January 2026 Updates for VIPs

Your time and dedication help Cabrillo shine and we want to make sure every minute you give counts. Please take a moment to log your volunteer hours using Volgistics:

It only takes a few minutes, and it helps us recognize your contributions, plan ahead, and meet important goals. Thank you!

In this issue:

• Division Updates: Coffee Sip and Plant Walk, Recap of Sea turtles of San Diego Talk, Weed Warrior and Greenhouse Updates and more!

• What's On the VIP Voice? What's in the Tidepools, January Tides

• Partner News: Whale Watch Tour, Our Impact, Winter Guide to Gray Whale Watching

• Continued Education Opportunities: Love your Wetlands Day, Composting Workshops, Sustainable Traveling Webinar, & Canyoneer Hikes

NPS Photo | S. Hernandez

VIP Peter is seen smiling while picking weeds in what used to be the barn area of the lighthouse. The lighthouse is behind him and he is surrounded by shrubs and a green bag.

💌 Want to share your appreciation?

If you’ve seen a fellow volunteer go above and beyond, or received a kind word from a visitor, send it our way! We’d love to include more kudos in future newsletters.

📧 Email your submissions to: cabr_volunteers@nps.gov

Let’s keep lifting each other up! 🌟

NPS Photo | S. Hernandez

A group of Cabrillo National Monument VIPs in uniform gather around the Visitor Center information desk. Some are wearing hats or vests, and a few have binoculars and radios. They’re smiling and chatting together after their shift, with park maps, gear, and merchandise in the background.

Tuesday, January 13, 2026 | 6:30 PM–8:30 PM PST

Online event (Zoom)

Our very own plant guru, Patricia Simpson, will be hosting a virtual workshop on growing native California plants from seed to soil and you’re invited!

Hosted by the Garden Committee, this online workshop covers the fundamentals of native plant propagation, from seed collection and preparation to sowing, cuttings, transplanting, and watering.

We’ll begin the evening at 6:30 PM with a short photo slideshow celebrating favorite California native plants, featuring images shared by our community.

Photo submissions welcome:

Email up to 4 photos (max 2 species) by Friday, January 9 to patricia_simpson@partner.nps.gov, and include where the photo was taken and why it’s special to you.

Registration:

Sign up on Eventbrite (Grow Your Skills: Native Plant Propagation) through the link below. A Zoom link will be emailed one week before the event.

Come learn, share, and grow with us 🌱



📧 Questions? Reach out to cabr_volunteers@nps.gov

NPS Photo | P. Simpson

Patricia Simpson is seen inside a greenhouse with plants all around her while she is standing and hugging a plant in her arms.

New Volunteer Opportunity! 🐋

It’s finally here! Gray whale watching season, from January through March! We’re looking for enthusiastic VIP volunteers to help co-host the park’s upcoming Gray Whale Watching Sessions.

Whether you’re already part of the Science Explorer’s Club (SEC) or have been curious about joining, this is a great way to get involved. Volunteers will help visitors spot whales and explore the gray whale exhibit on the SEC cart. No prior whale experience needed. A brief training will be provided at the start of each shift.

When:

Saturday, Sundays and Mondays, 10:30 am through 12:30 pm

1/24, 1/25 & 1/26

1/31, 2/1 & 2/2

2/7, 2/8 & 2/9

2/14, 2/15 & 2/16

(Sessions may be cancelled due to weather; volunteers will be notified.)

Where:

Whale Watch Overlook (bring a light jacket!)

How to sign up:

Shifts are available in Volgistics under Special Events. Register now!



Interested in SEC but can’t make it to whale watching? Contact hannah_marquezmacias@partner.nps.gov to learn how to get started. Help us connect visitors with the wonders of science and the natural world!

NPS Photos | H. Marquez

Picture on the left is a VIP behind the Science Explorer's Club cart holding some whale baleen, VIP is wearing a VIP floppy hat and there are whale bones inside the cart. Picture on the right is science educator Hannah Marquez posing with a whale helmet on her head and a brick wall behind her.

