We’ve been touring the Georgia Aquarium, pocket HD video-cam in hand. So far we’ve been dazzled by crevalles, mesmerized by jellies and enthralled by the largest coral reef exhibit ever.
There was so much to capture ‘on film’ that I feel I barely scratched the surface.
Unlike other public aquariums, each wing (or hub) of the Georgia Aquarium is self-contained, so you can pick your own route. Choose Georgia Explorer (native species and habitats), Tropical Diver, River Scout, Coldwater Quest, penguins or otters, the touch-pools, the Deepo 4D kids’ movie or the gift shops, or Ocean Voyager.
Kids love this place. It’s geared to teach and instill respect for the planet’s oceans and diverse life forms. Click the links for my HD glimpses of Tropical Diver, the Jellies, and the bizarre spider crabs and weedy sea-dragons of Coldwater Quest. Stop by the touch-pools ; the placid cownosed rays are silkier and softer than you might expect. You might even get to stroke a bonnet head shark.
A must see, full of wonder, fantastic colors, shapes and behaviors, is the massive coral-reef exhibit.
The surging wave action overhead really sets it apart, and I had as much fun staring up into the ‘sky’ through the sweeping water column as watching the living kaleidoscope of the reef itself.
Adults may be less moved by River Scout than their children, because much of what’s here can unfortunately be seen in any decent retail aquarium store. The difference though is in the scale. How often do we get to experience a true underwater river vista, complete with totally natural, shockingly vivid Africa Cichlids?
While I was a bit put off by the discus color-morphs (designer fish) which would never be found in a wild habitat, I have to admit that the uninitiated will be very impressed with the stunning beauty of these fish. I have always been a purist and would have relished seeing truly wild discus species. To me it is somewhat misleading to show cultivated strains if the purpose is to educate youngsters about the marvels of nature untarnished by the human hand.
Even so, river systems are astonishing in their complexity and diversity, and the Georgia Aquarium provides a much-needed glimpse into an ecosystem much at risk throughout the world.
Georgia Explorer might almost be called 'pedestrian' if you're from Georgia, but even if you are, your children should absolutely see this. There is plenty to wow them and impress upon them the wonders that exist right here in Georgia – that not everything worthwhile (and worth protecting) is exotic or distant.
I especially enjoyed this exhibit of the Georgia Coast (below).
But what the Georgia Aquarium is really about is the open ocean, and the pinnacle of the entire venture is the highly ambitious Ocean Voyager.
In part II, we’ll take a look at this centerpiece of the Georgia Aquarium, whale-sharks and all.
(All photo/video footage by author, using Kodak Zi8 HD Pocketcam.)
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