Young Ocean Explorers actually came about through Riley’s school project! She produced, well…..actually “we” produced!! an interview with a turtle expert about the issue of sea turtles eating plastic. Using my underwater footage cut together with her interview, everyone at her school loved it! Seeing the response of so many kids, my mind started reeling with what a powerful tool this could be to inspire them about the magnificence of the underwater world and to get them emotionally engaged with it. I asked Riley, “Would you like to make more of these videos?” She replied enthusiastically “YES!”, Instantly firing back “We could do.… Sharks, Orca, Maui’s dolphins…” and Young Ocean Explorers was born!
Since then it’s been an incredible journey for my wife Jo and our family. To cut a long story short we received some funding from a ‘Dragons Den’ type contest, where I pitched the Young Ocean Explorers idea and won, and also the Environmental Initiative Fund from the Auckland City Council as well as self-funding to produce the 10 episodes. In 2014 we ran a successful Kickstarter campaign and with the amazing generosity of the Bobby Stafford-Bush Foundation we have created our new book “Young Ocean Explorers – Love Our Ocean” and will launch it in March 2015.
– Steve Hathaway – Creator ‘Young Ocean Explorers
