Cultivating Baja Conservation Leaders for Tomorrow

Dear Donors,

We hope this message finds you well! We’re excited to share the incredible progress and experiences of the Aventureros program over the past few months, all made possible through your generous support.

Pitch Azul – A Community Initiative

August kicked off with Pitch Azul, an inspiring event organized by the Aventureros where community members presented sustainable projects to combat marine pollution. These initiatives focused on plastic reduction, marine life protection, and environmental education.

Participants shared their creative solutions, turning the event into a platform to inspire and unite our community against marine pollution. We were honored to have representatives from the Ministry of the Environment and our Aventurero, Idra, as judges.

Guias Program Update

This summer, we proudly launched the Guia Internship Program, welcoming 14 of our Aventureros as young ecotourism leaders. From June to September, our Guias participated in 30 panga trips, supported visiting programs, led hikes, and taught snorkel lessons, gaining hands-on experience alongside VSI staff. They learned to respect the environment and educate guests about Baja’s natural history.

One moment that truly touched me was during a whale shark encounter when our Guia, Chino, gently guided a hesitant participant through the experience. Seeing him grow from a shy kid in our first group of Aventureros into a confident, compassionate guide brought tears to my eyes.

Want to hear more inspiring stories like Chino’s? Check out our Executive Director Meghann McDonald’s powerful blog post about Guia Maria's incredible journey this summer!

Your donations have been vital, covering training, meals, equipment, and panga trips. This program isn’t just an internship—it’s a crucial investment in the future of ecotourism and conservation leadership in Baja, and the health of our oceans.

September Adventures
In September, the Aventureros delved into community science, focusing on the human impact on the ocean. They took part in a beach cleanup near the station, fostering a strong sense of environmental responsibility. A major highlight was collaborating with Grupo Tortuguero, another local organization, to release newborn sea turtles into their natural habitat—a moment that filled the Aventureros with awe as they watched the tiny hatchlings make their way to the sea. They also continued their book club, expressed their creativity with modeling clay, and enjoyed paddleboarding outings.

October Highlights
October was filled with exciting activities, including diving outings with a visiting high school group from the US and participation in Conservation Week with CONANP. The Aventureros joined an international coastal cleanup, organized a submarine rally in the park, and helped create piggy banks from recycled materials. To wrap up the month, they’ll host an Aventureros information stand at the environmental fair, connecting with even more community members.

Looking Ahead
As our busy summer field season has ended, we’re excited to embrace the fall, allowing us to focus more intensively on Aventureros programming. Your ongoing support is vital to our mission, and we look forward to sharing more updates as we continue to inspire and empower the next generation of conservation leaders.

Thank you for being an integral part of the Aventureros program. Together, we’re making a difference!

Links:

• Maria's Journey as a Guide Blog

If you have been following us for the past few years, you may remember that the pandemic in 2020 presented us with a unique opportunity to connect with the local community in a new and exciting way- the Aventureros program; a local youth program driven by the wants, needs and interests of the community at large. A huge initiative we could not have done without support from many of you!

Four years later, this program continues to thrive! We have a growing group of new participants every year, and this summer we have had some little ones hanging out with us and learning to swim! Many of the original Aventureros are now respected young adult leaders within and beyond the Bahía de los Ángeles community and this summer, we are creating an opportunity for our most skilled young leaders to participate in a one of a kind ecotourism internship with Vermilion Sea Institute!

We are launching the Guia (“guide” in English) Internship Program for 17 of our Aventureros. These are young adults that have incorporated themselves into the VSI family both through participation in Aventureros, and also through their own community involvement.  The Guias Program is an ecotourism internship that brings these young adults behind the curtain to work side by side with core Vermilion Sea Institute staff during our busy season to learn the effort and nuance it takes to create the VSFS guest experience. The best jobs in town are in tourism, the highschool focuses on tourism and hospitality, VSFS sets the standard locally for responsibility in eco tourism, so expanding the aventureros program with a Guia internship this summer was a natural progression.  Every group brings its own magic to VSFS and it is a joy and an honor to incorporate these Guias in each group to share and add to that magic.