Our 2009 Interactive, Internet Expedition begins June 4th! The Belize Whale Shark Expedition Imagine coming face-to-face with a shark the size of a school bus! Join our most exciting Internet expedition, yet, as we journey to Belize to search for and dive with the lagest shark in the world -- the whale shark! Join us on the the expedition with our daily expedition journal and photos. Join us on breaks from diving as we visit the Belize rainforest, meet the people who live there and come face-to-face with some of the wild and wonderful animals of the rainforest. Email us questions. Join us as it happens from June 4 - June 17, 2009! (PS - Don't worry if you miss our expedition, we will keep it archived online so you can catch up on what happened even after we return.) NEW! EXPEDITION PODCASTING! This expediton marks our first ever expedtion Podcast. Starting June 5 join us everyday for a daily podcast. See what we are doing above and below water. You can watch our Podcast on your computer or cell phone! The Ocean Adventure is coming to the Los Angeles County Fair! Los Angeles County Fair: Sept. 5 - Oct. 4, 2009, The Ocean Adventure is coming to the largest and longest running fair in the U.S. with daily live stage shows in the America's Kids "Under the Sea" Pavilion. We are also working with the Fair to create a gigantic interactive marine science museum inside a building the size of a football field! SCHOOLS CAN VISIT THE FAIR FOR FREE! Each morning of the Fair (8:30 - 10 am) it is open just for schools. In addition to America's Kids "Under the Sea" Pavilion, there are lots of educational programing and hands-on educational activities. Click here to learn how the Fair meets CA State Education Standards. CLICK HERE TO GET FREE TICKETS TO THE LA COUNTY FAIR FOR YOUR SCHOOL! Before June 11, enter one or more of the competitions that will be held at the Fair. Specially themed "Under the Sea competitions are for all grade levels and include: Decorate a Fish, Make a Sea Star, My Favorite Seaside Photo, Build an Octopus, Sand Art, Shell Sculpture, “My Favorite Seaside Adventure” Writing Contest, Dolphin Coloring Contest...and more. Click here to find out more about the competitions. Calling All Shark Fans! Project Aware's 2009 Art Contest Project Aware Kids: World-wide marine conservation organization, Project Aware's special web site for kids who love the oceans with games and cool stuff to learn about. Parents, classroom teachers and home schoolers can download a comprehensive teacher's guide with lots of information and activities. The Ocean Adventure is now HD Digital! Optoma EP910 DLP Digital HD Projector: Starting with the 2007-2008 school year ALL PROGRAMS are presented in HD Digital, thanks to Optoma USA and their state-of-the-art DLP digital HD projection technology. We now have a cinema-quality presentation with brighter, more color saturated photos, dramatic graphics, detailed maps, and fascinating animations. New Aqua Lung® State-of-the-Art Diving Equipment! Aqua Lung: Our long-time partner and favorite diving equipment manufacturer, Aqua Lung, has recently supplied us with their next generation, high-tech, state-of-the-art diving equiment. Look for this exciting new equipment making an appearance in our programs and on our 2009 online expedition, The Belize Whale Shark Expedition! New Additions to Our School Assemblies Gigantic Coral Polyp! The Australia Great Barrier Reef Expedition: (Topic: Coral Reefs) Our newest inflatable animal is more than life-sized...it is giant-sized -- an 8-foot tall coral polyp! This normally pea-sized animal is now easily seen and understood when you see it as if you were the size of the plankton that coral animals eat. This exciting addition to our program was made possible by a generous grant from Project Aware! New Additions to Our Library Programs Special Library Programs for 2008/9: We have now modified our school assembly programs exclusively for children's library patrons. These programs have less emphasis on learning and more on reading and having fun! We are also adding some programs just for libraries. Weird and Creepy Sea Creatures That Go Bump in the Night: NEW FOR 2008/2009! Are you afraid of things that go bump in the night? Join us as we explore a Caribbean coral reef on a dark and mysterious night. Find out what strange and spooky animals we meet at night! Onboard Marine Biologists Cruise West: NOTE: Wayne and Karen Brown will NOT onboard with Cruise West this season, due to The Belize Whale Shark Expedition and their busy summer schedule. Wayne and Karen will be the onboard marine biologists and expedition leaders for Cruise West during 2009/2010. During each itinerary Wayne and Karen present evening lectures and lead daytime island landings, nature walks, snorkeling and kayaking that examines the sea life and other natural wonders. Wayne and Karen Brown's Photography Look for Wayne and Karen Brown's underwater photography featured in the exhibit identification displays. (Note: If you are visiting the aquarium especially look for Wayne's photo of Karen, dressed in pink, swimming through a California giant kelp forest.) Look for Wayne and Karen's photography in these books: National Audubon Society First Field Guide to Fishes by C. Lavett Smith National Audubon Society Field Guide to Tropical Marine Fishes by C. Lavett Smith National Audubon Society Field Guide to California by Peter Allen National Audubon Society Field Guide to the Pacific Northwest by Peter Allen National Audubon Society Field Guide to Florida by Peter Allen Eyes on Nature: Exploring the Sea Kids Books, Inc. Holy Bible Living Water Edition Tyndale House Publishers