Ecological Marine Adventures

What Ecological Marine Adventures does

Ecological Marine Adventures (EMA) is a Surf City, North Carolina-based nonprofit marine science and conservation education center founded by Taylor and Amber Maready and operating with a team of roughly seven full-time staff. The organization delivers hands-on marine education to children and families across Pender and Onslow counties through age-segmented programming spanning toddlers (Sea Squirts, ages 2-5), elementary campers (Guppies, Groupers, Whale Sharks, ages 5-11), tweens, and teens (Mako Project, Teen Adventure Camp, ages 10-16). Core offerings include summer camps, homeschool classes, toddler programs, after-school pickup service from Surf City Elementary, school break camps, family activities (Marsh Madness, Sift and Seine), birthday party packages, boat tours through the Intracoastal Waterway, and field trips delivered on-site or via mobile classroom visits.

EMA monetizes primarily through one-time program fees and a small base of monthly subscriptions (e.g., Sea Squirts at $280-$340/month and homeschool classes at $125/month), with unit pricing ranging from $20/person family activities to $600 for a 4-hour private boat tour. The company sells gift cards and accepts donations, and is transitioning to nonprofit status in 2025 alongside the spin-off of Topsail Aquarium into a separate founder-owned entity. Distribution is community-led: direct self-serve booking via embedded FareHarbor on a Squarespace website, supplemented by email-driven group inquiries, school partnerships, homeschool network referrals, and active social media.

Technology infrastructure is intentionally minimal and non-proprietary: FareHarbor handles scheduling and payments, Squarespace powers content, and there are no disclosed APIs, integrations, or AI features. The organization's core assets are its curriculum, its physical access to beach, marsh, and aquarium ecosystems, and its institutional relationships — including a UNCW BIO 498 internship pipeline and partnerships with Surf City Surf School, Cape Fearless Xtreme, and the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Hospital.

Name

Ecological Marine Adventures

Legal name

Ecological Marine Adventures

Website

https://ecologicalmarineadventures.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2025

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ecological Marine Adventures is a nonprofit marine science education center in Surf City, NC that delivers hands-on camps, classes, boat tours, and family programs for children ages 2-16 across coastal North Carolina, monetizing through program fees, subscriptions, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Science Education

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine Conservation & Citizen-Science Experiences (reef monitoring, turtle walks) (THAAAIAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Marine Wildlife & Birding Cruises (dolphins, seals, seabirds) (THAAAIAD), Sailing, Catamaran & Day-Cruise Excursions (nature-focused) (THAAAIAG), Guided Diving & Snorkeling Excursions (boat/shore trips) (THAAAIAB)

Keywords

• Marine science education
• Outdoor education programs
• Children summer camps
• Marine biology field trips
• Coastal boat tours

Headquarters

HQ city

Surf City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Education Programs and Camps: Primary revenue stream from marine science education programs including summer camps, school break camps, after-school programs, homeschool classes, and toddler programs. Programs range from single-day classes to full-week camps, priced at various tiers based on duration and age group.
2. Birthday Party Packages: Three-tiered birthday party packages (Minnow $125, Guppy $175, Mackerel $250, SUP $50/person) providing exclusive use of facilities and activities.
3. Boat Tours: Family-oriented boat tours including Island Explorer (2hr $350, 4hr $600), Wildlife Tour (2hr $350), and Fishing 101 (4hr $600) experiences through the Intracoastal Waterway.
4. Family Activities: Individual activity bookings including Marsh Madness and Sift and Seine at $20/person for families seeking shorter marine exploration experiences.
5. Donations: As a nonprofit organization, EMA accepts donations to support marine education, conservation efforts, and outreach programs. They maintain an Amazon Wishlist for in-kind contributions.
6. Gift Cards: Electronic gift cards available for any EMA adventure or merchandise, providing flexible gifting options for customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Ecological Marine Adventures operates as a nonprofit marine science and conservation education center offering hands-on educational programs for children and families. Its offerings include summer camps, school break camps, homeschool classes, toddler programs, after-school programs, field trips, family boat tours, family activities, and birthday party packages. Programs feature direct interaction with live animals, specimens, beach exploration, marsh activities, and aquarium visits.

