2nd grade students at Pamlico County Primary School enjoyed visiting the NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores on April 28th, 2009.  According to the aquarium web site, visitors are able to feel the spray of a mountain waterfall. Watch river otters play. Touch a stingray. Look a shark in the eye. Explore shipwrecks - without getting wet. You can see thousands of aquatic animals that take you on a journey from the state's grand peaks to the open Atlantic, much as a raindrop makes its way to the ocean.  The visit began with an informative presentation on the Lifecycle of the Jellyfish.  Students as well as teachers were asked to come on stage to portray each portion of the lifecycle.

 Once the presentation was over, students were able to touch or hold a moon jellyfish.  One student said, "They can't sting you because they do not have tentacles."  At the touch tank, students were able to observe crabs, sting rays, hermit crabs and horseshoe crabs.  Students were also able to see large sharks swimming with divers.  Another student said, "it felt like you were in the tank with them because the observation area was so dark."

A large model of a hermit crab provided a great photo op as you can see in the pictures below.  The students as well as teachers had a wonderful time on their aquarium field trip.  If you would like to find out more information about the NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores, please click here.