Discover Coral beach with Captain Cillian

The first of many blog posts for Captain Cillian Learning Adventures!
To brighten up the stormy weather, we have experienced in Ireland, in recent days.
I love this picture, taken at Coral Beach in Carraroe, Co. Galway (early August 2015), a magical place!

Coral Beach is a 45 minute drive outside of Galway city, past Furbo and Spiddal along the coast road on the Wild Atlantic Way! This is my son Breen (4), who also loves exploring beaches and playing with the sand. In the Captain Cillian adventure books, Pirate Ben links to Breen's playful character. A fun little boy, who is always looking for something to explore and enjoys breaking the rules!

Now for some Ireland and ocean facts….
Carraroe beach, which is also known as Trá an Dóilin, is a stunning beach. The beach is famous for its fine coral. There are lots of little rock pools to explore and some good snorkelling is enjoyed on a bright, calm sunny day. 

Many kids ask where does coral come from and why is it hard like baby stones?
Well, corals can be found throughout the oceans, from deep, cold waters to shallow, tropical waters. 
Coral reefs are rocky ridges formed in the sea by living things through the accumulation and deposition
of limestone. Sometimes people call coral reefs, undersea palaces! They are home to many species of fish and other marine life. Coral reefs also provide many valuable services to humans such as food, protection and medicines. They are also the best places to visit if you want to experience the marine
life - up close and personal!

Now for some create and playtime activities...
A. Parents, teachers and children - take a trip to the beach some day over Christmas and find some coral.
B. Take a few moments and close your eyes and imagine that you are snorkelling, then paint a picture about what you see under the water!

Enjoy the learning adventures!