San Diego Floating Lab

Meet the women behind the scenes at Floating Lab.
Holly (left) is your go-to at SDCOE—she handles scheduling, paperwork, and keeps everything moving on the front end.
Dina (right) is the successor owner, making sure everything runs smoothly on the vessel side.
Two different roles, one mission—keeping Floating Lab running strong.
Dina was honored by the International Game Fish Association with a Certificate of Appreciation recognizing decades of dedication to Floating Lab and marine education.
This program has impacted over a million students—and she’s been a big part of keeping that legacy going.
Proud is an understatement.

We had a very busy Day! NOT only did we have hundreds of children and their families come onboard to check out Floating Lab, we had activities off the boat too.
The Floating Lab staff put on a short presentation on one of the stages and on another stage the founders of San Diego Floating Lab received recognition for their work and mentorship over the years.
What a day...at the Docks! Until next year...

Tomorrow is Day at the Docks — don’t miss it!

📍 2803 Emerson St
⏰ April 19 | 9AM–5PM
🎟️ FREE family event

Park on Shelter Island and hop on the free shuttle to the event.

We’ll be hosting an open house aboard Ocean Odyssey, featuring our Floating Lab aquarium with live specimens on display.

Plus:
🎤 Live seminars
🎶 Entertainment
🚤 Harbor tours

Come down, check it out, and say hi!

King of the Hill 🦭

This juvenile California sea lion was feeling pretty proud of its perch… but not for long. Right after this photo was taken, a bigger sea lion came along and claimed the throne!
Scenes like this happen every day out on the water, and you can see them firsthand on a Floating Lab trip.
We’re running trips daily and still have space available through May.
Call Holly today to reserve your spot and get out on the bay with us. (858) 290-5986

📞 Book your Floating Lab trip today!

🦞 Meet a true survivor of San Diego Bay
This female California spiny lobster (Panulirus interruptus) was observed this morning in San Diego Harbor during a Floating Lab trip with Project Exploration.
At nearly 2 feet long, she’s estimated to be 50+ years old. Females begin reproducing around 5–9 years of age, meaning she has likely released millions of eggs over her lifetime.
And yes—all specimens are carefully returned to where they were found.
🚤 The Floating Lab runs daily trips through May.
Perfect for classes, clubs, and large groups.
📞 Contact Holly: (858) 290-5986
📧 [email protected]

Monetary donations are always welcome. If you would like to donate to fund a field trip for a classroom that cannot afford off campus field trips, we can forward your donation to the Outdoor Education Foundation. This is a San Diego Office of Education run non-profit to assist outdoor educational activities. For more information or where to send your donation, please email [email protected]. This field trip is one that students never forget!

It is that time! We are open to accept Floating Lab reservations for trips beginning in January through May. Please contact Holly to book your school, club or large group (858) 290-5986 or email [email protected]

The Floating Lab instructors are walking up to meet their next batch of students for the day.
We have another month of trips and then we are done for the season and there is space still available. Reach out and see if we can get your class scheduled up.

Sometimes, even our onboard experts that have seen EVERYTHING that San Diego harbor has to offer, are stumped. We had to pull out the big guns and contact NOAA scientists to identify this one. What do you think it is?