One of the bookings at the marae this month was Te Rangatahi o te Moana – year 11 marine biology high school students.
Peter Ellison commented on the interest from the rangatahi, including his daughter Samantha Ellison who took part along with students from Timaru South to Bluff.
This was a five-day wānanga run by the University of Otago with staff including Zoe Bristowe and Dr Joanne Baxter.
The noho marae was sponsored by Toni Evans who also doubled as top chef.
The students were split into four groups and studied benthic, oceanography, sharks and plankton. Three nights were spent on Quarantine Island and three days out on the Polaris II, which is based at the Portobello Marine Laboratory and skippered by Bill Dickson. They also spent a night (two days) in wānanga at Ōtākou. Our photos show the final wānanga in Tamatea with students making their presentations that were based on the past four-days findings.
Parents, staff and peers listen and watch one of the presentations.
From left, Tara Marshal, Teremoana Hamblin, Jayden Gallagher and Katherine Inder giving their findings on sharks.