Thursday, May 27, 2010

A Sea of Celebrations!


It’s time to celebrate our love for the ocean on World Oceans Day! June 8th marks the 14th anniversary of World Oceans Day, a day that has been officially recognized by the UN for three years. This years’ theme is “Oceans of Life” which focuses around the ocean’s great diversity of life and how each one of us can help in its conservation. The theme touches on the notion that we all have a favorite ocean animal, and ways to connect that passion with helping conserve the world’s ocean. The Ocean Project is asking each person to choose their favorite animal and motivate others to take conservation action to help your chosen marine animal.

This year is a special year for World Oceans Day as it marks the 50th anniversary of Dr. Seuss’ book One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. The Seuss Foundation is working alongside The Ocean Project to promote the day and bring the colorful characters of the book to life! 2010 also marks the International Year of Biodiversity, which is an attempt to emphasize the value of biodiversity in all of our lives.

World Oceans Day is an opportunity to celebrate our world’s oceans and the personal connection each one of us shares with the sea. The Ocean Project and the World Ocean Network coordinated together to make this year’s celebration special.

World Oceans Day encourages people to change their perspective and think about what the oceans mean to them, learn about creatures and habitats that rest in the seas, and become caretakers of the ocean by making small modifications to their daily lives. The day also gives people the opportunity to celebrate the ocean!

Why should we celebrate World Oceans Day? Oceans make up 70% of the planet’s surface. The world’s ocean also generates most of the oxygen we breathe, cleans the water we drink, and helps feed us. It also helps regulate the climate. The calming sea also provides inspiration for people all over the world.

One way to celebrate World Oceans Day is by attending the Aquarium’s Surf It, Save It: Aquarium Surf Festival on June 5th and 6th. The weekend is designed to encourage environmental stewardship through surfing, as well as educate visitors about the sport’s culture and lifestyle. Festival activities include surf films; an exhibit on the history of surfing, including vintage boards; hula and ukulele demonstrations and rehabilitated shore birds and turtles. Ocean Cure’s Surfer’s Healing mini-camp for autistic children, a search-and-air rescue demonstration featuring a H60 helicopter and C-130, and paddle board demonstrations will be staged on the nearby beach. There will also be several coastal clean ups. Shaun Tomson, former world-champion surfer from South Africa, will host a private showing of his mid-70s surfing feature film, “Bustin’ Down The Door,” and sign copies of his book, “Surfer’s Code - 12 Simple Lessons for Riding Through Life,” available in the Aquarium Gift Shop. Skipper Funderburg, local author of “Surfing on the Cape Fear Coast” will sign copies of his book, and board shapers Sean O’Donnell and Will Allison will discuss the evolution of surfboard design. Big wave surfer Garrett McNamara will provide story time with his children’s book “Ride the Giant Waves.”Surf and ocean art by photographers Scott Marshall, Logan Mock-Bunting and DJ Struntz will be on exhibit, and large, outdoor installations by Sean Ruttkay will be featured in the Aquarium garden.

There are countless other ways to take part in World Oceans Day. To discover more activities and ideas for your World Oceans Day visit http://theoceanproject.org/wod/wod_about.php.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Volunteers needed for the Surf It, Save It: Aquarium Surf Festival


Be a part of the NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher’s Surf it, Save it: Aquarium Surf Festival by volunteering for coastal cleanups or sea oat planting. There will be two cleanups located at Masonboro Island and the Fort Fisher basin area, as well as sea oat planting during the weekend event.


The Masonboro Island cleanup will be held on Saturday, June 5 from 12PM - 5PM. Participants are required to attend an orientation session, sign a waiver and provide their own transportation to and from Masonboro Island.


The Fort Fisher Basin area cleanup will be held on Sunday, June 6 from 8AM - 12PM. Volunteers will meet at the Fort Fisher Basin Area for orientation (Located at the end of NC HWY 421 Carolina Beach Rd/Fort Fisher Blvd., past the Fort Fisher Ferry Terminal.) Participants are required to attend an orientation session, sign a waiver and provide their own transportation to and from the Fort Fisher Basin Area.

