The Ocean Comes to Williams Lake

Indigenous Students at two Williams Lake schools experienced the ocean.

Little Chief Primary and Nesika Elementary Schools were given a unique tour of the coastal regions of British Columbia and tropical oceans and marine life from the global conservation organization Ocean Wise, and their Sea Dome.

“We want to ensure everyone can learn about the ocean and about the importance of the ocean, and how it connects us through the world.” Robin Hanson, an Educator with Ocean Wise says. “We chose these different groups of people because they often don’t get to have these kinds of presentations. To come out and see the many things in the ocean. This kind of thing usually gets locked in the cities.”

“One of my favourite questions I got from the Interior tour was ‘Why do we need to learn about the ocean?’ That brings up a whole host of questions from all the students who are experiencing this new world of wonderment together.”

One of Ocean Wise’s ways to explain why it’s important to learn about the ocean is through what Hanson called “The Journey of Water” which shows the whole water cycle starting from the ocean and how it spreads and connects inland and interacts with every single individual as rain, creating rivers, and even how the ocean creates a third of our oxygen.

“That’s something that people don’t really think about because we think of oxygen as coming from trees and plants on land. It is a really beautiful thing to see how it does connect the rest of the world together.”

Hanson describes the six-metre inflatable tent-like Sea Dome as a “magical experience” that immerses students in a 360-degree cinematic view of the ocean projected onto the walls inside the dome. Giving the students a chance to experience being an underwater diver and seeing marine life such as sea lions, kelp, and whales from the coasts of B.C, and sea turtles in the tropical islands up close, as well as deep looks into outer space, and its affects on the ocean’s tides.

Rawnna Low of Enbridge, an energy company that has sponsored Ocean Wise since last year, says part of what drew her to pushing this program was her Filipina descent, and how being surrounded by water helped her understand her connection to the world.

“I’m from the Philippines, so I’m so connected to water, and the ocean, but not a lot of have that privilege, especially if you’re in the interior,” Low says. “It’s foreign to me to think about a community that’s not near the ocean. We are trying to bring that understanding to everyone in Canada who otherwise would never know how connected the ocean is to them.”

Low hopes that more schools and educational facilities use the advantage that the Ocean Wise educational tour is free, and designed to travel from school to school.

Both Hanson, and Low said that feedback from the Williams Lake schools and others on their B.C Interior tour has been positive, and that Ocean Wise is already planning and hoping to return to Williams Lake next year.