REEF by the Sea Celebration - La Jolla, CA

Friday, Saturday and Sunday, March 1 - 3, 2024


Please join the REEF Staff and Board of Trustees in beautiful La Jolla, California, for a weekend of special presentations, celebrations, and fun by the beach. This invitation-only event features a great line-up of engaging speakers and sunset parties. REEF staff will provide updates on our important marine conservation programs. There will also be opportunities to explore the beautiful areas along La Jolla cove reserve, including tidepooling, kayaking, and diving. We hope to see you there!

RSVP for REEF by the Sea

Planned Program

Thursday, February 29

Happy Hour - For those who are in town Thursday night, we invite you to join us for happy hour at Bareback Grill in Pacific Beach. Happy Hour is from 3-6pm; we'll be there about 4:30.

Friday, March 1

There are many activities you can do on Friday before joining us for backyard tacos for dinner, and in the mornings on Saturday and Sunday. See the Seaside Activities section below for more information. We have organized a tour on the Scripps campus for those who are interested:

Morning - 9:45am and 11:15am - Tour of Scripps Institution of Oceanography Fishes Collection - Fish Curator, Dahiana Arcila, and SIO students will guide you through the amazing biological collections of SIO, world-renowned repositories supporting scientific research, educating current and future generations, stimulating curiosity, and supplying information to governmental agencies and public policy makers. *There are two options for this tour, they are the same tour, just splitting up the group to make it more managable to view the collection. Meet at either 9:45am or 11:15am at the gates of the Scripps Pier. The group will then walk over to the collection together.

5:00 - 8:00pm - San Diego Social - REEF by the Sea attendees are invited to join the REEF staff and board for a casual evening of tacos and fun. Location will be sent to attendees.

 

Saturday, March 2 -- 12:00 - 6:00pm, Scripps Oceanography Campus, La Jolla, CA

12:00 - 4:00 pm - REEF Making a Difference: Overview of our recent conservation successes

4:00 - 6:00 pm - Presentation with Dr. Dan Cartamil, followed by Sunset Socializing

6:30pm Dinner - Optional: Location TBD - We will pick a restaurant for dinner that can accommodate a larger group.

Silent Auction throughout the day.

 

Sunday, March 3 -- 1:00 - 6:00 pm -- Scripps Oceanography Campus, La Jolla, CA

1:00 - 6:00 pm - Ocean Stories and Social. Stunning slideshows and stories by renowned underwater photographers, ocean story tellers, and noted scientists - Dr. Forest Rohwer, Theodora Mautz and Dr. Nastassia Patin, and Andy Sallmon and Allison Vitsky Sallmon, followed by a Sunset Social Hour.

Silent Auction closes at 5pm.

2024 REEF by the Sea Speakers

"Baja's Wild Side" presented by Dr. Dan Cartamil

Dr. Dan Cartamil is an expert in shark biology at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, CA. His passion for the natural world has led him to 10 years of photographing Baja California's untamed wilderness, particularly the Pacific coast region where he conducts research to protect migrating sharks from over-fishing. Fluent in English and Spanish, Dan has been able to dive deeply into Baja’s spectacular landscapes with the support of locals, including academic colleagues and artisanal fishermen. Dan is also an environmental consultant and avid conservationist — he lives and plays music in Encinitas, California.

"Viruses, Microbes, & Coral Reef Arks" presented by Dr. Forest Rohwer

Overfishing, eutrophication, increasing water temperatures, and acidity all contribute to coral reef decline. These stressors effectively decrease oxygen, creating conditions that favor microbes over macrobes. In turn, this increases coral diseases. This process is called microbialization. Forest's team designs floating coral reef platforms, called Coral Reef Arks, to increase oxygenation and to identify possible mechanisms to reverse microbialization. The Coral Reef Arks allow us to rapidly prototype real-world reef restoration strategies.

Dr. Forest Rohwer is a viral ecologist and Professor of Biology at San Diego State University. He pioneered the field of viromics and showed that viruses are the most biodiverse life forms in the world. Combined with other "-omics" methods, the Rohwer lab studies the roles of viruses and microorganisms in the health and disease of ecosystems, particularily coral reefs. Dr. Rohwer has published more than 225 peer-reviewed articles and has won numerous national and international awards, Dr. Rohwer is a Fellow of the American Academy for Advancement of Science (AAAS), the American Academy of Microbiology (AAM), and is listed as one of the World's Most Influential Scientific Minds. He has also published two books: Coral Reefs in the Microbial Seas and Life in Our Phage World.

"Collecting Clues: How SCUBA divers unmask hidden diversity in the Sea of Cortez with environmental DNA" presented by Theodora Mautz and Dr. Nastassia Patin

Environmental DNA (eDNA) is the genetic material animals shed into their surroundings. Researchers act as forensic investigators when using eDNA by collecting material, processing it in a lab, sequencing the DNA, and using the data to get an overview of which animals have been in the area. REEF has pioneered an innovative approach to collecting eDNA by attaching filtering mesh to the regulators used by citizen scientist scuba divers. This technique was implemented in the Sea of Cortez in fall 2022, and detected a variety of species, including DNA from the rare Guadalupe fur seal. These results suggest that eDNA can complement visual surveys for endangered or invasive species. Theodora and Nastassia will share their findings and discuss the promises and challenges for eDNA as a citizen science tool for marine biodiversity surveys.

