COMING SOON - inventory will release in January! First intake June 24-47, 2026
Ocean Field School is a four-day, small-group exploration for people who love food, drink, and the outdoors. We'll move through ancient forests, volcanic shorelines, and intertidal zones, discovering edible plants, seaweeds, and seafood. Back at our basecamp, those flavours become part of daily wild-mixology sessions and shared dinners, connecting place to the table.
A highlight is a day on the water: a sea kayak trip to remote beaches, dropping a fishing line and a crab trap, and putting skills into action while experiencing the ocean up close.
Not a luxury retreat or multi-day expedition - it’s a hands-on, front-country camping experience for six participants, designed to teach practical food and field skills.
If you’re an experienced paddler, you might also consider the week-long expedition we co-guide with SKILS. (https://skils.ca/expedition/harvesting-from-the-wild/)
Daily activities include:
Foraging walks in forest, shoreline, and intertidal zones
Skills workshops on ocean fishing, crabbing, and camp craft
Daily wild-mixology workshops using foraged flavours
A guided sea kayak excursion to a remote island beach
Communal cooking-class style evening dinners
Informal visits to elements of the local food scene
Optional evening sauna & hot tub
Participants leave with a deeper connection to the region’s biodiversity, new culinary skills, and the confidence to continue exploring the flavours of the Pacific Northwest.
Ocean Field School
Day 1 – Arrival & Orientation
The first day begins at 1 pm at our front-country camp between Ucluelet and Tofino. After setting up your own tent and sleep gear, we gather as a team to orient ourselves to camp, plans for the coming days, and the principles that guide our work together. From unpacking to organizing the kitchen, bell tent, and communal spaces, participants immediately step into an active, hands-on role. The afternoon is for introductions, an overview of the Pacific Northwest ecosystem, some skills training for the days to come, and a wild mixology session - while shucking oysters. We’ll make dinner as a team with local seafood. Optional post-dinner hot tub and sauna (daily) provide a chance to decompress and settle into the rhythm of camp life.
Day 2 – Foraging & Ground School
We begin the morning with a relaxed briefing, outlining the plan for the day and addressing any questions. The group heads into the old-growth forest, exploring the towering hemlocks, cedar, sword ferns, and understory plants. Participants learn key edible species, with a specific focus on how to turn them into savoury dishes, desserts, and beverages. Midday, we transition to a stretch of exposed volcanic shore of the Pacific to study the intertidal zone. We’ll explore seaweeds, shore plants, and other marine life, connecting what grows on land to what thrives at the water’s edge. We’ll assemble lunch on the beach, then take an afternoon break back in camp. To wrap the learning: another skill-building session in camp, and as always: evening foraged cocktails followed by facilitated team dinner. No post dinner programming as the next day is a long one.
Day 3 – Sea Kayak Excursion & Applied Foraging
You’ll be up earlier to meet our fleet of kayaks that will get us on the water. This is the highlight of the week, where participants put the skills they’ve been building into practice, and have a chance to be face to face with the ocean. In the harbour we’ll drop crab traps and get a fishing line in the water. If the seas allow, we’ll visit a remote beach to learn a few more species, and put some of our learnings to practice, collecting some finds to bring back to our camp kitchen. We’ll have shore lunch - on a remote shore. On our way back, we’ll fish some more before paddling back to our take out point. We’ll have foraged and caught foods on ice, and some work to do. It’ll be a long day on the water, so our evening plans will be light: a simple foraged cocktail, a seafood stew, and some time to relax and recharge for the final day.
Day 4 – Integration, Fish Cookery & Closing the Loop
An easy, slower morning follows the previous day’s adventure on the water. The focus is on making use of our harvests— maybe fish, maybe crab, definitely foraged ingredients—and putting everything we’ve learned into practice. Together, we’ll work on fish butchery, prepare a shared meal, and experiment with flavors from the days before. Brunch becomes a relaxed team affair, with plenty of time to reflect on the wide array of species we’ve explored and tasted. This is a soft landing: a hands-on, collaborative space to consolidate skills, enjoy local flavors, and celebrate the abundance and diversity of the Pacific Northwest. By early afternoon, the program concludes with a final group reflection and farewell, leaving everyone grounded, capable, and inspired by their experience in both the field and the kitchen.
Skills & Knowledge Gained
Participants will leave the Ocean Field School with:
- Foraging skills: Gain a practical understanding of key species across forest, shoreline, and ocean ecosystems, and learn how to incorporate them into culinary preparations.
- Fishing & crabbing skills: Bottom fishing and crabbing techniques and how to apply them in local waters.
- Cooking skills: Transform foraged ingredients and fresh catches into memorable, flavorful meals
- Wild mixology skills: How to craft cocktails with foraged flavours of the Pacific Northwest.
- Paddling confidence: Gain introductory skills and hands-on experience in protected sea kayaking, building comfort and competence on the water.
- Expanded ecological awareness: understanding the biodiversity of forests, shorelines, and intertidal zones
- Teamwork & self-sufficiency: Improved camp skills, comfort, and experience in a team environment—the foundation for future food-centric adventures and expeditions.