Welcome to the first kids only AHOY page

We want to thank all of you for the many wonderful reactions on our first ‘kids only’ page last month and hope you like this edition with wonderful news and fun activities as well! Do let us know if you have anything to share and we will try to publish it in the next edition of AHOY!

Did you know that we can recycle oyster shells?

You should all be very familiar with recycling plastic, paper, glass, and metal but did you know that we can recycle oyster shells too? Since last summer, our Club has been collecting oyster and mussel shells from all three club houses to support The Nature Conservancy’s new initiative “Save Our Shells”. Since then, the Club has collected about 1.5 tons of shells for recycling. Instead of sending the shells to landfills, they are taken to a special area in Yuen Long where they are left under the sun for months to kill off any diseases. When ready, these shells will be taken to reef restoration locations, where they will play a big part in rebuilding and restoring Hong Kong’s damaged reefs. Nicknamed “ecosystem engineers”, oysters can help improve water quality, increase biodiversity and stabilize shorelines. Considering over 700 years of oyster farming history and culture in Hong Kong and for the sake of enhancing biodiversity in our seas, we need to do all we can to support bringing back the oyster reefs.

Paint your Oysters at Home!

Do you collect seashells when going to beach as well? Have you ever tried to give them some colour? You use them for art, you can even use them to make a neckless or as your very own money! All you need is the following: • Clean and dry shells (some people use an old toothbrush to clean them well!) • Paint brush • Watercolour paint Steps 1. Dilute your paint with some water. 2. Before you start painting, dip your brush into a cup of water, this will make it easier to paint 3. Start with the background, and let the paint dry before moving on. Even if you are painting a simple design on your shell, such as a ladybug, you should start with the background colour first. This will prevent the paint from mixing. If you plan on painting both sides of your shell, let one side dry before turning the shell over and painting the other side. 4. If you mess up, don't worry, and keep painting. Depending on the mistake, you can always cover it up with the background colour once everything dries. Remember to rinse your brush before moving on to a new colour. 5. Once done, make sure to dry your shell well!

Kids Oyster Art Workshop with Oyster SOS

On April 17, the Oyster SOS project was brought to Kellett Island. The ‘Oysters Saves Our Seas’ (Oyster SOS) is a marine ecological restoration project that aims to restore oyster reef habitats in polluted waters, and to improve Hong Kong’s water quality and marine ecosystems. A group of children participated in a fun and educational workshop to learn about oysters, study the shells and any attached marine organisms, and do some artwork with oyster shells. Through games and activities, the group learned about oyster’s abilities to improve water quality and how they are an integral part of the marine ecosystem. The oyster shells used for painting were the cleanest and biggest we have ever seen! They were almost the size of our palm. We learned that the shells were native Hong Kong oysters, a species that is significantly larger than those we typically see in restaurants. After proper weathering to destroy any diseases, the shells were a perfect canvas for our painting adventure! Keep an eye on the weekly newsletter to learn about future activities for kids coming to RHKYC.