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Published on Jun 28, 2021
Lunch box in hand, our skin coated with a good layer of FPS 45 and offering our most beautiful smiles, we headed out to Coaticook, at the Parc Découverte Nature, to have our children enjoy their first fishing experience.
By Émilie Bernier
Both very excited, they jumped into the car not knowing they would be experiencing some highly emotional moments while learning a lot about the aquatic world. Although we were happy to have them participate in this new activity, we still wondered if it would meet the expectations of their age levels. We discovered, however, that the concept is very well designed because my two sweeties, 3 and 4 years of age, really had a lot of fun.
The Parc découverte nature’s mission is, first of all, to have visitors discover the aquatic environments that surround us. There are several walking trails on the site, but the main event is, of course, fishing and everything related to this sport. Through the park’s new Acoatica activity, visitors are made aware of the characteristics of endangered species and the challenges of conservation in a fun and entertaining way.
Although the boys were absolutely determined to go fishing, we decided to start with an introduction to the world of fish by participating in the question and answer games set up inside the main building. So, our “pineapple-piranha” team set off confidently to test their knowledge. The games cover a range of topics including the life cycle of fish and microscopic observations of the specific features of these aquatic creatures’ anatomy. Even though some of the questions were quite complex, most of the content held our little ones’ attention. For example, they really enjoyed the microscope observation!
We completed the first games, and now it was time to head out and test our fishing skills… For my part, despite a father who was passionate about this hobby and who left his Chasse et Pêche magazines lying about all over the house, I was still a neophyte! Let’s face it, the thing I enjoy most when I’m on a fishing trip is the boat ride and the laughter that follows! Unable to catch a fish, I also always have my hands over my eyes to avoid seeing the regular anglers take their catch off the hook. I have a bit of a sensitive heart, I guess! Despite my little moment of stress, I thought it was important to let our boys experience this activity, so that they understand where the food on their plate comes from and the importance of not wasting it.
I’m now sure that my eldest has inherited my maternal genes, because he was truly impressed by his first catch. Although he felt quite happy about having experienced this moment, it was enough for him; a second speckled trout (brook trout) would have been one bite too many! We had planned to eat our fish right here by cooking them on the site’s grills, using spices and fresh herbs made available to us. However, our meagre haul and the boys’ emotions running high, made us change our minds. The agri-food experience will be enjoyed at home! We nevertheless invited the children to meet the park’s activity leader who cleaned our catch while explaining to us the benefits of fishing in a respectful and responsible manner. And then, our trout went into the icebox and accompanied us to the immersive activity inside.
We decided to end the adventure by participating in the immersive indoor game. It required us to carry out several missions with the help of flashlights and giant magnets in order to protect the fish from different threats (invasive plants, rubbish, etc.). The goal was to collect as many points as possible. Everyone had a wonderful time! you could even hear our voices from outside because our enthusiasm was so great. While strolling about the site, a new structure caught my attention, so I set out to do a little investigation. This summer, they’ll be launching a new installation. It’s an outdoor interactive game for children of all ages testing both their motor skills and knowledge. The opening date is still to be determined, but it will definitely be a fun new feature for the kiddos.
When we asked our boys what they liked the most about our outing, they answered without hesitating one second: the immersive game … and the picture at the end of the activity!
To experience the Acoatica adventure this summer, simply register yourself on the Parc Découverte Nature’s website.
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