Since 2020, Sanibel Sea School has proudly partnered with Road Scholar to bring immersive coastal education to adult learners from around the country. Road Scholar is a non-profit organization headquartered in Boston, MA, that provides educational travel programs.

Over the years, our educators have joined a variety of Road Scholar excursions, sharing Sanibel’s unique ecology through hands-on, curiosity-driven experiences.

This past year, we’ve been a featured part of Road Scholar’s six-day program on Sanibel Island, a trip designed to highlight the natural beauty and ecological richness of Southwest Florida. The full itinerary can be viewed on Road Scholar’s website.

On Wednesday mornings, our marine science educators meet participants right at their hotel for a guided beach walk — an hour of exploration, discovery, and connection to the coast.

Our final two walks of 2025 were held on Dec. 3 and Dec. 10, welcoming 27 and 32 participants, respectively. Both mornings were filled with the kind of moments that make coastal learning unforgettable.

On the Dec. 3 outing, one participant cautiously eyed a washed-up pinkish “blob” on the beach and asked what this creature was. “It’s called Sea Pork,” said Marine Science Educator Annie Clinton. “They are invertebrates that are actually closely related to humans. Sea pork has also been known to eat their own brains.”

The Road Scholars collectively gasped with a mixture of disbelief and shock at this weird fact.

These beach walks are simple in format — just sand, sea, and a seasoned educator — but they consistently lead to powerful moments of learning, reflection, and appreciation.

“I learned so much!” one Road Scholar commented. “Not just about shells, but all different types of sea life. We even got the chance to see a live sea hare! I’ve never seen one before, and I loved learning more about the ocean through a new lens.”

We are thrilled to continue this partnership in the year ahead. Seven beach walks are already scheduled for 2026, and we look forward to welcoming new groups of lifelong learners to the shoreline.