You’re Invited:

Volunteer Appreciation on Valentine’s Day 💕

We LOVE our volunteers, and what better day to celebrate that than Valentine’s Day? 💘 All of our incredible volunteers are invited to join us for a Volunteer Recognition Event as a heartfelt thank-you for the time, energy, and passion you bring to our programs.

Join us for a pizza party, fun activities, and a chance to relax, connect, and be celebrated! 🍕🎉

📍 Location: CABR Auditorium

📅 Date: February 14th

⏰ Time: 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM

This is our opportunity to show appreciation for everything you do and to celebrate the amazing community that makes our work possible. We hope you’ll be able to join us because you truly deserve it!



We can’t wait to celebrate YOU! 🌟

Please RSVP below by February 12th!

NPS Photos | S. Campuzano

Poster picture inviting volunteers to a volunteer pizza party on Saturday, February 14th at the CABR auditorium from 11 AM - 1 PM. Poster has pictures of two pizzas with a heart in the middle.

Interpretation, Education, & Volunteers (IEV)

🌿 Sip, Stroll & Discover:

A Guided Plant Walk at the Park! ☕🌿

Join us for a fun and fascinating plant walk around the park led by our very own plant expert, Patricia! She’ll guide us along a scenic hike around the topside of the park, pointing out the plants currently in bloom and sharing what makes them so special. We’re also thrilled to be joined by Hannah Marquez, Science Educator, who will highlight the Kumeyaay connections to the plants that grow throughout our park, adding rich cultural context to what we see along the way.

To make the morning even sweeter, we’ll be providing coffee, so you can enjoy a warm cup as you stroll, learn, and connect with fellow volunteers. Come celebrate the natural and cultural diversity of the park we love, one plant (and sip) at a time! 🌱✨

👉 Please sign up in Volgistics under Continuing Education.

NPS Photos | S. Campuzano

Poster picture inviting volunteers to a plant walk with Patricia Simpson. It says it will be Saturday, February 28th from 10 AM to 12 PM meeting at the flagpole in front of the visitor center. Coffee will be provided. In the picture there are people walking on a trail that is lined with trees and grass.

🐢 Talk Highlight: Sea Turtles of San Diego Bay🐢

We had a super successful and energizing talk with Anna Cahill, who shared fascinating insights into the sea turtles found right here in San Diego! From their behavior and habitats to the important research helping protect them, Anna’s presentation was both engaging and eye-opening.

One of the crowd favorites? The real-life examples of sea turtle tags Anna brought along, giving everyone a hands-on look at how researchers track and study these incredible animals in the wild.

A huge thank you to all the VIPs who came out to join us. We hope you enjoyed the opportunity to learn from such a knowledgeable expert. We’re grateful for your enthusiasm and can’t wait to bring you more exciting programs like this! 🌊✨

NPS Photo | S. Campuzano, S. Hernandez

Both the pictures on the right and left show an audience sitting in an auditorium listening to the speaker talk about the sea turtles of San Diego. The picture on the left has a picture of a green sea turtle on the slideshow while the one on the right has multiple pictures of the scientists doing field work with the NOAA logo in the middle.

Weed Warriors Update🌾

Our Weed Warriors are hard at work while the park continues the search for a new Invasive Plant Specialist. In the meantime, Taro, Sofia, Patricia, and Hannah continue leading Weed Warrior sessions around the Lighthouse every Tuesday and Thursday at 8:45 am.

Want to join the effort? Please sign up for a shift (or two!) on Volgistics and help protect our park from invasive plants.

Greenhouse Update🌿

The Greenhouse crew has been busy planting around the Visitor Center and along the Oceanside Trail. We’re thrilled that the rain keeps coming as it makes our work much easier and allows us to get even more plants in the ground! The team is also continuing to sow new plants in the greenhouse and transplant young plants as they grow, keeping the cycle going strong.

NPS Photo | S. Campuzano, P. Simpson

The picture on the left has VIP Peter planting a cactus into the side of the Oceanside trail with the ocean in the background. The picture on the right has a group of VIPs in their VIP blue shirts all working on the ground picking weeds with the lighthouse in the background.

What's On the VIP Voice?