Product overview

Ecological Marine Adventures is a nonprofit marine science and conservation education center in Surf City, NC operating as a platform of hands-on educational programs and outdoor adventures. The core offering combines structured camps (Summer Camps, Whale Shark Camp, Teen Adventure Camp, School Break Camps), year-round classes (Homeschool Classes, Toddler Programs, After School Programs), and experiential activities (Boat Tours, Family Activities, Birthday Parties, Field Trips). Programs serve ages 2+ through diverse age-segmented offerings including Sea Squirts, Guppies, Groupers, Great Whites, and Teen tracks. The organization also supports its mission through gift cards and donations, with the Learn.Love.Protect philosophy woven throughout all programming.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Summer Camps Hands-on marine science summer camps for children ages 3-16 across age-segmented tracks (Sea Squirts, Guppies, Groupers, Great Whites, Whale Sharks, Mako Project teens) featuring specimen collection, dissections, fishing, beach exploration, and ocean-themed activities.
• Boat Tours Coastal boat adventures departing Surf City through the Intracoastal Waterway, including Island Explorer shell/fossil hunting tours (2hr/4hr), Wildlife Tour dolphin and bird watching (2hr), and Fishing 101 sustainable fishing education (4hr), accommodating up to 6 people per tour.
• Family Activities Drop-in family programs including Marsh Madness and Sift and Seine offering marsh exploration with dip nets, seine nets, and cast nets along with beach-based marine life observation and shark tooth hunting at $20 per person.
• Birthday Parties Marine-themed birthday party packages offered as Minnow (1hr beach/marsh, $125), Guppy (1hr +30min building rental, $175), Mackerel (2hr adventure +30min building, $250), and SUP Package (2hr paddle, $50/person).
• Homeschool Classes Year-round marine science classes for homeschool families in age-segmented tracks (ages 5-8, 9-11, teens 12+), meeting one day per week from September through May at $125 per month.
• Toddler Programs (Sea Squirts) Marine education classes for toddlers ages 2-5 including single-day classes, multi-day camps, and monthly programs running September through May, with outdoor exploration, specimen collection, and aquarium time.
• After School Programs School pickup program from Surf City Elementary offering afternoon marine education activities, snacks, and exploration at $90 per week for elementary-age children.
• School Break Camps Day camps during Fall, Winter, and Spring school breaks featuring science activities, crafts, outdoor exploration, and animal encounters at $60 per day with optional late stay.
• Field Trips & School Visits On-site field trips at the EMA Surf City facility and mobile in-classroom visits delivering specimens, live animals, and interactive presentations on topics including Shark Discovery, Herpetology, Ecosystems, Fossils, Sea Turtles, and Cephalopods, with custom packages for 5 to 100+ students.
• Teen Adventure Camp Week-long adventure camp for ages 12-16 combining snorkeling, ziplining, fishing, aquarium visits, and surf lessons, priced at $450 per week.
• Whale Shark Camp Full-day, full-week summer camp for ages 6-11 running May through August, Monday-Friday 8am-3:30pm with rotating weekly topics including shark biology, ornithology, pirate themes, octopus, reptiles, stingrays, turtles, and marine environments at $375 per camper.
• Internships Marine education internship program for high school and college students offering hands-on teaching, field work, and conservation education experience, with structured partnerships with UNCW (BIO 498) and local Topsail and Dixon High Schools.
• Gift Cards Electronic gift cards redeemable for any EMA adventure, camp, or merchandise, available in variable denominations for gifting.
• Donations Charitable donations supporting marine education and conservation programs, offered as one-time, weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annual contributions with suggested tiers, plus an Amazon Wishlist for in-kind supply donations.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEMA works with UNCW to offer Fall, Spring, and Summer internships for college students. The UNCW internship fulfills the BIO 498 requirement for marine biology students. This partnership provides EMA with educated interns while offering students valuable hands-on marine education experience.
• Topsail High School and Dixon High SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEMA partners with local Topsail and Dixon High Schools for senior internship programs, providing career exploration opportunities for students interested in marine science or education.
• Surf City Surf SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Teen Adventure Camp providing surf lessons on Fridays. Surf City Surf School delivers instruction as part of EMA's multi-activity adventure camp program.
• Cape Fearless XtrememinorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdventure park partner for Teen Adventure Camp providing ziplining and ropes course activities on Tuesdays as part of EMA's week-long teen adventure program.
• Topsail AquariumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStarting 2025, Topsail Aquarium will be owned by Taylor and Amber (EMA owners) as a separate business. EMA camps and classes will continue to integrate aquarium visits, with campers paying admission separately after classes.
• Karen Beasley Sea Turtle HospitalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTeen Adventure Camp includes Thursday visits to the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Hospital, providing educational exposure to sea turtle rehabilitation and conservation.
• Amazon (Wishlist)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerEMA maintains an Amazon Wishlist for in-kind donations, allowing supporters to contribute supplies for classes, activities, experiments, and crafts.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Cape Fear River Watch: Wilmington, NC nonprofit focused on environmental education, advocacy, and water-quality stewardship in the Cape Fear region. Comparable as a regional nonprofit delivering environmental education programs to families and schools in the same coastal NC geography.
• Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Hospital: Topsail Beach, NC nonprofit operating sea turtle rehabilitation and education programs. Existing EMA Teen Adventure Camp partner; serves overlapping coastal NC conservation-education audience with a more species-specific focus.

Direct peers

• Schiele Museum of Natural History: Gastonia, NC natural history museum with hands-on exhibits, planetarium, and youth educational programming. Comparable to EMA in mission (public-facing natural history education with age-segmented offerings) and use of curriculum-aligned programs for schools.
• Coastal Expeditions: Awendaw, SC-based outfitter offering guided boat, kayak, and barrier-island tours through coastal salt marsh and wildlife habitats. Highly comparable to EMA's Island Explorer, Wildlife Tour, and marsh-focused family activities in product format, customer profile, and conservation framing.
• Wrightsville Beach Scenic Tours: Wrightsville Beach, NC operator of narrated Intracoastal Waterway cruises and marine wildlife tours. Comparable to EMA's Island Explorer and Wildlife Tour offerings in product format and coastal NC family tourist market.
• Discovery Place Nature: Charlotte, NC nature education center with hands-on programs, animal exhibits, and summer camp offerings. Directly comparable to EMA in its hands-on nature education mission and age-segmented youth programming model.

Broad incumbents

• North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores: State-operated aquarium on the Crystal Coast offering marine education exhibits, programs, and touch tanks. Comparable as a larger, broader marine education venue serving the same coastal NC family and school market as EMA.
• North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher: State-operated aquarium near Kure Beach, NC offering marine exhibits and educational programs. Direct geographic overlap with EMA in southeastern coastal NC and shared family/school audience for marine science education.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ecological-marine-adventures

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ecological Marine Adventures