dripdrypoet
Guest
I am still slack-jawed with delight, and dont really know where to begin, but I finally finished my training at the Newport Aquarium with a dive in the shark tank. For those of you who havent had the opportunity to visit this exhibit, you simply must find the time. This tank has 385,000 gallons of salt water and is populated with some truly magnificent creatures.
We have 3 Sand Tiger sharks, lots of Sand Bar and Nurse sharks, a loggerhead (called Denver, who is the terror of the exhibit), massive amounts of Jacks, a friendly grouper who thinks he is a puppy, several massive Southern Rays, and lots of other denizens who are every bit as curious about you as you are about them.
The way things turned out, my introduction to the exhibit took the form of a back-up safety diver for one of the shows we put on for our visitors. The presenter was interacting through com gear with a theater full of visitors, the real safety diver lurked off to the left, and I positioned myself off to the right. Our job, as much as anything else, was to keep Denver from pestering or biting the presenter. This turtle is a pretty large fellow, and he likes to be the center of attention. He has been known to get a bit jealous and sneak up behind the presenter, bite the communications cable, air hose, or a handy body part. I mean how dare the presenter pay attention to anyone other than him. (Having been married to a sweet Turkmen girl, I am quite familiar with this mindset.)
So, all I really did was deflect Denvers trajectory so he would pass over or around. Kind of like playing dodgeball with a guided and beaked Frisbee. However, when he was out of sight I was able to play. I did not play with the Sand Tigers, because they are really scary, but I did caress the 300 lb. females belly when she swam about three inches over my head, and the male and I had a staring contest face to face at six inches (I was WAY too fascinated to be in the least bit frightened.) Interesting to look down the throat of that many-toothed critter when all that is between you is your mask. I, wisely I think, gave him the right of way and drifted down enough to let him pass. That is a lot of fish! I did get in oodles of play time with the Sand Bars and the Southern Rays. The grouper pretty much ignored me, but he did dog my buddys feet demanding to be petted. Twenty or so of the Butterflies greatly enjoyed a sand shower, rolling every which way to allow the sand I was sprinkling on them to scratch their bodies.
I will dream tonight, with a wide smile on my face, about my eye-level contact with these awesome entities. Wish you could have been there.
Ray
We have 3 Sand Tiger sharks, lots of Sand Bar and Nurse sharks, a loggerhead (called Denver, who is the terror of the exhibit), massive amounts of Jacks, a friendly grouper who thinks he is a puppy, several massive Southern Rays, and lots of other denizens who are every bit as curious about you as you are about them.
The way things turned out, my introduction to the exhibit took the form of a back-up safety diver for one of the shows we put on for our visitors. The presenter was interacting through com gear with a theater full of visitors, the real safety diver lurked off to the left, and I positioned myself off to the right. Our job, as much as anything else, was to keep Denver from pestering or biting the presenter. This turtle is a pretty large fellow, and he likes to be the center of attention. He has been known to get a bit jealous and sneak up behind the presenter, bite the communications cable, air hose, or a handy body part. I mean how dare the presenter pay attention to anyone other than him. (Having been married to a sweet Turkmen girl, I am quite familiar with this mindset.)
So, all I really did was deflect Denvers trajectory so he would pass over or around. Kind of like playing dodgeball with a guided and beaked Frisbee. However, when he was out of sight I was able to play. I did not play with the Sand Tigers, because they are really scary, but I did caress the 300 lb. females belly when she swam about three inches over my head, and the male and I had a staring contest face to face at six inches (I was WAY too fascinated to be in the least bit frightened.) Interesting to look down the throat of that many-toothed critter when all that is between you is your mask. I, wisely I think, gave him the right of way and drifted down enough to let him pass. That is a lot of fish! I did get in oodles of play time with the Sand Bars and the Southern Rays. The grouper pretty much ignored me, but he did dog my buddys feet demanding to be petted. Twenty or so of the Butterflies greatly enjoyed a sand shower, rolling every which way to allow the sand I was sprinkling on them to scratch their bodies.
I will dream tonight, with a wide smile on my face, about my eye-level contact with these awesome entities. Wish you could have been there.
Ray
