COSTA MESA, CA – Orange County Coastkeeper (Coastkeeper) will host an interactive experience in the Sand and Sea exhibit at the 2024 Orange County Fair (Fair), opening Friday, July 19, 2024. With the help of virtual reality headsets, fairgoers will dive 100 feet underwater to discover the thriving marine ecosystems beneath California’s aging oil rigs.
Due to failing infrastructure and low productivity, California’s oil rigs must soon be decommissioned. However, the underwater structures have become some of the most biodiverse and ecologically valuable marine ecosystems in the state. Coastkeeper and other ocean advocates have called for the state to prioritize a Rigs to Reefs program, which would transition offline oil rigs into artificial reefs and preserve the ocean life that utilizes the underwater structure.
Coastkeeper has joined the Fair to educate fairgoers on these unique environments and garner community support for a Rigs to Reefs program in California. While progress has been made through legislative and advocacy efforts, none of the state’s 27 oil rigs have yet been transitioned to artificial reefs. By engaging fairgoers with an immersive virtual reality diving experience, Coastkeeper hopes to inspire more proponents of Rigs to Reefs.
“We’re excited to show fairgoers something they’ve likely never seen before – the vibrant underwater world beneath California’s oil rigs,” said Matt Sylvester, communications director at Orange County Coastkeeper. “The virtual reality dive experience is an incredible tool for introducing people to the Rigs to Reefs concept. Once participants resurface from their dive, they become invested in this complex environmental issue and want to learn more.”
Coastkeeper staff members will operate the virtual reality experience from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. every day of the Fair (July 19 to August 18, 2024). The Sand and Sea exhibit, which includes Coastkeeper’s virtual reality experience alongside other activities, is free with Fair admission.
Visit this webpage to learn more about Coastkeeper’s Rigs to Reefs advocacy campaign.