On Saturday, April 9th a group of 49 Brownies, Guides, Pathfinders, Rangers and Adults from Binbrook, Brantford and Caledonia spent the day at Ripley's Aquarium in Toronto.
In the morning, everyone met at the Aldershot GO Station to take the train into Toronto. We basically filled the top level of one car! The trip there was punctuated by songs at different points and many trips to 'experience' the toilet on the train.
When we arrived at Union Station, we found a space to eat as we had found out only a few days before that we couldn't take outside food into the aquarium (we had thought we had permission as school groups do). Eating and washroom break finished, we took a short walk, and were at the aquarium!
Everyone split up into small groups to freely explore the exhibits. We saw sharks, stingrays, horseshoe crabs, jellyfish, various types of fish, kelp, coral, anemones, eels and so many more creatures! Some of the girls were brave and actually touched horseshoe crabs, rays, and a white-spotted bamboo shark.
After about two hours, we all met again near the entrance and each group received program sheets to complete. Some groups had another snack and everyone had a washroom break at this point as well. The Guides worked on sheets to earn the Ecology and Endangered Species Badges, and the Pathfinders worked on sheets to complete the Up Close and Personal With Nature Module and pieces of several other modules.
Later on, we all headed back to Union Station to have another snack before heading home. With the wonderful assistance of a GO Transit Security Officer, we were able to get everyone into the same car and level - once again, we took over the upper level of one car. The train was quiet full as a baseball game had ended about the same time. Once again sang part of the way home - people not with our group were warned they were joining a group of about 50 girls and adults and it could be loud! The girls had a great time and would do this trip again!!
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