Recently, I wrote a blog about one of Hawaii’s most popular family friendly attractions—Sea Life Park. The park is really a world-class marine attraction located just 15 miles from Waikiki on Oahu’s scenic Makapuu Point. A few days after the blog posted I received an email informing me of an incredible contest the park is running in conjunction with Norwegian Cruise Line America. It’s your chance to win a free cruise around the Hawaiian Islands!
That’s right… you and a loved one could be kicking back on board the Pride of Hawaii. Actually, the cruise line is giving away four cruises for two aboard the ship to the winners of the “Honu Aloha” Name the Baby Turtle Contest. (By the way, “honu” is Hawaiian for “turtle.”) I’ll provide information on how you can enter the contest in a bit, but first, here are some details on that fabulous prize.
According to the company, the winners will set sail in October (October 2-9) for a tour of the Hawaiian Islands. However, passengers will take a slight detour on the morning of October 7th, midway along the Kailua-Kona-to-Kauai leg of the voyage to—get this-release turtles! Talk about a hands-on lesson in marine biology. The company notes that this is “the first time sea turtles will be released from a passenger liner in the Hawaiian Islands.”
But, you have to act fast. The contest ends on September 1st. (Sorry! I just got the email the other day.) To qualify all you need to do is to come up with a name for one of the four Hawaiian green sea turtles, which were born and raised in captivity in part by Sea Life Park as part of a research project by the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, NOAA and National Marine Fisheries Service in Honolulu. In addition to picking a name, you are also required to write a short essay explaining why the name should be chosen.
It’s your chance to be a part of history. In Hawaii, the green turtle is listed as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act but has made a significant comeback during the past 25 years. The turtles, which will be released during the cruise, will be tracked with miniature satellite transmitters in order to provide “information about their movements, feeding ecology and life history of sea turtles in oceanic habitat.” Researchers say the study is part of recovery efforts to help understand, protect and further restore the species.
You can enter the contest by going to www.sealifeparkhawaii.com and clicking on the “Name the Baby Turtle Contest” link. Or if you live in Hawaii, you can simply pick up an entry in person at the park. Good Luck!