With the presence of the National Marine Science Centre, sport diving charter businesses, the spectacular marine life off the Solitary Islands and businesses that manage the commercial and environmental concerns of coastal waters, Coffs Harbour is host to the popular annual youth educational event run by the Rotary Club of Coffs Harbour Daybreak.

Rymarine (Rotary Youth Marine) sees the eager participation of up to 18 students from Years 10-11 with an interest in marine biology or marine-based careers.

Students from as far afield as Inverell, Port Macquarie and Armidale participated in the event recently.

Many of the participants were sponsored by a number of Rotary clubs in the Coffs Coast region and nearer to where they lived.

The students snorkelled off Split Solitary Island with dive charter operation Jetty Dive, dissected a fish to better understand fish anatomy, observed the process of egg fertilisation with marine worms under microscopes and also were introduced to marine-based careers by representatives of the Coffs Harbour Fish Co-Operative, Coastal Patrol and Solitary Islands Marine Parks Authority.

Mark Flanders and a colleague from the National Parks Association also explained the natural and cultural heritage of the Bongil Bongil Creek and Muttonbird Island.

The program culminated with more than 100 people attending the Rymarine dinner at the Coffs Harbour Deep Sea Fishing Club, where the guest speaker was Ian Gordon, of TV’s Shark Gordon fame, who spoke on the great white shark, bull sharks and a rare deeper water shark off the coast of California.