Registration is required for both cleanups. To volunteer please call 910.458.7468 or email ncaff.registrar@ncaquariums.com. Trash bags will be provided. Volunteers should bring gloves and wear closed toed shoes that can get wet and muddy.


Help restore our dunes! The Aquarium needs 20 volunteers to help plant 1,500 sea oat seedlings on Sunday, June 6 at 8 AM on the North End of Carolina Beach. The project will begin with a short field class about dune ecology, sea oats and planting technique. Volunteers should be able to bend, squat and lift repeatedly for a few hours, as well as be out in the beach environment for a June morning. Lightweight long pants are highly recommended, as are closed-toe shoes and hats. Sunscreen, bug spray and drinks/snacks will be provided. To volunteer for sea oat planting contact Melanie Doyle at 910.458.8257 x250 or melanie.doyle@ncaquariums.com.

Monday, May 24, 2010

Happy Birthday Luna!


Luna, the albino alligator has been at the Aquarium for a year! On Saturday, May 29, sign her birthday card and watch a public feeding at 3 pm (if she’s hungry!). Educators will be on hand to answer questions about her feeding and to offer public programs about albino animals.


Luna’s Growth & Progress
2/10/09 Arrived at the Aquarium
2/25/09 Physical done by NC State University vet school. Weight was 19.5 pounds and length was 5 feet.
6/5/09 Weighed in at 27 pounds
6/22/09 Vet visit “Has been steadily increasing weight, is feisty and is conditioning well to feeding pole”
9/23/09 Eye exam completed, checking for potential issues associated with albinism
5/1/10 Weight was 38 pounds and length was 5.5 feet

A Fun Font for Mother Nature


Did you ever think that the type of computer font you use could help save the environment? If you answered yes to this question, then you are correct! There is a new line of ink saving fonts called Ecofont, which helps make your printing more eco-friendly. Ecofont is a software system that you can download online and use at your home or office. Using Ecofont saves on ink, which not only helpful to your wallet, but also to the environment. The Ecofont Vera Sans, which is the name of the font, can be downloaded and installed into the local fonts folder on your computer. It is free and fun to use! Visit www.ecofont.com/en/products/green/font/download-the-ink-saving-font.html to download this new environmentally friendly font and start printing!

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Volunteers Needed!

Masonboro Island Cleanup

Saturday, June 5 from 12PM - 5PM
Meet at one of three locations for orientation:

  • NCWRC boat ramp at Snow’s Cut, Carolina Beach
  • NCWRC boat ramp at Wrightsville Beach
  • New Hanover County boat ramp at Trails End Park

Registration is Required. Please call 910.458.7468 or email ncaff.registrar@ncaquariums.com

Additional information: Participants are required to attend an orientation session, sign a waiver and provide their own transportation to and from Masonboro Island. Trash bags will be provided. Volunteers should bring gloves and wear closed toed shoes that can get wet and muddy. Download event flyer here.

Partners: North Carolina Coastal Reserve and Carolina Estuarine Reserve Foundation (CERF)

Fort Fisher Basin Area Cleanup

Sunday, June 6 from 8AM - 12PM
Meet at the Fort Fisher Basin Area for orientation (Located at the end of NC HWY 421 Carolina Beach Rd/Fort Fisher Blvd., past the Fort Fisher Ferry Terminal.)

Registration is required. Please call 910.458.7468 or email ncaff.registrar@ncaquariums.com

Additional information: Participants are required to attend an orientation session, sign a waiver and
provide their own transportation to & from the Fort Fisher Basin Area. Trash bags will be provided.
Volunteers should bring gloves and wear closed toed shoes that can get wet and muddy. Download event flyer here.

