Marine activities for holiday time

A local marine conservation group will hold a number of educational and entertaining activities for children in and around the Peninsula throughout the Christmas school holidays.

Ocean and Coast Care Initiatives will begin its summer activities program on Thursday, January 8, with a sand modeling competition at Ocean Beach.

Children aged up to 16 years can participate and have the opportunity to win prizes by modeling marine animals from sand.

A gold coin entry fee into the competition is requested to help cover costs for the event.

A Marine Magic Coach Trip will depart Terrigal Beach on Sunday, January 11.

Passengers will be taken on a tour of local marine environments where they will be given informative talks and have the opportunity to ask experts questions no marine life.

The tour will take participants to various sites in Davistown, Woy Woy, Ettalong and Umina including sea grass meadows, mangrove forests, rock pools and a visit to a shell museum.

The cost of the full-day tour is $30.

Two events have been planned for Saturday, January 17.

The first event will take place at the Maitland Bay Centre, Killcare, and will feature a presentation on the grey nurse shark by local marine biologist Mr Chris Roberts.

The free presentation will begin at 3pm with a sausage sizzle to follow.

The second activity to take place on January 17 is a Rock Pool Spotlight Walk at Pearl Beach. The evening event will be a great opportunity to see the residents of the rock pools.

Local marine naturalist Ms Jeannie Lawson will be leading the walk to explain the habits of marine creatures.

A gold coin donation is requested for this activity.

There are also many other activities including marine displays, talks and activities at the Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza, Terrigal, available throughout January.

Bookings are essential for most activities.

For more information phone the Community Environment Network on 4349 4756.

Press release, 15 Dec 2008 Ocean and Coast Care Initiatives