Cockroach Bay Eco- Expedition with etc Samnik Seminars

Optional Family Field Trip
Cockroach Bay Eco-Expedition
(additional fees apply)

Cockroach Bay

Ready for an aquatic adventure? The Cockroach Bay Aquatic Preserve is one of the few remaining healthy mangrove estuaries in Tampa Bay. Located on the southeastern shore of Tampa Bay, just south of Ruskin, this is the premier estuarine outdoor classroom because of its pristine conditions.

Cockroach Bay Outdoor Classroom

Don’t be fooled by the name—the area was named by early Spanish explorers who were astonished by the number of horseshoe crabs, which they thought were giant cockroaches.

Horseshoe Crab at Cockroach Bay

This optional event is a great opportunity to get your feet wet (literally!) and explore this incredible estuary.
During this expedition, you’ll take a ride on our 24-foot mullet boat to a small mangrove key to see how these native plants are integral to our coastal ecosystem.

Boat expedition at Cockroach Bay

Then it’s time to wade into the Bay with our Program Biologist to use nets and sieves to uncover a vast array of marine critters! You’ll also take the boat further out into the Bay and use a trawl net to catch the unique organisms that live in the fragile sea grass beds—you never know what we might find!