How I spent my summer vacation....

[WhiteValleyHerp]

...since we're getting close to "back to school", and since I've rolled off of the H-D project, I thought I'd write my first theme....

Realizing that she'd have some time with the holiday weekend, and that I wouldn't have another client engagement for a week or so, I was < ahem > "summoned" to visit Pam in Duluth.....nope, not the same Duluth as our beloved Scottsquatch, but Duluth, Jaw-Juh.

We've done two "touristy" things so far, with one to go. The one time I remembered to bring the camera was our trip to the Georgia Aquarium, and I was looking forward to it, having spent many a day at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicaaaaguh. Conclusion? It's an apples/oranges comparison - the Shedd is older, and more "taxonomically" organized, whereas the GA Aquarium is more of a "Disney" experience. Both serve their purpose well...

However, you can't help but being impressed upon seeing the "Ocean Voyager" exhibit - a 6.3 MILLION gallon tank that holds FOUR whale sharks (the largest fish in the world), a few dozen groupers, a hammerhead shark, a half-dozen rays (including a new manta ray that has a 9 foot wingspan). It's over 100 yards from the main viewing window to the "other side" of the tank...



If you'll notice the "seam" in the acrylic in front of the rocks in the lower right corner of the shot above, here's a little perspective for you - while it looks relatively thin, the six panels of the viewing window consist of over twenty "plies" of about 1 inch thick acrylic. That's two feet of acrylic holding the water in.

Here's a shot of one of the whale sharks from the "tunnel" that leads into the main viewing window....



Also, a shot of a grouper from the "Ocean Voyager" exhibit - it was about 5 feet in length...




And while it's primarily fish, there are other aquatic fauna there; here are shots of a sea otter and sea lion, respectively...






The Georgia Aquarium also features exhibits besides the "Ocean Voyager" exhibit that are "themed" as well - these first four shots are from the "Georgia Explorer" exhibit, obviously geared toward native species, both freshwater, and off of Georgia's Atlantic Coast....

Crocs 'n Gators....







A Loggerhead Turtle....




A "hands on" Horseshoe Crab exhibit, with one of the many docents/educators at the GA Aquarium.....




The best shot that came from the "Cold Water Quest" exhibit were of these Spider Crabs - unfortunately, the shots of the Beluga Whales didn't make the final cut......



more to come....

Dale