Aiden (the tour guide) took us down into where the people get their wetsuits and gear on. They clean people's wetsuits by jumping on them in a bath full of water. We also learnt that they used to have around 30,000 people come per year, but because of covid their numbers have gone done to only 3000 people a year. In Charleston, it used to be the size of Nelson and now it has decreased to only 60 people.  By Tudor Powell  

After visiting the Underworld Adventures, the West Coast Year 7-10s tripped off to Talley’s fish factory in Westport to find out how they run their business. When they arrived, the students had to get kitted up in their gumboots, Neon orange coats and funny white hats before they entered the factory. Once they were ready, a nice guide called Tania took them around the factory. But before she did, they had to thoroughly wash their hands. 

The factory was full of conveyor belts taking fillets of fish from person to person. Some people were de-boning fish, some were cutting off scraps, some were mincing some of the fish, some were checking the temperature of the fish and others were packing. Tania showed the kids the float bladder of a ling and told them that it makes all our makeup and moisturizers. She also took them into the freezer where they keep all the fish they catch. The freezer was about -18 degrees. She showed the students the HUGE trumpet fish and a couple of the kids got to hold the barracuda. There was also octopus, stingrays, butterfly fish, elephant fish, ling, blue cod, flounder, and Pearle. 

Lastly, she showed them the packing room and where all the scraps go. Nothing in the factory goes to waste. All the scraps get made into fertilizer or pet food. Talley’s even provide all the fish for McDonalds! Overall, it was a great excursion and all the students enjoyed it thoroughly!  by Ida Petrie