Welcome to the Quicktime Virtual Reality tour of the North Carolina Estuary

What you are about to experience is a tour of one of the world's largest and most pristine estuaries. Each of the following pages is a virtual reality panorama capturing different flora and fauna of this magnificent wildlife preserve. Questions are posed and information is provided within each of these pages and to help the viewer understand and appreciate wetlands and bring a greater awareness of ecological issues. A photo gallery and links to other on-line ecological resources are provided to give teachers who may want to use these pages a wider range of artifacts and events from which to draw. While these pages offer educators some access to the wonders of the North Carolina sound, they are not meant to be substitutes for an actual visit to local wetlands. These pages may be best used for example in conjunction with actual events and speakers like those offered by the NOAA sponsored "Live from the estuary" telebroadcast. Some preparatory activities are suggested within the pages to help visitors understand different aspects of the North Carolina estuarian system and how North Carolinians and visitors to the area affect its conditions. Click on any of the pages from the menu bar to begin your tour and get ready to learn about the wild horses, Rachel Carson preserve, shells, Estuarium, the effects of urbanization and development, and several other aspects of North Carolina's estuary. If you need assistance loading these movies or with downloading appropriate browser plug-ins, visit Apple's Quicktime support pages.