Jennifer Kolbauer spent years working with underserved youth in Los Angeles and kept noticing the same thing: kids who had never swum in the ocean or set foot on a beach, despite living minutes from the coast.
That observation drove the South Bay marine biologist to launch Wave Makers, a marine education business offering guided tidepool walks, harbor kayak tours and personalized aquarium experiences for families across Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach and the surrounding communities.
"I want to let people know the ocean is for everyone, and that they can make a difference in ways they may never have imagined — whether through a simple beach cleanup or by studying something like underwater remotely operated vehicles," Kolbauer told LocalAnchor in a profile published Thursday, Aug. 13.
From SEA Lab to her own business
Kolbauer holds a bachelor's degree in aquatic biology from UC Santa Barbara along with advanced, rescue and scientific diver certifications. She has spent 15 years in animal husbandry and informal education at aquariums and marine facilities in the region, including a stint as education coordinator at the SEA Lab aquarium in Redondo Beach.
Her path crystallized during a college field course in Baja, Mexico, held on the beach. Before that, childhood summers at Newport Beach and home aquarium tanks had already taught her the basics of caring for aquatic animals.
What Wave Makers offers
The business runs three core programs, all led personally by Kolbauer:
- Tidepool walks along the South Bay coast, searching for ocean critters at low tide.
- Harbor kayak tours out of King Harbor in Redondo Beach, in partnership with Redondo Glass Bottom Boat, where participants paddle out to visit local sea lions.
- Personalized aquarium experiences with Kolbauer serving as a private marine biologist guide.
Programs are open to all ages, from weekend outings to birthday parties.
Rooted in the community
Kolbauer lives it. She describes her South Bay routine in concrete terms: dancing every Friday at Veterans Park with a Zumba group, joining pickup volleyball games on Ave G and greeting neighbors on the Greenbelt.
She shares a fact she uses to spark ocean stewardship with participants: plankton supplies more of the oxygen humans breathe every day than trees do.
How to book
Wave Makers does not list a public booking calendar. Residents can reach Kolbauer at [email protected] or through Instagram at @wavemakersedu.
Upcoming South Bay community events
- AVP Manhattan Beach Open Volleyball Tournament — Friday, Aug. 14–16, Manhattan Beach
- El Segundo 28th Annual Main Street Car Show — Saturday, Aug. 15, 10 a.m.–3 p.m., El Segundo
- Concerts on the Pier — Thursdays and Saturdays through Aug. 29, 6–8 p.m., Fisherman's Wharf, Redondo Beach
- El Segundo Art Walk — Saturday, Aug. 22, 3–9 p.m.
- Catalina Classic Paddle Race — Sunday, Aug. 30, Manhattan Beach
