Belinda Ringpfeil couldn't find her dream job, so she decided to create it herself.

As a certified marine educator, former public school teacher and conservation advocate, Ringpfeil combined her talents and interests three years ago to create Ocean Camp, which provides school-aged children and their families with field trips and camps that educate them about marine life and conservation through hands-on activities and exploration, right on the beach in Gulf Shores.

Ocean Camp

“I've always been a nature lover,” Ringpfeil said. “I didn't get to spend a lot of time at the beach growing up in Birmingham, but my passion really blossomed when I became a SCUBA diver. That was very exciting for me. I knew I always loved the ocean, but I never had the chance to explore it the way I could as a SCUBA diver.”

After Ringpfeil became a gifted education teacher, she focused much of her curriculum on science and marine education. She took her students on field trips to aquariums and the beach — anything to get them excited about the ocean.

“I'm able to think like a child. I still find excitement, wonder and joy in being able to share the simple things in our ocean with children,” Ringpfeil said. “I can look at things through their eyes, and I have compassion for them because I know that each and every one of us is born with the ability to simply learn to love each other and love this beautiful world. The time I get to spend with a child, I enjoy sharing with them and trying to relay some of that passion I have.”

In 2009, Ringpfeil decided she wanted to teach marine education full time, but there were no job openings in Baldwin County. Instead of giving up, she created her own path.

“I knew I had all the materials, I had the program, I had the curriculum, I had the desire, and that's when I started promoting my Ocean Camp program with different venues,” she said. “I knew there was a need here in this area, right along the coast.”

Since then, Ringpfeil has partnered with Tim Hill at the Gulf Shores Beach Retreat to host campers, parents and teachers during Ocean Camp. She also partners with Faulkner State Community College during summer camps. Ocean Camp is in the process of becoming a nonprofit organization, which will allow it to receive more donations and grants.

Hundreds of students from local schools and from all over the country now experience Ocean Camp every year, and Ringpfeil also provides college students with opportunities for community service and experience by allowing them to assist with camper groups.

Marine Learning Center

Although Ringpfeil fulfilled one of the community's needs by creating Ocean Camp, she's not satisfied just yet — she wants everyone to be able to learn about the ocean just by passing through Gulf Shores.

“People who live north of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach get super excited at the thought of coming to the beach,” Ringpfeil said. “We have nice restaurants, shopping and beaches, but they are leaving without learning about what's going on underwater with the marine animals and how to protect the ocean and our natural resources.”

The Marine Learning Center is Ringpfeil's latest idea to reach more people about her passion for marine conservation.

The center would be a public educational facility as close to the beach as possible, where people could walk through and learn about marine life, the ecology of the ocean and the importance of conservation.

It would feature aquariums, touch tanks and interactive displays and would be a central location for family and school programs.

“I've been to many aquariums, so I have an idea of what we could do that would not be extremely expensive or big,” she said.

If Ringpfeil and the Marine Learning Center's steering committee can find the funding and community support, the Marine Learning Center could be a reality within a year, Ringpfeil said.

In addition to raising awareness for the idea and applying for grants, Ringpfeil is looking for businesses that would want to sponsor exhibits inside the center.

For more information about the Marine Learning Center and local marine news, visit facebook.com/gulfshoresmarinelearningcenter and click on the “about” link.

For more information about Ocean Camp and global marine news, visit facebook.com/oceancamp and click on the “about” link.

Ringpfeil can be reached at oceancamp@gmail.com.