What do physics geniuses, Archimedes and Sir Isaac Newton have to do with keeping you safe while boating? Join our outdoor adventure team as they decode the fun and sometimes quirky science that helps you and them stay safely afloat. With the help of Archimedes and Newton, our boater safety certification candidates explore the concepts of buoyancy, gravity, calculating force, refraction, color theory, Newton’s Three Laws of Motion, Archimedes Principle, boater safety rules, and accident prevention.

Getting your boating safety certification is necessary for anyone who wants to be a safe and responsible boater. Getting your certification isn’t something that’s limited to just youth boaters getting started – it is for adults that are just getting into boating too. Classes are available online or in person. Join our youth hosts as they meet with the US Coast Guard Auxiliary near Lake Michigan and discover the important lessons in the basics of boating safety and getting boating safety certified.

Savvy Seagull welcomes Barnacle Bob, Party Boat Dude, and Wannabe Certified as guests on “Save That Life,” the game show where contestants win priceless lessons that could help save a life on the water. The entertaining characters come straight from Wannabe’s dreams and imagination as he prepares for his upcoming boating safety certification exam, while viewers learn valuable lessons in boating safety rules and regulations along with him.

Learn important boating and watercraft safety lessons along with the characters in this fun quiz show format. Savvy Seagull makes sure you’ll remember the US Coast Guard’s important rules and tips you’ll need for passing a boating safety certification exam to receive a boating license!

If your phone died, how would you navigate to your destination? We can't always rely on phones and GPS to help us get to where we are going, that's why it is important to know how to use a compass, especially when out on open water. Dive in with us as we learn the science of magnetism, the difference between True North and Magnetic North, as well as how to use a compass in a real life scenario!

To be a responsible boater, you need to consider all aspects of your impact on the water, whether it’s in relation to another boater or to the environment itself. You may not realize it, but boaters, and other water recreation activities, have an impact on aquatic ecosystems. From nonpoint source pollution to shoreline erosion caused by wakes, our educational guides explain many ways in which boats have a negative impact on the waterways. As responsible boaters, it is important to keep these ecosystems healthy for future generations to enjoy, so join us in learning how boaters can take a variety of actions to minimize their negative environmental impact while boating.

Boating safety courses are essential for teaching new boaters about the rules of the waterway and how to safely operate a boat, but there are some "unspoken rules" that all members of the boating community should know. From environmental responsibility to helping out your fellow boaters in need, responsible boating involves a lot more than just safety. Boating etiquette is something that is often learned through experience rather than in a classroom, so tag along with Captain Doug and his granddaughter as they head out on the Lake of the Ozarks to learn about proper boating etiquette.

For hundreds of years, people have used waterways as a means of transportation. As our vessels grew from small canoes to large barges and other industrial traffic, we altered the rivers to better suit our needs. This evolution of transportation has changed riverway structure and aquatic ecosystems, but how? In this classroom video, we take a deeper look at how rivers, wildlife and the environment are impacted by the rise of waterway navigation. 

For hundreds of years, the waterways of the United States have been utilized as a means of transportation. From historical navigation tools and methods used by Native Americans to modern instruments used to navigate our waterways today, we set out to learn how our relationship with the waterways has evolved. With the construction of levees, locks and dams, the structure of the river has changed to become more navigable, but this also means boaters must be equipped with the knowledge of how to navigate these potential obstacles. As our technology and methods have improved, our navigation knowledge must develop as well. Join us as we learn about the history of nautical navigation, from past to present, and how to safely navigate our waterways. 

From the tiniest of aquatic life to the largest creatures in the ocean, all are connected by a giant food web. In Alaska’s Tongass National Forest, this is no exception. With species like salmon that connect their food web to freshwater species and saltwater species, this can get a little confusing! Untangle this web with us as we learn how all species are connected, and how the health of these ecosystems are managed by the US Forest Service!

Learning a new outdoor skill, like fly fishing, often teaches you a lot more than just how to fish. In the process of conquering a new technique, you also build character and patience, along with other valuable skills that relate to everyday life. These are skills that have been passed on through generations, often from parent to child. Join this father-son duo on their fly fishing adventure in the Tongass National Forest and discover the benefits of learning to fly fish.