NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Under the theme “Ocean Champions”, the Bahamas Reef Environment Educational Foundation summer Sea Camp programme reached more than 100 children on the islands of New Providence, Exuma, Eleuthera, and Andros.
BREEF’s annual Sea Camp is an empowering, educational, and fun experience that every child in The Bahamas should have at least once. The camp provides hands-on experiential learning for students, using the natural environment as a teaching tool, and engages campers in protecting our oceans and their resources.
Sea Camp fosters a sense of appreciation for the Bahamian marine environment; it inspires campers to become environmental stewards while teaching them practical water skills to help them safely explore Bahamian marine coastal ecosystems.
“Observing the progress in their swimming ability throughout the camp and their enthusiasm while identifying fish and coral below the surface is truly a rewarding experience,” said Allison Longley, BREEF Outreach Officer, and Lead Camp Coordinator.
In total, BREEF says that over one hundred children were a part of this year’s programme.
One such participant was Leilah Mackey, who is nine years old. Explaining what she learned, Mackey said “overfishing and plastics in the water is harming fish and will make them go extinct. Turtles are especially vulnerable to the harmful effects of plastics”.
“I am motivated to educate people about how they can help so we can have fish for future generations,” she said.
Dale Pinder, age 14, was similarly motivated following the camp.
“Having the opportunity to experience the coral reefs during the BREEF camp has made me want to protect the environment even more so that the next generation can enjoy it,” Pinder said.
Ethan Cordona, age 11, said: “I have learned that many fish species are endangered, and so fish need more protection all around the world and not just here in The Bahamas.”
BREEF kicked off the summer of 2022 by hosting its Sea Camp programme in New Providence. During the camp, children experienced our marine environment by immersing themselves in the coral reef and mangrove ecosystems, which included a snorkel field trip to Bonefish Pond National Park, Saunders Beach, and Long Wharf Beach.
For many campers, this was their very first time snorkeling. “Ocean Champions” were spotted on Saunders beach taking action and combatting plastic pollution by conducting a beach cleanup, collecting over 40lbs of garbage, and using some of it to create ocean conservation art.
“Leaving garbage on the ground leads to it ending up in our waters and harming our marine life. If we don’t take action to protect our marine life, they will die,” said Evante Haven, age 9.
BREEF traveled to Georgetown, Exuma conducting a Sea Camp day experience full of ocean adventures in partnership with the British American Financial Group (BAF) camp. Campers learned more about our blue Bahamas through an interactive coral reef and fish identification presentation followed by a fun afternoon snorkeling session.
In Eleuthera, the highlight of the camp was a memorable snorkel trip to Twin Coves located in Governor’s Harbour. Throughout the week, campers learned about the importance of fisheries regulations, marine protected areas, and climate change. BREEF Sea Campers also had fun in the sun while learning about renewable energy by using a solar panel to collect and store energy and power various devices.
The final fun-filled Sea Camp took place at award-winning Kamalame Cay, where campers enjoyed the remarkable island off the north side of Andros. The Sea Camp had a diverse group of campers, including children from The Bahamas, the United States of America, and Italy. It was a great experience for all to have such diverse backgrounds but share a common ground—their enthusiasm for the water. Students had a fantastic time on the cay learning about the Bahamian marine environment, including mangroves and coral reefs.
BREEF extends its gratitude to all its partners who hosted the camp, including Ardastra Gardens & Wildlife Conservation Centre, Haynes Library, Kamalame Cay, BAF Global Group Ltd, and all of the BREEF volunteers who assisted during the duration of the camp.
To learn more about how you can get involved in BREEF’s marine education programmes, please visit www.breef.org.
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