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I was born and raised in Carteret County, and some of my most cherished childhood memories were made at the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores. Growing up, my mom and my Pawpaw would take me to visit, and every trip felt like an adventure. Like so many local children, I was captivated by the exhibits, but one resident always stood out to me: Nimbus.

I can still remember standing in front of the tank with my Pawpaw, watching Nimbus glide effortlessly through the water back when he first arrived around 2010. There was something peaceful and awe-inspiring about him. As a child, I looked forward to every visit, knowing I would get to see him again.

Over the years, the aquarium became more than just a place to learn about marine life. It became tied to some of my happiest memories with my family. Today, both Nimbus and my Pawpaw have gone to heaven, but those memories remain. Whenever I think about the aquarium, I don’t just remember the exhibits, I remember the excitement of those visits, the wonder I felt as a child, and the special time spent with someone I loved dearly.

As a lifelong Carteret County resident, I am grateful for the role the aquarium has played in our community for the past 50 years. It has inspired generations of children, connected people to our coastal environment, and created memories that last a lifetime. For me, it will always be a place that reminds me of home, of family, and of my Pawpaw. I can’t wait to bring my son to the aquarium after he is born.

Thank you for preserving those memories and continuing to inspire future generations.

I have called Pine Knoll Shores my vacation home since the 1960s. My family would come down from Durham for several weeks every year. As soon as it opened, a trip to the aquarium became an annual treat. Then, in 2002, my in-laws retired to PKS and began volunteering – at the “shell cart” and the “snake house”. I am excited to have been given the opportunity to also retire here (in 2017) and I cherish memories of my parents and my in-laws and their love for, and support of, the Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium. While I also enjoy the aquarium’s shell collection, and how it is a hand’s on opportunity for guests to relate to the marine environment, I have to admit to loving most being a salt marsh volunteer. Teaching guests about the plants and animals of this unique ecosystem is where I feel most connected.

My greatest adventure at Pine Knolls Shores Aquarium was in 2018. I wasn’t a volunteer yet. My family vacationed here for many years in Carteret county.
The dinosaur exhibit was at the Aquarium that year (2018). We enjoyed seeing the exhibits

I remember being a young child (in the late 1980s) and attending summer camp at the Fort Fisher Aquarium. Andy Wood and team taught us how to cast a net in shallow waters and then how to properly release (and not harm!) what we caught! It is still one of my favorite child memories!

My girls loved the behind the scenes tour and could have watched the main tank for hours.

Right before the Pine Knoll Shores location closed for renovations, I remember running through the sea turtle maze where you took the point of view of a hatchling trying to make it out safely into the ocean and how much fun it was to see all the endings. That visit I had to make a stop at my favorite part of the aquarium: the shark tooth fossil pit. I never imagined I could work here, but now that I do, I can’t imagine myself anywhere else.

Our family’s favorite memories from the Aquariums have always been those moments of awe when we get up close and personal with its residents!

My favorite memories of the NC Aquariums were visiting the Fort Fisher location with my family when I was young. The sharks and other large predatory fish were always captivating to me. I was born and raised in NC, and I am currently a PhD candidate at UNC’s Institute of Marine Sciences. I credit my passion for marine conservation to visiting the coast, including the Fort Fisher aquarium, as a child.

In the very early days of the Marine Resources Centers, admission was free and we operated with a very small staff. At PKS, we had seven full-time employees, open 9–5 seven days a week. The curators rotated weekend duties, which meant that on my weekend I was the only staff member on site. Its amazing to think that for the most part things went smoothly.