An Ocean of Possibilities

by Candace Nickerson

​Over the past year I’ve had an amazing experience volunteering with the Back to the Sea Society. Starting off Oceans Week 2017 at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic’s Oceans and You event was the metaphorical cherry to top off my Back to the Sea experience!
 
Leading up to Oceans Week, I was feeling busy and stressed and the thought of another thing on my to do list was daunting. From the moment I stepped onto the waterfront, all of my worries were washed away in a tide of Ocean Optimism. Passing the Department of Fisheries and Oceans’ preserved fish specimens, the World Wildlife Federation's Panda mascot and the excited participants, it was clearly going to be a whale of a day.

A fishy print made at Afishionado's table. This is how markets in Japan
​indicate which fish they have for sale. 

​​Over 30 ocean-loving organizations came together to share their passion, using exhibits, activities and displays, attracting hundreds throughout the day. From making ‘fish prints’ with Afishionado, to learning about how innovation can improve our oceans sector with the COVE (Centre for Ocean Ventures and Entrepreneurship), opportunities to witness the ocean's wonders were as far as the eye can sea.
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Photo by Halifax Mermaids

People of all ages enjoyed Back to the Sea’s touch tanks, including locals, visitors from away and one very special guest, Raina the Halifax Mermaid! Looking at the ocean, with the many possibilities it holds, inspires all sorts of emotions, from curiosity to awe. At Back to the Sea, we are able to provide a peak at the many species who call our ocean home, right here in Halifax. I personally have never encountered an unsatisfied visitor while working with Back to the Sea. Even if a spiky green sea urchin may seem a little scary at first, learning about their way of life on the ocean floor always seems to satisfy!
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​​Volunteering with the Back to the Sea Society has opened up an ocean of possibilities for me. We are lucky to exist in Canada’s Ocean City, within a network of amazing organizations and individuals working to care for our marine environment. All over the world, the ocean connects us through not only physical boundaries, but also in the way that it makes people feel. The Oceans and You event truly captured this connection, lending hope for a future of healthy oceans and seaside smiles all around!

Candace is a recent graduate from Dalhousie's Masters of Resource and Environmental Management program. Raised in a rural Nova Scotia fishing community, she is passionate about sustainable fisheries and connecting people to their natural environment through education and outreach. 
​Thank you Candace for being an awesome volunteer and for writing this post!

​Interested in volunteering with us? See our Volunteer page!