Ocean Wise brings Sea Dome to communities in British Columbia
About 20 schoolchildren eagerly wait for their turn to enter a plain blue six-meter inflatable tent, called the Sea Dome, that’s set up in their gymnasium at Skeetchestn Community School in Savona, a community near Merritt, BC.
It’s not often children more than 300 kilometres from the coast get a chance to experience marine life—but that’s exactly what’s happening here, thanks to a group dedicated to educating youth about the wonders of the sea.
Ocean Wise, a global conservation organization committed to protecting and restoring the ocean, has brought the Sea Dome here, as part of its mission to empower youth to take meaningful actions for the ocean.
Once inside the Sea Dome, the children embark on an adventure as 360-degree high-quality cinematic footage is projected onto the interior walls of the dome. Their first stop is the outer space. The children gaze up at the image of the vast blue planet, which shows 70% of Earth is covered in water. Next is a visit to the moon revealing its influence over the tides and highlighting the connection of space and our oceans.
“And then we return to Earth,” says Mercedes Bosch Toca, Ocean Wise Mobile Programs Manager and Sea Dome tour guide. “We land in the tropics and dive beneath the surface of the sea to uncover the colourful reef and sea creatures that live in warmer waters.”
From the tropics to BC’s north coast, the Sea Dome takes the children on a round-the-world sea voyage. They see the Fraser River winding its way across the province, connecting land and sea. Footage of sea lions basking in the sun, orcas breaching and humpback whales feeding fills the dome.
“By bringing the ocean to the children and showing them its wonders, we hope to inspire a new generation of ocean protectors,” Bosch Toca says. “It makes it easier to understand the direct and indirect impact of every human action on ocean health if connections are made.”
Outside the Sea Dome, Ocean Wise offers hands-on learning experience, in which children get a chance to touch fascinating exhibits such as a shark’s jaw or feel a polar bear’s fur.
Enbridge, through its Fueling Futures program, has donated $45,000 to support Ocean Wise’s initiatives. The grant represents the company’s commitment to sustainability and supporting initiatives that help nurture and protect the environment.
Enbridge employees also participated in an Ocean Wise Shoreline Clean up in Windsor, ON last month. The team cleaned almost 2 km of shoreline, which is equivalent to the length of 133 humpback whales, and collected 8 kilograms of litter that would have otherwise gone to the water.
In October, Ocean Wise also brought the Sea Dome to Indigenous schools in BC, including the Lower Nicola Band School in Merritt, and the Little Chiefs Primary School and Nesika Elementary School in Williams Lake.
Next summer, Ocean Wise plans to visit more communities in northwestern BC schools and communities interested in hosting the Sea Dome can request a free visit by booking through Ocean.org.
“We know we can meet the challenges facing the ocean head on if we get people working together. We’re happy to visit your school or community; all you need to do is request to book the Sea Dome at ocean.org. It’s free!” Bosch Toca encourages.
