seaworld and tidepools

Dec 30-31, 2009

For Christmas this year, Santa brought everyone a ticket to SeaWorld, so the morning after the wedding, we loaded up (w/ Scott & Rebekah’s family—all in our limitless van!) for SeaWorld!! Since Grandma & Grandpa were there last year w/ TJ&Kristen (Orlando style), they highly recommended making time for the shows.  We got through the gates w/ our maps and schedules, and realized we were just in time for the first Shamoo show of the day, so found seats as quick as we could.  Brian and Scott sat with the kids in the splash zone, while Becka and I kept the babies dry.  Now, we had watched the online pictures of Shamoo plenty of times in preparation for this trip, but WOW!!!—Nothing compares with being there in person!! Those huge springing whales are spectacular! They rival the views at Yellowstone in grandeur!! My breath was just taken away again and again!! And though I was pretty bummed at not being able to ride ANY of the ride in my “delicate” condition, I was glad the next day, to be able to take Anne and Margot to see the show again while everyone above 48” (and w/o any condition) rode Shipwreck Rapids. 

After doing a huge project on sharks last year, Brent was thrilled at the Shark tanks you got to walk through and under.  Anne could’ve waved at the manatees all day, the penguins had an environment that made you feel like you were IN Antarctica, and the seals, and pets shows were hilariously amazing! Though I again missed the helicopter flight simulation ride (which made all of the Duncan boys sick), the Polar exhibits, where we saw 3 huge polar bears very close up, the ENORMOUS walruses being fed, and gorgeous, almost glowing beluga whales were exhilarating.  I had been so concerned about 2 days being too much there—with only a few rides, and not enough detail in the maps to tell me otherwise, I was just hoping everyone would enjoy it.  I now think I could’ve taken a week to enjoy it all! Especially for my motion-sensitive family (Scott and Rebekah had to take Maddie & Em on the real roller coaster), the rides were just right, and the exhibits and aquariums are all premium quality, with the shows being just the right topper! There was still a lot we didn’t even get to—w/ ice skating always available, a 3D movie, and the kids ALL loved the giant Sesame Street playland w/ a few kid-friendly rides (I STILL wasn’t allowed on), and the biggest playground we’d ever seen.  It wore us all out, but we were so glad we took the chance to go! It was really fun to have cousins to go with too!

The second day, we did only spend half at Seaworld, so we could meet up with a lot of the other family at Point Loma to eat lunch, and see all the tide pools, while it was still low tide.  Those tide pools are like an aquarium to themselves.  Brent got out far enough to see lobsters w/ Grandpa, and Anne and I had fun watching all the sea urchins contract when you poked them.  Quite an amazing terrain!—and another beautifully exhausting day!

And since I'm having issues with labeling my photos again, here's the amazing whales, visiting the shark tank, everyone but me and the babes on Shipwreck Rapids (MUCH wetter than the splash zone!)--where my amazing timing allowed me to not only watch Shamu first, but come back and end up where I could grab a quick picture of them on the ride!; Then, more aquariums, and lots of fun shots at the tide pools.