Aquarium hits the road

MOREHEAD CITY - As visitors to the N.C. Seafood Festival crowded around a touch tank to get a closer look at the sting rays from the nearby aquarium, they also got a glimpse at how the animals got there.

A new custom-designed Outreach Vehicle is now on the go for the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores, taking more live animals and educational programs to the community.

"We like to say our sea turtles can go 70 mph without moving their flippers," joked Aquarium Outreach Coordinator Laurie Streble.

Actually, they promise to stick to the speed limit as they travel around North Carolina with hands-on educational programs for school groups, festivals and community events.

The 22-foot-long truck bears the slogan "The Beach Within Reach" from every angle and photographs of sea turtles, hermit crabs and fish cover its sides.

The aquarium has taken its show on the road in the past, but the programs were limited by the use of smaller vehicles that lacked space for materials and the life support systems for the animals.

The new vehicle is equipped with storage tanks that can hold up to 200 gallons of seawater, which can be pumped into a 100-gallon traveling touch tank that fits snugly into place in the back of the truck and is easily moved in and out via a motorized lift.

It also includes constant temperature and humidity control.

"It's better all around for the animals and staff and it looks great," Education Curator Windy Arey-Kent said as a crowd gathered around the first presentation put on using the truck.The aquarium unveiled its Outreach Vehicle during last weekend's Seafood Festival and is looking forward to spending more time on the road.

"We want to reach as many people as we can," Arey-Kent said.

Prior to having the truck, trips were limited to areas such as Greenville, Jacksonville and Goldsboro, nearby communities that could be reached easily in a day. Without the life-support equipment that is now available, Streble said, they couldn't take the animals out for long.

"This really helps," she said. "This allows us to take larger exhibits out for longer periods of time." The truck is also designed to keep animals and educational and exhibit materials secure during the ride.

A typical truckload may include a live sea turtle, alligator, freshwater turtles, several snakes, frogs and a variety of marine invertebrates, in addition to costumes, bones, shells and educational props.

Kurtis Chevrolet of Morehead City sponsored the truck and Karen and Jay Johnson of Emerald Isle sponsored the portable touch tank in honor of their grandchildren.

Outreach programs are available for a modest fee and are available for all ages. Custom programs can be designed to meet the needs of any group or class.

For details about aquarium outreach programs, visit www.ncaquariums.com or call 252-247-4003.

Staff writer Jannette Pippin can be reached at 910-382-2557 or at jpippin@freedomenc.com. Visit www.jdnews.com to comment on this report.