The Caloosahatchee River is a magical place filled with fossils from camels, horses, bison, bobcats, alligators, turtles, sharks, manatees, fish, and even elephant-like mammoths and mastodons! LaBelle Fossil Camp is a fun and unique science-based adventure camp, where 8-14 year olds get hands-on experience hunting for and identifying those fossils. At the week long day-camp, each morning begins with an educational Lab, in the research tents set up at the Barron Library, where children learn about the fossils they will be hunting, caring for, and even repairing. After the morning Lab, the group climbs aboard the Anhinga II, for a few hours of fossil hunting along the Caloosahatchee River. The boat anchors, and children paddle an inflatable boat to shore, where they hunt for fossils. When they return to the Library, they get to work on identifying each of the fossils they’ve found.

LaBelle Fossil Camp Director Scott Perry, recently took a few of us out on the Anhinga II, the camp’s 27 foot Catalina sail boat, for a fun-filled fossil hunting expedition, along the banks of the Caloosahatchee. It was a fantastic experience, and a wonderful glimpse into what LaBelle Fossil Camp is like for the kids.

Everyone who tagged along on our trip found a bunch of fossils, learned about the Paleo-history of southwest Florida, and had an excellent time. The Caloosahatchee offers an incredible opportunity to travel through time, through hands-on fossil experiences. If you are interested in going out for some fantastic fossil fun with your significant other, your best friend, or even by yourself, let Scott Perry know. This is one of those once in a lifetime experiences that is sure to create awesome memories! Plus, your generous donation, for one of Scott’s amazing 3-hour-tours, will help provide scholarships for kids who want to attend camp. Rumor has it, any children who wants to attend the camp, but whose families might not be able to afford tuition, might try writing Captain Scott Perry an essay explaining, in detail, why they would like to participate. You never know, he might just choose you for a scholarship!

LaBelle Fossil Camp is open to children ages 8-14 years of age, and runs from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. each day. There are four weeks of camp offered:
Camp 1: July 08-12
Camp 2: July 15-19

To register your child go to https://fossilcamp.wordpress.com/