Aquarium of the Pacific Creates Wonder and Amazement

Aquarium of the Pacific
100 Aquarium Way
Long Beach, CA 
(562) 590-3100
aquariumofpacific.org

By C. MacDonald

LONG BEACH, CA--If you want to have a really fun day, learn a lot of neat things while being entertained and inspired, take your family to the amazing Aquarium of the Pacific. There's always something fascinating going on there. You see something different every time you go.

I recently dropped by during the aquarium's 12th annual "Baja Splash," which celebrates the diverse Hispanic communities of Southern California and the diversity of marine life in Baja.
It was special to see the lavish costumes and energetic dances of Danza Azteca Cultural Ketzaliztli and hear the incredible music performed by Mariachi Fiesta Mexicana. The friendly mariachis even found time to serenade Joe and Priscilla Cruz of Fountain Valley, who were celebrating their 50th Wedding Anniversary.

There also were interesting vendors, like talented Mexican Folk Artist Sandy Garcia, who was selling her colorful paintings. The Claremont resident's husband, Bebop, also featured his concrete art. Vendors donated a percentage of each sale to the aquarium.

Marilyn Padilla, the Director of Public Relations, said the aquarium also celebrates several other SoCal cultures ranging from Native American, Pacific Islander and Southeast Asian to African American and Chinese / Japanese / Korean / Filipino. They even have a "Festival of Human Abilities," showing the multiple creative talents of people with disabilities. (Be sure to check with the aquarium to see when these annual events occur.)

Whether there's a Special Event or not, anytime is a great time to go the aquarium. Some of my very favorite places to pop-in on, include:
--Shark Lagoon. You can go below and watch behind a window as sharks swim within inches of you. Or up above, you can actually touch a epaulette or bamboo shark. Signs and knowledgeable volunteers tell about the different types of sharks and how some can spot prey almost 70 feet away.

--Sea Jellies exhibit. I could sit and observe these unbelievable guys all day. They are 90% water, have no brain, eyes, heart or bones, yet have survived in the ocean more than 650 million years. Jellies can be as small as a pencil eraser or as large as a basketball court. They drift wherever the ocean takes them and have stinging cells, enabling them to capture food. Many look transparent and are fascinating to watch. My favorites are the West Coast Sea Nettle and Moon Jellies, which resemble a Full Moon. They drift wherever the ocean takes them and remind me of the old phone company commercial, "Don't Drift Away."

--Speaking of drifting, Sea Otters, who can dive up to 330 feet looking for food, rest on the surface in coastal kelp forests and drape kelp over their bodies to keep from drifting away. These characters have the densest coats of any mammals, with more than 100,000 individual hairs per square inch. (Californians can support sea otter research by making a voluntary contribution to the California Sea Otter Fund on their state tax form.)

--As far as cuteness goes, it's hard to top the "Charlie Chaplins" of the ocean, the adorable natives from South America, the Magellanic Penguins, found in the June Keyes Penguin Habitat. Their formal colors and antics--the way they walk, swim and relate to peers-- is worth watching. Some came from other aquariums or were rescued in Brazil, where they were stranded outside their native habitat. More than 75% of the World's Penguins are listed as endangered or threatened.

--It's always fun to see the Tropical Reef Dive Show (or Honda Blue Cavern Dive Show), where divers mingle with the fish and mammals and explain the habitat. The Blue Cavern Habitat is modeled after a kelp forest along the northeastern coast of Santa Catalina Island. More than 1,000 different species live there, including the Giant Sea Bass, California Moray Eel and Ocean Whitefish.

--You can purchase a cup of nectar outside a free-flight aviary, Lorikeet Forest, where you can feed these colorful creatures of the air. It's home to 100 birds, including the Green Nape and Edwards Lorikeet.

--Be sure and catch the Great Japanese Spider Crab. You won't believe the size of this fella, whose peers can be found 1,000 feet below the surface in the North Pacific near Japan. The 40-pound living arthropod reaches over 12-feet from leg tip to leg tip.

There's so much more to see and appreciate at the aquarium, including spectacular animal shows and award-winning films, that you may have to come back again in order to take it all in.

We at seecalifornia.com salute the aquarium on its 15th Anniversary. Thank You for educating, entertaining and inspiring millions of guests from Southern California and around the globe. What you're doing makes a difference and makes people more aware of their World and what they can do to help preserve it. You are indeed instilling a sense of wonder, respect and stewardship for the Pacific Ocean, its inhabitants and ecosystems. For further information, contact  aquariumofpacific.org; 562-590-3100; 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach, CA 90802