Partners: North Carolina Coastal Reserve and Carolina Estuarine Reserve Foundation (CERF)

Sea Oat Planting

Sunday, June 6 at 8AM
North End of Carolina Beach

To volunteer contact: Melanie Doyle 910.458.8257 x250 or melanie.doyle@ncaquariums.com


Help Restore Our Dunes!

A non-native invasive plant species has been treated in areas of oceanfront dune, and now these areas need to be replanted with native sea oats so that the dunes may become healthy.

We need 20 volunteers to help plant 1,500 sea oat seedlings. The project will begin with a short field class about dune ecology, sea oats and planting technique. Download event flyer here, using Adobe Reader.

Requirements

Please be able to bend, squat and lift repeatedly for a few hours, as well as be out in the beach environment for a June morning - we’ll plant in sun, fog, drizzle, but not if there’s lightning.

Lightweight long pants are highly recommended, as are closed-toe shoes and hats. Sunscreen, bug spray and drinks/snacks will be provided, but feel free to bring your own.

Monday, May 17, 2010

Reap the Benefits from Recycling


Countless companies offer recycling programs to help get the community involved. Harris Teeter has crafted an innovative recycling program that engages people to recycle more frequently. The Together in Education program is a recycling program that also gives back to the community. Harris Teeter is committed to recycling and helping conserve landfill space, energy, and natural resources. Their partnership with Engaged Recycling is an effort to continue their commitment to recycling, as well as assist our future leaders through their Together in Education program. The program focuses on recycling electronics. When people recycle their electronics through the Together in Education link on the website then they are allowed to choose a school to donate funds to, and the rest of the funds will be placed on a Harris Teeter gift card that will be yours to keep! So instead of trashing your old cell phone, laptop, MPS player, or other electronic device, take part in the Harris Teeter Together in Education program and reap the benefits of your good deeds!

To recycle your electronics at the Together in Education website visit: https:http://www.blogger.com/www.harristeeter.com/about_us/sustainability/engaged_recycling.com

Monday, May 3, 2010

NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher announces creative summer camp sessions


Are you wondering what your kids are going to do for the summer? The NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher has a great idea: summer camp!

Aquarium summer camps provide fun and safe learning opportunities with knowledgeable and experienced leadership. Camps run simultaneously for ages 5-6, 7-9, and 10-12. Ages 5-6, known as Aquanauts, become immersed in weekly topics through animal interaction, play, storytelling, crafts, and hands on outdoor activities. Ages 7-9, Marine Detectives, use their investigative skills in animal programs, outdoor excursions, and interactive games to better understand new concepts. Ages 10-12, Ocean Explorers, participate with staff in experiences outdoors, and behind the scenes at the Aquarium, to discover each weekly topic. Ages 13-14, Coastal Crusaders, venture farther to explore different coastal environments, such as black water swamps. These campers also interact more directly with staff behind the scenes to assist with animal care.

Summer camp dates are: Circle of Life- June 21-25 and June 28-July 2. Junior Naturalist- July 5-9 and July 12-16. Sensational Senses- July 19-23 and July 26-30. Animal Keepers- August 2-6 and August 9-13. Coastal Crusaders- June 28- July 2, July 19-23 and August 2-6.

The summer camp fee for Aquanauts, Marine Detectives, and Ocean Explorers are $200 for individual campers and $180 for NCA Society members or multiple-siblings. The fee for Coastal Crusaders is $250 for individual campers and $225 for NCA Society members or multiple-siblings. Registration forms available online at www.ncaquariums.com/fort-fisher. For more information please contact the NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher at 910-458-7468.

NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher is located just south of Kure Beach, near the mouth of the Cape Fear River, on U.S. 421. The site is less than a mile from the Fort Fisher ferry terminal. Hours: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm daily (closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s days). Admission: $8 Ages 13-61, $7 Ages 62 and up, $6 Ages 3-12, Free for children 2 and under, NC Aquarium Society members and pre-registered North Carolina school groups. General information: www.ncaquariums.com/fort-fisher.