A Quick Swim Down Memory Lane
Written by Laura Eamon
As we look ahead to welcome visitors in 2023, it is important to reflect on the past. Take a swim with me down memory lane to a sunnier, warmer time.. the summer of 2022.
After a year of closed hut doors due to the pandemic and a pivot to online ocean education, we excitedly returned to the Dartmouth waterfront in our shining turquoise Touch Tank Hut at the beginning of July 2021. With a more flexible season on the horizon, we prepared for an even greater 2022!
Throughout the 2022 season, we welcomed over 3,200 visitors, bringing the ocean to eye level. While most of our guestbook signers were from Nova Scotia, we were lucky to have visitors from all over Canada and beyond. Hands from Australia, Thailand, and India held local ocean critters! Minds from England, the Netherlands, and Germany learned incredible ocean facts. Smiles from the Philippines, Slovenia, and South Korea were stretched across visiting faces.
Nova Scotian residents came in from 24 different communities and signed our guestbook. Canadians from Ontario, Alberta, Quebec, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Manitoba all left their mark in our guestbook too! Imagine if all +3,200 visitors left us a message–think of all the places and people and faces. Next time you visit, make sure to sign our book, leave us a note, and be an engaged part of our community.
We are so thankful for all the support; from likes and comments on social media to spending time with our staff at the tanks, from helping release our collected marine life back to the sea to outbidding your pals in our ‘Tis the Sea-son Auction. A dollar here, an hour there–any support is monumental in bringing our dream of a permanent community aquarium to life. We could not bring the ocean to eye level and spread ocean optimism without our incredible volunteers. Tank you so much! We also could not have had such a fin-tastic summer sea-son without our whaley talented staff, Sam W., Sarah H., Shwayam V., Haylie L., Lindsey W., Laurel, D., and our Founder, Magali! Back to the Sea is so lucky to keep picking the best fish in the sea when it comes to employees!
So here’s to another summer of fun and hands-on learning, Dartmouth, Halifax, and beyond. We’ll sea you in 2023.
Laura is an economics undergraduate student at Saint Mary's University. She participated in the Canadian Conservation Corps in 2021 and worked at the Souris and Area Branch of PEI Wildlife Federation enhancing rivers, playing with dogs, water quality testing, fundraising, and more. She is working her final co-op term with Back to the Sea as Events and Communications Coordinator.