Southport Magazine

Looking for something fun to do with the kids on a rainy day? Need an escape from the oppressive summer heat? Head on over to one of Oak Island’s coolest spots, the Ocean Education Center (OEC) at 4700 Oak Island Drive or the Nature Center at 5202 East Yacht Drive. I recently toured both facilities and I can tell you it’s a great way to spend a few hours with little ones who may need a break from the sand, surf, and sun. Kids will enjoy lots of hands-on displays and fun activities while learning about coastal conservation, aquatic creatures and shoreline wildlife. And it’s all free! 

The OEC has been a resident of Oak Island for a long time, but after heavy damage to the facility from Hurricane Florence in 2018, it was relocated to its current home in the Dosher Medical Plaza, across from the Oak Island Town Hall. It was closed through the pandemic in 2020, but Town employees and a group of dedicated volunteers utilized the downtime to renovate the space and update the exhibits.    

Their efforts have definitely paid off! The OEC is full of eye-catching exhibits on sea turtles, crabs, fish and dolphins. And did I mention sharks?  The highlight of this fun space is undoubtedly the GIANT SHARK in the back corner!

Ryan Gordon is a Program Supervisor for the Town’s Recreation Department. He said kids love to have their picture taken with “YP Jaws,” a life-sized replica of the largest tiger shark ever caught in North Carolina – right here at the Yaupon Pier!  (Wish I didn’t know that!)  

Not to be outdone, another shark hanging out with YP holds a chart so kids can see how they “measure up” to an 8-foot Great White!  

The OEC will throw a shark party on July 11^th to kick off “Shark Week” and will have all sorts of special shark-themed activities throughout that week. Kids can even hunt for shark teeth in the sand!

Personally, I would rather hunt for shells in the sand, so I was drawn to the OEC’s impressive display of  shells native to our shore. The exhibit is sure to inspire young shell seekers hoping to build their own collection.  

Young turtle lovers will be thrilled to see a real loggerhead turtle shell hanging on the back wall – it’s humongous – and can pick up tips for spotting turtle nests along the Oak Island beaches.

For some quiet time, the OEC has a cozy reading nook with lots of books about marine life and oceanography. There’s also a media room where educational videos are shown.  And new this summer is a virtual reality system called “Occulus: Oceans 360” that lets users swim with the fish in a simulated deep-sea adventure.  The equipment was paid for with funds from the Oak Island Friends of Parks Foundation, as well as donations and fundraising efforts.

When you visit, be sure to ask about the patch program where kids can earn souvenir patches for learning about beach conservation, sea turtles, and dolphins.

While most people come to Oak Island for the beach, there is another side to our beautiful island that should not be overlooked.  The Nature Center, situated on a heavily wooded lot on Yacht Drive, presents a much different vibe.  It is a peaceful respite on a hot day.  Here you’ll see exhibits about the trees, plants, birds and woodland creatures that are native to our forest areas, marshes and the intracoastal waterway.  You’ll also see displays on snakes and spiders, which I tried hard to avoid. I see too many of those in my own backyard!  

The Nature Center has binoculars for bird watching, magnifying lenses and microscopes for inspecting specimens, and weekly craft projects that tie into learning activities.  Outside there’s a tree walking trail for kids to explore, and a dock where they can hunt for crabs, oysters, and other aquatic creatures in the briny Intracoastal Waterway (ICW).

Oak Island’s Nature Center, built in 2005-2006, sits 11 feet off the ground with the look of a treehouse.  Handicapped ramps and viewing platforms make it accessible to everyone. It was conscientiously designed to blend in with the natural surroundings and, remarkably, constructed without removing any of the existing trees. It’s located within Waterway Memorial Park, so visitors can also enjoy the park’s picnic pavilion, fishing pier, herb garden and the Dot Kelly Butterfly Garden maintained by the OKI Beautification Club.  

The Ocean Education Center and the Nature Center are operated by the Oak Island Recreation Department with a group of dedicated volunteers who help maintain the facilities and man both centers throughout the summer.

Oak Island resident Wayne Brookover, a retired elementary principal and one of those dedicated volunteers, has been the volunteer coordinator for the last few years. He and his wife, Teresa, organize the craft activities and maintain a weekly schedule for about 15 volunteers, whose role is to explain the various exhibits and help children with crafts and activities. 

Wayne and Teresa have been instrumental in recruiting a strong team of volunteers and have done a tremendous amount of work, in conjunction with the Rec Center, to make the spaces more appealing and to increase awareness amongst visitors and locals.  Their efforts are paying off; attendance at the centers has risen from about 10 kids per day to an average of 40 per day at the Nature Center and 60 per day at the Ocean Education Center. The Town recorded approximately 3,000 visitors at the two centers in 2021, and that momentum has been instrumental in developing new plans for this summer. 

The Oak Island Rec Department will bring summer camps to the Ocean Education Center and Nature Center throughout the summer, and Wednesdays will have special program offerings for home school children. Volunteers are working to create scavenger hunts at the Nature Center and hope to obtain new identification labels for the various tree species on the tree trail. They are also developing more hands-on displays at the Ocean Education Center and interactive exhibits at the Nature Center.  

Wayne told me there are several ideas in the works to utilize the space during the off season, including special programs for home-schooled children and field trips for elementary schools. But all great ideas require funding. The Oak Island Friends of Parks Foundation helps supports both centers, but contributions from the public are instrumental. Donation boxes are located at each location.

Expanding programs at the two centers also requires more manpower.  

“We are always looking for new volunteers” Wayne told me, “And it’s a minimal commitment for just three months a year.”

Both centers are open to the public from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The Ocean Education Center operates Mondays through Wednesdays from 10 am to 2 pm and the Nature Center on Wednesdays through Fridays from 10 am to 2 pm.  (This year the OEC will open one week late, on June 6, to allow for some final renovations.)  A typical volunteer shift is either 10 am to noon or noon to 2pm, one or two days per week.  

“Anyone interested in helping preserve our coastal habitats or looking to share a love of the outdoors with children would make a terrific volunteer,” Wayne said. He also encourages middle schoolers and high schoolers who are looking for service hours to consider volunteering this summer.   

For a schedule of events at the Ocean Education Center and Nature Center, check out the Oak Island Rec Center’s Facebook page or visit the Town’s website:  www.oakislandnc.gov/government/recreation-department. 

Interested volunteers should email Wayne Brookover at cwbrookover@gmail.com or fill in a volunteer form found on the Town’s website or at the Rec Center.