Theodora Mautz is a first year PhD student in the Marine Biology program at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. She graduated from Harvard University in 2019 with a degree in Neuroscience. Prior to starting at SIO, Theodora researched chronic reproductive pain conditions in New York, created marine science multimedia at Point Reyes National Seashore, and studied cephalopod neuroethology at Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology. Theodora is primarily interested in sensory ecology and reproductive behaviors in marine species, but she has also enjoyed working with eDNA and learning molecular assays – they make her feel like a modern day Poirot (she reads lots of Agatha Christie mysteries in her spare time).

Dr. Nastassia Patin is the Molecular Ecology Program Coordinator for the California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations (CalCOFI). In plain English, this means she runs the eDNA sampling program for the world’s longest-running biological oceanographic survey. She got her B.S. in Biology at Stanford University and her Ph.D. in marine microbiology at SIO, graduating in 2016. She did her first postdoc at Georgia Tech in Atlanta where she immersed herself in DNA sequence data analysis (“bioinformatics”). This training helped land her second postdoc with NOAA back in San Diego. Although she now fully considers herself a desk jockey and amateur computer scientist, her career has allowed her to conduct field work all over the world including Belize, Fiji, the Bahamas, the Gulf Coast, and Antarctica. In her free time she enjoys cycling, surfing, and hanging out with her cats, Gidget and Diego.

"Golden Opportunity: the Remarkable Rewards of Underwater California" presented by Andy Sallmon and Allison Vitsky Sallmon

Andy and Allison are passionate advocates for California diving and have spent thousands of hours exploring and photographing the incredible marine life off our coast. In this presentation, they'll show some of their favorite California underwater images and tell the stories behind each.

Andy Sallmon and Allison Vitsky Sallmon are a photography/writing team who have been working together since 2010. Andy’s educational background in marine biology and Allison’s in veterinary medicine provide a unique perspective on our oceans and the life they hold. Individually and together, their work has been recognized in dozens of international underwater and nature photography competitions, graced the walls of aquariums and museums, and extensively published in magazines and books on diving, nature, and photography. The two combined have over 72 years of recreational and technical diving experience with more than 10,000 dives all over the world. However, their favorite place to dive is the rich, temperate water of their home state: California. Allison is also a member of the Women Divers Hall of Fame and the founder of Dive into the Pink, a nonprofit organization that mobilizes the diving community to raise money for the fight against cancer.

 

Seaside Activities

The Scripps Oceanography campus, as well as La Jolla Shores beach, cove, and tidepools offer many oportunities for you to explore and learn. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday mornings are open for attendees to explore La Jolla and the wider San Diego region to enjoy the area's rich ocean ecosystem. Below are a few suggestions. Contact us with any questions about planning your free time.

Nature Walk at a Coastal Wetland - Visit the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve and explore coastal maritime sage at this diverse southern San Diego park, home to important bird and butterfly habitat. 

Sea Kayaking -- Go on a kayak tour of the beautiful La Jolla Sea Caves with Everyday California, visit their website at http://adventure.everydaycalifornia.com or call to book your space, 415-439-9510 (there's often Groupon and Living Social deals online)

Visit Ellen Browning Scripps Park in La Jolla -- A wonderful oceanside park will offer views of sea lions, seals, and many types of seabirds. 133 Coast Blvd, La Jolla, CA 92037 https://www.californiabeaches.com/map/ellen-browning-scripps-park-la-jolla/

Check out the Birch Aquarium -- Located just above the SIO campus, it's a great place to learn more about the local marine life. 2300 Expedition Way, La Jolla, CA 92037 https://aquarium.ucsd.edu

Cabrillo National Monument - A beautiful area west of the airport, with a nice visitors center, historic lighthouse, and amazing tide pools. https://www.nps.gov/cabr/index.htm

Tidepooling -- There are several places to tidepool in the area. The Scripps Reserve tidepools can be accessed by walking north along the beach from Scripps Pier. There's also tidepooling at Shell Beach. 

Balboa Park -- An amazing park near downtown San Diego, with 17 museums and gardens and historic buildings. https://www.balboapark.org

Travel Logistics

Events will be held on and around the campus of Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO), located in La Jolla, CA, 14 miles from San Diego International Airport (SAN).

There are many hotels and Airbnb in the area. A few hotels we recommend in the area include:

Hotel La Jolla and La Jolla Shores Hotel - Both of these hotels are approximately one mile from the event.

The Grande Colonial and The Empress - Both of these hotels are in the village of La Jolla across the cove from the event, a short drive to the event.

The Shoal in La Jolla and Sands of La Jolla - Both are recently renovated motel-style property in La Jolla/Bird Rock.

Having a rental car will facilitate getting around the area to sightsee in the mornings and participating in the events on Friday. Parking around the events on Saturday and Sunday afternoons is limited. We recommend taking Lyft/Uber. Most hotels also offer free shuttle service to the Scripps campus. 

Please contact us at events@REEF.org if you need travel logistics details or assistance.

A Google map of event venue locations, restaurant suggestions, and more is posted here.

Other Event Details

Silent Auction - We are excited to share a few special items for auction, including artwork, trips, and more. Many thanks to our silent auction donors:

Jim Hellemn/BlueOceanArt
Backscatter Photo and Video
SCUBAPRO and Johnson Outdoors
Nancy Perez
Gyotaku artist Dwight Hwang
Kevin Abbott/Jabebo Ornaments
Mexico Liveboards
Alex Brylske

Weather and Suggested Attire - Suggested attire is festive casual. Average daytime temperature in La Jolla in March is in the mid-60's. The ocean breeze can be cool as the sun sets, so an outer layer is recommended.

Scripps Institution of Oceanography Pier at Sunset.