An ocean of appreciation

Take a break from the beach to honor the ocean this weekend.

The Santa Monica Pier Aquarium is hosting the Ocean Appreciation Celebration, an annual event that makes marine education and conservation fun for all ages.

The world’s oceans cover about 71% of the Earth’s surface–more than 139 million square miles. That’s a lot of territory for one weekend, so the focus will be on our ocean “backyard”–Santa Monica Bay. Explore the Bay’s four habitats: the sandy bottom, the kelp forest, the rocky shore and the open ocean.

These habitats and their resident flora and fauna are brought to life with games, arts & crafts, music, photography, and naturalists’ presentations. Scavenger hunts, face painting, and an ocean trivia contest with prizes are all part of the fun.

On Saturday at 1:30 p.m. scuba diver and aquarium volunteer Alexander Jaffe will offer a show-and-tell session on his underwater adventures. At 1:30 p.m. Sunday, director Douglas Rowell screens a sneak preview of his upcoming film based on the children’s book “All the Way to the Ocean,” by Joel Harper. After the screening, Rowell will lead a discussion on how humans are affecting the marine environment.

The Santa Monica Pier Aquarium is home to more than 100 species of native marine animals and plants. It is the public education center of Heal the Bay, a nonprofit organization dedicated to keeping the coastal waters and watersheds of Southern California safe, healthy and clean.

The celebration takes place on Saturday, July 30, and Sunday, July 31, from 12:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. The event is free with aquarium admission, which is $3 for adults and free for kids ages 12 and under. The aquarium is located at 1600 Ocean Front Walk, at ocean level below the carousel on the Santa Monica Pier.

Posted 7/27/11