CTC invited dozens of elementary school students in Bali and beyond to explore the mysterious depths of the deep sea with the help of three Ocean Keeper Club characters: Max, Mindy, and Octa. Through fun-learning activities, these young generations were able to virtually experience the wonders of the Earth’s underwater marine creatures.

The 10th session of our Ocean Keeper Club was held on February 25, 2023. Around 65 children attended this event in-person at the Center for Marine Conservation CTC in Sanur, Bali, while another nine children from various provinces in Indonesia joined virtually via Zoom. Some teachers and parents also came to accompany their enthusiastic children.

We started the fun-learning session by introducing Max, Mindy, and Octa to all participants in an animated manner. These three lovable characters then invited the kids to use their imaginations to explore the depths of the sea in a submarine and meet the majestic Blue whale. In the dark and chilly depths of the ocean, the blue whale showed a variety of peculiar deep-sea creatures, such as binocular fish with their round and protruding eyes, angler fish with their wide mouths, and flatfish with their seemingly one-sided bodies.

After having the virtual adventure, participants were also treated to amazing videos of marine animals that live underneath Indonesia’s oceans using the Grand Blue Project. The Grand Blue Project is a unique digital video library that showcases the diversity and richness of marine animals and is one of the featured science exhibits at CTC’s Center for Marine Conservation. It showcases over 60,000 video clips of marine animals found in Indonesia documented by explorer Edi Frommenwiler. Participants could learn about the size of a blue whale, seen from underwater and above, and the comparison with other animals such as octopus and fish.

At the end of the session, participants learned about various ways to safeguard marine animals by avoiding overfishing and destructive fishing activities, refraining from disposing of plastic and other waste into the ocean, and informing their friends and family about the importance of marine conservation. Many of the participants remarked that the 10th session of the Ocean Keeper Club was more engaging and thrilling than ever before.

“I’m really excited when joining this event and learning more about the differences between marine mammals and fish in the deep sea. I’ve never seen such unique marine creatures before,” said Jheo, a student at Candra Kasih Elementary School in Denpasar.

Since March 2022, CTC has successfully launched the Ocean Keeper Club, engaging more than 500 kids aged 9-11 years from all over Indonesia. Led by Max, Mindy, and Octa, the monthly event was held both online and in-person, while focusing on educating these young participants about important marine ecosystems such as mangrove forests, seagrass beds, and coral reefs.

Writers: Yoga Putra, Adam Putra
Photos: Adam Putra/CTC & Grand Blue Project