A day off at Sea World

Yesterday was a super day, sunny and warm, just right for a visit to Sea World - which is a 5 minute drive around the Broadwater. Again, like Steve Irwin's Australia Zoo it is extremely well done, some of the animals were transferred from the original Marine World when it closed and Sea World opened some 3 decades ago. The animals are in wonderful condition, and even though many of them are performing (seals and dolphins) they look very happy to be playing with we mere humans! Our first stop was to watch a few people have an "up close and personal dolphin experience" in one of the many pools in the Sea World.

The look on this lady's face, and that of the dolphin, shows just how much they are both enjoying this encounter.

Next, a walk through the underwater viewing world in Shark Bay - wonderful array of marine life, including this inquisitive Ray below.

Huge sharks and many colourful fish.

Then to the "Fish Detectives Sea Lion Show"

The star of the show makes his grand entrance

Greets his audience with aplomb!

introducing his handler - the little one in the blue outfit

This huge sea lion, immitated (took the mick I think) and obeyed his handler with exquisite grace

We were lucky enough to view Claude and his handler after the show behind the scenes, amazing relationship - these sea lions were rescued from life threathening situations, normally caused by man, and moved to Sea World for their recuperation. They attempt to release them back into their natural environment, but on many occasions that just doesn't work out.

The "Polar Bear Shores" exhibit

A large enclosure with so much equipment needed to emulate the Polar Bear's real environment.

It houses orphaned polar bears, originally found and saved in northern Canada, they lived for a while in a Canadian Zoo, then Sea World was selected as their permanent home

Checking out his mate playing with a piece of polka dot purple fabric

Watch Out

here I come!!

look at the size of that paw!

They rough housed and played for hours - wonderful!

Next - the Imagine Dolphin Show, featuring dolphins that have been saved (one, Cyrus- he is 50), over 4 decades ago from fishing nets and the like, and some have been bred within Sea World.

Again the relationship between the dolphins and their particular trainers/handlers is amazing.

My photos do no justice at all to this show

It was incredible!

They tossed their handlers way into the air!

Sometimes 2 of them teamed up for the trainer toss

Look - no hands, no outboard - just pure dolphin power!

The Grand "Flyby" Finale - dolphin style.

We finished off at the "WaterSki Wipeout Show", and after 30 plus years, this show finishes for good next week! There were wonderful water skiers from Oz, NZ, Canada and the USA who skiied forwards, backwards, with bare feet, on boards, on hovercrafts, took on the ski jumps backwards in groups of 3 etc. etc. All very clever, but pretty extreme, daft and dangerous, me thinks. But made for a nice end to a fun and most enjoyable day.

The Grand "Pyramid" Finale - human style