The Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre (Sidney, BC) #sidneyshowcase

I am a scholar who likes all things water, but as you can imagine, I can’t possibly be an expert in every single aspect. One of the research streams I have never delved into is marine/ocean policy. It’s a topic that really interests me but I don’t have enough expertise. So when Rosemarie from the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre got in touch with me (thanks to Jose Gonzalez from Tourism BC) and offered to bring me to Sidney to visit, I jumped at the possibility.

The Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre is NOT your traditional aquarium. It’s an interactive series of exhibits that allows the little ones to interact with their surroundings and to observe marine life and the phenomena associated with them within an environment that makes learning fun, but that is also very respectful of the needs of the marine life that is embedded in the SODC.

I had an opportunity to visit all four of their exhibits, and I took some video. The text below is from their website:

Gallery of the Drifters – understand the foundations of the ocean food web. Our Oceaneer will introduce you to algae, plankton and our amazing jellies. Examine these essential life forms up close or on the flat screen with the video microscope. Plankton are responsible for every second breath you take… think about it.

Ocean’s Heartbeat - our wet lab and a classroom like no other. Check out the teacher’s desk – it’s got fish in it! Peer into the mini-ecosystems through microscopes. This is the best way to see the ocean. Check out the streaming live video from Race Rocks and from underwater at Sidney’s own Bevan Pier. The Ocean’s Heartbeat is used on a priority basis by school groups but everyone is welcome between classes.

Gallery of the Salish Sea – you now feel like you are surrounded by the ocean. Colourful aquarium habitats teem with marine life from the Salish Sea. Hundreds of fish, invertebrates and marine plants recreate the ocean and give us an underwater view that most people never see. The ocean is so full of life; in fact 99% of the living space on our oddly named planet Earth is found in the ocean. Check out the wolf eels, rock fish and especially the octopus in their overhead grottos.

Touch Pools – using the one finger rule, shake hands with an urchin and be tickled by a sea star. With the breathtaking view of the Gulf Islands, the Salish Sea and our active volcano Mt Baker as the backdrop, spend some time with our Oceaneers as they introduce you to what we call hands on/hands wet learning.

There were many elements and features that really impressed me but the one that really stuck in my head was the fact that the SODC has made it part of its mandate to get involved with the local community, so they have numerous volunteers from Sidney (and many little ones!) who participate in the exhibit, therefore raising environmental awareness and building a little bit of a local network of sustainably-minded people.

I will have an extended composite video but for the purposes of Blogathon, my intent was primarily showcase the great work of the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre. You can check them out from 10am to 6pm, every day and you can also donate to their great cause. For $ 12 for adults and $ 6 for kids, it’s a REAL bargain.

The Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre offers numerous opportunities for education. I had a chance to see a couple of volunteers who were tracking marine life visually and then taking photo captures, something that I found both educational and fun.

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This is Entry # 25 of 49

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3. Haro’s Restaurant at Sidney Pier Hotel – #sidneyshowcase
4. A quick trip to Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands – #sidneyshowcase #saltspringvisit
5. Ocean Wise and eco-certification of seafood