.

Visiting BUEI, however, is only part of the activities enjoyed by future environmentalists through Waterstart, a local not-for-profit company with charitable status formed last year which teaches water safety and skills as well as environmental awareness through educational field trips and activities Island-wide.

Started and run by husband and wife team J.P. and Amanda Skinner and overseen by a board of directors representing local environmentalists and educators, Waterstart held two week pilot camps in July and August last summer for children aged 11 to 15.

Speaking with The Royal Gazette, Mr. Skinner said the number of participants in the initial programmes was kept small as it was a pilot programme and space was limited by the size of the boat the camp used.

However, a coup for this year's camp is the purchase of Polaris, a 31 foot B.H.M. Maine lobster boat that was custom built for Mr. Lightbourne 20 years ago with the addition of a flybridge and a winch for collecting shells.

Mr. Skinner said Mr. Lightbourne was thrilled to have the boat used for youngsters to experience the wonders of Bermuda's maritime history and environment.

Mr. Skinner also explained that the boat would be used as a floating classroom.

"While we are on the water we can teach boating skills and rules of the water. It is such a stable platform and will be great for diving and snorkelling," he said.

Waterstart's camps are held on Burt's Island in the Great Sound and are divided into two areas, aquatic skills in which youngsters are taught boat and water safety, basic rescue, self rescue as well as snorkelling and scuba diving, with the second aim of the camp to educate students on the environment with field trips around the Island and in the ocean.

Mr. Skinner said it was important for the camp and the kids that they use and adapted the curriculum from the Zoological society which he says is a great resource as it ties together resources of BUEI, the Bermuda Aquarium Museum and Zoo (BAMZ), the Bermuda Biological Station for Research (BBSR), and the Maritime Museum.

"What's really been encouraging is the willingness to share information. The more kids that get exposed to this the better. This is a very supportive environment," said Mr. Skinner.

"The resources are used as a springboard. We then put the kids in the water doing hands on things and at that age group, they enjoy going out and getting wet and muddy and so on."

Mr. Skinner explained that kids learn how to study the coral reefs with activities such as reef transects and fish surveys, as well as studying the terrestrial environment at some of the Islands natural wonders such as the caves at Walsingham. "Swimming in the caves was definitely a highlight for the kids," said Mr. Skinner.

Students also explore the mangroves at Hungry Bay and how global warming will affect this and other fragile ecosystems on the Island.

Invertebrates intertwined lives are also examined on rocky shore habitats such as at Grape Bay as well as the microscopic life of plankton which is studied under the microscope at the BBSR.

Mr. Skinner explained that students are introduced to the Island's environmental organisations that help study, preserve and educate Bermuda residents and indeed the world about the importance of the environment in sustaining life.

Kids are also taught "ownership" of the environment and wherever Waterstart goes, trash bags are sure to accompany them.

"It wasn't popular, but the kids learned why it was so important," said Mr. Skinner.

The camp also did a "flotsam lab" at BUEI as well as watched educational movies in their auditorium and did the tour which included the comprehensive shell collection donated by Bermuda's own aquatic explorer Jack Lightbourne.

Students were also treated to a behind the scenes tour at BAMZ and a tour of the Maritime Museum.

Most days start with a lesson in the classroom followed by field work and the children keep a log book and record what they learn on each visit.

One of the most useful tools is the felt board which students use to build a virtual coral reef by putting creatures in their correct habitats so they know what they will see in the field.

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