Bodega Marine Laboratory - UC Davis

05/22/2026

Wrapping up our National Safe Boating Week spotlight! We're closing out our safety highlights with the UC Davis Boating and Diving Safety team by looking at how a successful day of marine research or weekend recreation starts. Spoiler alert: it begins long before you even launch. 🌊⚓

Safe boating is smart boating. Check out this essential pre-trip checklist:

📝 File a Float Plan: Always leave your trip details with a trusted friend or family member ashore, and remember to cancel it when you return safely.

☀️ Check the Weather: Monitor local marine forecasts before launching, and watch closely for shifting wind and water conditions while out. You can view local Bodega Bay conditions on the Bodega Ocean Observing Node (BOON) website: https://buff.ly/xJz18PR

📱 Download Pumpout Nav: Use this complimentary app to easily locate nearby pollution prevention services, sewage dump stations, and floating restrooms right from your phone.

🪪 Get Certified: Ready to make it official? Apply for your lifetime California Boater Card for just $10 at CaliforniaBoaterCard.com.



📸: UC Davis Boating and Diving Safety Team

Image description: A large, silver research boat is anchored on calm, crystal-clear blue water on a bright, sunny day. Spanning across the lake next to the boat, a group of researchers in colorful yellow, orange, and blue kayaks paddle together. In the far background, beautiful rolling mountains rise up beneath a completely clear blue sky.

Note: Links to outside organizations or materials are for the information and convenience of the user and do not constitute an endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the Coastal and Marine Sciences Institute or the University of California, Davis.

05/22/2026

05/21/2026

Day 4 of our National Safe Boating Week spotlight! We’re back with the UC Davis Boating and Diving Safety team, looking at what it takes to stay safe in California's coldest waters. 🥶🏊‍♂️

No, this isn't a sci-fi movie — it's a group training in immersion suits! These heavy-duty suits are designed to keep marine scientists warm and buoyant if they ever have to abandon a vessel in freezing offshore waters.

⏱️ Why we practice: In a real emergency, every second counts. Our team runs these drills in the pool because mastering how to don these bulky suits quickly before an emergency happens builds the muscle memory needed to act fast under pressure.

Learn more about training programs from the UC Davis Boating and Diving Safety Team: https://buff.ly/rQmh0Rm



📸: Abbey Dias/UC Davis Boating and Diving Safety Team

Image description: A large group of marine scientists and students stand together poolside during a water safety training session, all wearing bright neon-red, bulky cold-water immersion suits. They are smiling and lined up along the edge of an outdoor swimming pool.

05/20/2026

Day 3 of our National Safe Boating Week spotlight! We’re back with the UC Davis Boating and Diving Safety team, and today we’re looking at Visual Distress Signals (VDS). ✨🚤

Did you know that the safety gear our researchers carry changes depending on where they are boating? VDS tools generally fall into two categories: Pyrotechnic (smoke and flares) and Non-Pyrotechnic (flags and electronic lights).

Check out these essential safety tips:

☀️ Day vs. Night Signals

By Day: Operators can use non-pyrotechnic daytime flags (which feature a black square over a black circle on an orange background) or bright orange day smoke pyrotechnics that can be seen from miles away.

By Night: Options switch to high-powered electronic SOS distress lights (non-pyrotechnic) or handheld night flares (pyrotechnic) that slice through poor visibility.

🔥 Pro-Tip on Pyrotechnics: Handheld flares burn incredibly hot and can drip molten metal. Our BDS team reminds you to always wear protective gloves and hold them over the side of the vessel (or taped to a boat hook) during an emergency. Also, remember to check their expiration dates regularly!

🔦 Recreational vs. SOLAS Grade

SOLAS stands for "Safety of Life at Sea." These commercial-grade signals burn significantly brighter and longer than standard recreational gear, making them highly valuable for offshore research trips, despite the higher cost.



📸: Abbey Dias/UC Davis Boating and Diving Safety Team
Image description:
A person stands onshore wearing a hat and sunglasses, holding a blazing red handheld pyrotechnic flare over the side of a metal railing. Nearby on the ground, a daytime pyrotechnic smoke signal is placed safely inside a metal bucket, releasing a thick, billowing cloud of bright orange smoke that blows across the rocky shoreline.

05/20/2026

Excited to join a collaborative team working on restoration of a critically endangered ocean snail? We’re hiring!!! Head to https://recruit.ucdavis.edu/JPF07602 to learn more and apply.

Image description: three panels of photos. Top left has two people in black t shirts behind a table. One person is holding an abalone and measuring it, the other is recording data. Bottom left photo is two people in a dry lab with blue lab coats on and black gloves. Bottom right is an overheard shot of a countertop in a wet lab, with several bins, each holding an individual abalone. Several people are looking at the bins, recording data, and holding lab equipment. The top right corner with yellow don’t against a navy background says “we’re hiring! White abalone culture lab junior specialist. Find out more in the caption!”

