The National Park Service Outer Banks Group will offer special programs Saturday (June 8) for World Oceans Day.
First recognized by the United Nations in 2008, World Oceans Day is designated as a special day for people around the globe to celebrate ocean resources.
Programs on all three islands are free and do not require reservations.
While the NPS will have a booth at the Ocrafolk Festival that day, there will be a 30-minute program on barrier island nature at 11 a.m. at the NPS Visitor Center.
The program will cover plants, animals, and shifting sands of the Outer Banks.
Other programs along the CHNS are as follows:
9 to 11 a.m., Hatteras Island: Our Ocean. Explore the wild side of our ocean at an interactive discovery table. Join a ranger to touch turtle shells, whale bones and much more as you discover how life in our ocean is tied to our lives on land. Meet just outside the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Visitor Center.
11 a.m., Hatteras Island: Ocean Discovery Walk (1 hour). Join a ranger for a walk to the beach and discover the nature of the ocean. Learn about oceanography, coastal geology, and the key roles our oceans play in sustaining life on earth. Bring sunscreen, water, and a hat. Meet at the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Lifeguarded Beach.
11 a.m., Bodie Island: The Ocean and the Next Generation (1 hour). Join a ranger for an afternoon walk along the beach and learn about the future role of our oceans in providing food, recreational opportunities, and critical habitat for endangered species. Find local marine life and discover their roles in the surrounding ocean ecosystem of Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Bring sunscreen, water, bug spray, and a hat. Meet at the Coquina Beach parking lot.
In addition, the Park Service has scheduled a beach clean-up day along the seashore to remove trash and man-made debris from the beaches.
Bring leather gloves, water, snacks, sunscreen and bug spray. Wear appropriate clothing, including toe-closed shoes and hats. Trash bags will be provided. Children under the age of 18 must have a parent or legal guardian with them.
