Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Sanctuary Designation Process

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Gray's Reef Sanctuary holds its
4th Annual Ocean Fest

University of Georgia Octopus and Horseshoe Crab creatures discuss marine policy with seated Oceanfest patrons. Photo credit: Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary.

With mottled gray skies that provided relief from an already unrelenting spring sun and a gentle breeze that kept the sand gnats away, conditions were just perfect for NOAA's Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary fourth annual Ocean Fest. It was another super celebration of our ocean and coastal environment for Earth Day 2002.

Ocean Fest brings together marine conservation organizations from coastal Georgia to provide a focus on natural resources of our coastal environment and support ocean science education in Georgia. Its also a rousin' good time. Gray's Reef Sanctuary organizes the annual event on Savannah's historic riverfront with the support and sponsorship of over a dozen other groups.

Two bands provided music for the five hour long afternoon event drawing locals and tourists alike to the Savannah River to see what all the fuss was about. Once there the more than 2000 folks who visited were treated to the interactive exhibits of organizations that supported ocean and watershed educational programs. And the bands rocked on while the children danced and played along.

Even though there are no snakes at Gray's Reef. there were on River Street, and folks wanted to touch them. Some of the organizations that brought fresh water creatures were representing watershed programs and were certainly appropriate for our event. Turtles, fresh and saltwater varieties, as well as bones and jaws and skulls of some larger sea creatures also drew the crowd's attention. Live fish, anemones and urchins rounded the briny menageries. The smaller set engaged in plenty of art activities in which they painted sea creatures on paper plates with a popsicle stick attached. The end product was a fishionably decorated fan, just right for pint-sized hands to keep future sand gnats at bay. With the help of volunteers from the Savannah College of Art and Design, many little cheeks sported dolphins, octopus, fish and even some flowers......sea flowers? Another set of our invaluable volunteers set up a display of the creative and colorful entries submitted to Gray's Reef's Kid's Art and Poetry contest. Students from local elementary schools competed for prizes that will be awarded in separate ceremonies at their schools. Ribbons festooned the winning entries.

Of the 200 event goers nearly a fifth toured the Skidaway Institute of Ocean-ography's research vessel the Savannah that was docked just down river from the event. Stationed in strategic places around the 92' ship the crew and scientists proudly answered questions about their brand new and well equipped floating oceanographic lab.

But no sooner had the first strains of "Paper Back Writer" reverberated down River Street to begin Ocean Fest, the last tunes of the day heralded its end. Reed Bohne, Gray's Reef Sanctuary Manager, closed our fourth annual event by thanking the exhibitors for educating and informing, the entertainers for making us smile and sing and dance, and the crew of the Savannah for hosting tours, making this another successful Ocean Fest. It was a day well spent in celebration of Earth Day for the Ocean Planet.

--Cathy Sakas
Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary
Education Coordinator

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May 22, 2002