Marine Lab Open House and Junior Ranger Program

Get “In Touch” With Sandy Hook At a Marine Lab Open House or Junior Ranger Program Gateway

“We have a three full days of activities for the entire family this coming weekend at Sandy Hook,” said Sandy Hook Unit Superintendent Dave Avrin. “If you’ve always secretly wanted to be a marine biologist, or have a child who loves learning about the ocean, this is the weekend to visit.”

Get In Touch with Sandy Hook – Open House Friday, October 3, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday, October 4, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The public is invited to visit the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) lab at Gateway National Recreation Area’s Sandy Hook for a free self-guided tour of the facility. You will hear about ongoing research from scientists and see a variety of live marine animals on display in the aquarium rooms.

There will be a “Touch Tank” for our young guests to experience as well as talks by local scientists. Activities include:

• Visit the 32,000 gallon salt-water aquarium and view local species of fish

• See a variety of live marine animals on display in the aquarium rooms and talk with scientists about their work

• Local species “Touch Tank” for our younger guests and guests who are young at heart • View ongoing research activities

• Visit with representatives from American Littoral Society, Brookdale Community College, the NJ Marine Science Consortium, Rutgers University, and other scientific groups from the Sandy Hook community to discuss their ongoing programs/research

• Games and prizes for younger visitors

• Talk to the NOAA SCUBA divers underwater!

There will be refreshments available and admission and parking is free. For more information call (732) 291-0055. The James J. Howard Marine Sciences Laboratory, located on the New Jersey shore at Sandy Hook, is a state-of-the-art marine research facility shared by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the State of New Jersey. Federal research at the laboratory is conducted by NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service.

Calling All Junior Rangers Sunday, October 5 at 2 p.m.

Does a scavenger hunt along sandy shores sound good to you? If so, and you have children ages 7 to 12 who like adventure, head to Sandy Hook. They can walk a beach trail with a ranger and learn about the environment and our responsibility to maintain it. Kids can earn a National Park Service Junior Ranger Badge and a certificate once they complete this easy and fun outdoor program.

Reservations are required. Call 732-872-5970. Find additional exciting Junior Ranger activities online at www.nps.gov/webrangers.

Last updated: February 26, 2015

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