Posted by admin | 10.09.2013 | Sea Turtle Camp News

2013 Sea Turtle Camp Hawaii

Aloha! As many of you know, this is the very first Sea Turtle Camp to take place in Hawaii. Coming into this camp we had high expectations. Lots of hard work and preparation were put into the camp and boy has it paid off! This first week of camp has been nothing short of incredible. Working at Sea Life Park has been amazing. The staff is super friendly and knowledgeable; we are constantly learning new things about marine life. The first day the kids got to work with dolphin trainers and learn all about dolphins and why they are such amazing animals. The kids were given an up close and personal experience as the trainers went over husbandry practices with the dolphins. It was awesome!

Next up was the stingray encounter. The kids were able to swim with three different types of stingrays. After learning about them in the classroom, the kids got geared up with snorkels and life vests and ventured into the ray pool. There they spent easily an hour swimming around the exhibit and viewing these spectacular animals up close. Along with stingrays, various species of tropical fish were to be seen in the exhibit, as well as a baby shark! What an awesome experience!

When the kids are not at the Sea Life Park, they are experiencing all that the island of Oahu has to offer.  We spent one day on the North Shore which is a personal favorite of mine. The North Shore is the birthplace of surfing and offers a great amount of surf breaks for such a short coastline. The Banzai Pipeline is the true proving grounds for surfers who aspire to become professional. It is one of, if not the most, dangerous wave in world. Luckily for our campers the waves only break on the North Shore during winter months. In the summer time it is a beautiful place to snorkel. The North Shore is also home to the historic town of Haleiwa. Haleiwa is like looking back in time to a different era in Hawaii. All the store fronts resemble an old-time feel and it is absolutely beautiful.

Driving west from the North Shore, we took the kids to the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC). The PCC is a live museum of sorts that takes visitors back to different Polynesian cultures. From Tahiti to Samoa, the PCC offers a rare glimpse of these great cultures. Each island nation provides interactive shows that teach the visitors about their customs and how they influenced the Hawaiian Islands. This is followed by a massive and delicious luau. I tried to get all of the kids to try poi but was unsuccessful.

I can’t believe how fast this first week has flown by. I can’t wait to experience what the next week has to offer. Until then…aloha