05/19/2026

Day 2 of our National Safe Boating Week spotlight! We’re back with the UC Davis Boating and Diving Safety team, and today we’re testing your gear knowledge. 🧐⚓

Our research teams carry some highly specialized equipment to stay safe in the field. Can you guess what these 4 items do? Click through the photos to see the items, then check your answers below! 👇

🟥 1. Engine Cut-Off Switch (Kill Switch).

Why it matters: The operator attaches this to themselves. If they are accidentally thrown overboard, the engine instantly shuts off. Without it, a runaway boat can circle back and strike the person in the water. It’s a federal requirement for all vessels under 26 feet!

🍄 2. A Mushroom Anchor.

Why it matters: Unlike other anchors, this one is built for mud and only mud. It sinks in, creates an extreme suction hold, and is perfectly designed for long-term mooring operations.

🚀 3. A Jet Propulsion Lower Unit.

Why it matters: No propellers here! Jet boats are the ultimate tool for shallow river research because they don't get snagged. The water is sucked in and redirected through that metal "clam-shell" cowl to shift the boat between forward, neutral, and reverse.

🔦 4. An SOS Night Signal Device.

Why it matters: It’s a non-pyrotechnic visual distress signal. Instead of using traditional smoky or fiery flares, this electronic device flashes a powerful, continuous SOS light to summon help safely in the dark.

To learn more about vessel training, scientific diving certifications, or safety protocols, check out the UC Davis Boating Safety Program website: https://buff.ly/rQmh0Rm



📸: Abbey Dias/UC Davis Boating and Diving Safety Program
Image descriptions:
A bright red coiled safety lanyard (engine cut-off switch/kill switch) attached to a boat's control console. The lanyard extends across the side of a small fiberglass vessel resting on a trailer outdoors under a clear sky, illustrating the safety tether used by boat operators.
A weathered, dark cast-iron mushroom anchor resting flat on a light-colored surface. The anchor features a distinct inverted bowl shape at the bottom with a short, thick central shaft ending in a counterweight loop, showing signs of wear from use in soft mud and mooring environments.
A close-up, front-facing view of a gray metal jet propulsion lower unit from a research vessel, resting on a flat surface indoors. The prominent circular intake nozzle is visible in the center, surrounded by its heavy-duty housing, showing the specialized mechanical cowl setup used instead of a traditional propeller for shallow-water operations.
A hand holding an electronic, non-pyrotechnic SOS night signal device indoors. The device features a bright orange cylindrical handle and a clear plastic top housing a high-powered LED distress light, with other marine safety gear and a blue container visible in the blurred background.

05/18/2026

For National Safe Boating Week, we're spotlighting the UC Davis Boating and Diving Safety (BDS) team to bring you expert tips that keep marine scientists — and you — safe on the water! 🌊⚓

Want to boat like a UC Davis researcher? Follow these three foundational mottos taught by our BDS team:

🌬️ 1. "Bow to the Forces" – Don't fight nature. When approaching a dock or recovering a research buoy, point your bow into the wind or current. Let the elements work with you, not against you.

🔄 2. "Helm Before Throttle" – Stuck in a tight spot? Always turn your wheel (the helm) before you give it gas (the throttle). This makes your turns incredibly tight and predictable.

🐢 3. "Slow is Pro" – True skill is shown at low speeds. When docking or approaching a tight space, moving slowly and with intention gives you greater control and time to react.

Use these tips next time you're out on the water, and watch for more from our team throughout



📸: Abbey Dias & UC Davis BDS Team
Image descriptions:
A small black inflatable motorized research boat navigating across open, choppy blue water under a clear sky, with a low-lying green coastline visible in the background.
A small white research vessel cruising on calm, clear blue water near a lush green shoreline under a bright, cloudless sky.
A close-up of two researchers wearing high-visibility life jackets seated in a small boat out on the water. One individual is steering at the helm while navigating near another small vessel in the background.

05/15/2026

Bay Nature uncovered a mystery in Point Reyes's purple waves, featuring insights from UC Davis researchers Eric Sanford and Jackie Sones about a recent doliolid bloom. It's a wild look at one of the ocean's most complex "super organisms.": https://buff.ly/N4XPmEt

📸: Jacqueline Quale (purple waves), Jackie Sones (close up of doliolids)

Image descriptions:
A coastal view of a wide sandy beach where the incoming ocean waves are tinted a distinct, vibrant lilac-purple.
A macro photograph of tiny, translucent, barrel-shaped marine organisms called doliolids floating in a tidepool.

05/11/2026

University of California, Davis is hiring. Apply now!