A treasure trove of prizes awaits beachcombers at this year's BIOS Beach Bash.

Casual beach chic, including flip flops, leis and tropical shirts, is the dress code for a sizzling evening of summer fun at the Coral Beach Club next month.

With drinks, a barbecue, a quiz, silent auction plus live music from The Kennel Boys, the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences' fundraiser promises fun for all.

Guests are also encouraged to bring their swimming costumes to enjoy the beauty of the ocean the Institute works so hard to research and protect.

BIOS scientists will also be on hand to provide clues in an interactive quiz in which you can test your knowledge of Bermuda environmental trivia.

And there are prizes galore in a silent auction. Make a bid on a week in a four-bedroom house in St. Bart's or a sojourn at Raintree Villa in Tobago, or stay close to home with a tour of Nonsuch Island by David Wingate.

Jewellery by A S Cooper, front row Baltimore Orioles tickets, windsurfing and kite surfing lessons, and snorkelling with a BIOS scientist are among the other prizes.

The money raised at this year's beach party will go towards BIOS' educational programmes. The institute provides a range of services both on-Island and overseas.

The local Explorer Programme, now in its fourth year, is the keystone of the Bermuda Ocean Education Programme.

This enables local students to connect with their environment and gain a greater understanding of the relevance of Bermuda's ecosystems in the study of global environmental issues.

Between 75 and 100 students take part in summer field work, while a winter interactive programme brings up to 3,000 schoolchildren to BIOS.

And with a prepared curriculum for teachers, the programme not only provides hands-on experience for students but also free professional development for teachers on the Island.

BIOS' international educational programmes include a collaborative PhD programme with Princeton University in the US, and Southampton and Oxford universities in the UK.

The institute was also recently selected as a centre for training leading marine scientists from developing countries around the world.

The first ten students at the POGO (Partnership for Observations of the Global Oceans) Centre of Excellence are shortly to return to their countries to expand oceanographic skills and research, thus aiding the global fight against climate change.

This summer's Beach Bash takes place on Friday, June 19, at 7 p.m. at Coral Beach Club.

Tickets for adults under 39 are $125. Tickets for the over-40s are $275.

Admission includes a barbecue dinner, soft drinks, beer and wine, while there is a cash bar for more exotic drinks.

To purchase a ticket telephone 297-1880 ext. 204 or e-mail Vanessa.shorto@bios.edu">Vanessa.shorto@bios.edu.