Since Rick had some time off over Easter, we headed to Mystic for the weekend. Ever since Emily could talk (around 15 months old) she has loved Beluga's (and all whales). There used to be a couple at the NY Aquarium, but they have gone to Georgia for a breeding program, and it is unlikely they will ever return. Now to see Beluga's we go to Mystic. The outdoor enclosure for them there is over an acre, and just beautiful. We like to go in the summer on our way to Bar Harbour (Maine), and have never been this early in the year before. It was pretty cold and very windy, but lots of it is indoors and we bundled up, so we were OK.FAR AND AWAY the highlight for Jacob was the ray touch pool. Jacob loves rays, second only to their cousins the sharks. You had to stand with you hand in the water, keep it still, and let them swim past and up to you to touch them. Jacob is NOT a still, calm or patient boy, yet he stood with his hand in the water for about 45 minutes to touch them. I wish I could have got a good shot of his face as he touched them - it was pure joy. Eventually his sisters were all sitting on the bench saying "Can we pu-lease go now?" and we had to leave. We went back before the day was out, and again the following day. Not a day has gone by at home since then, that he hasn't asked me "Please we go touch rays again?"
Then there was the ray exhibit. Fortunately, this was in a building with other tanks, so Jake could stay mesmerized, while the girls looked at other things!
Another hands-on.
Sometimes I just love to imagine Jane's perspective on the world!
This exhibit was very cool, because that spirally thing is the egg of a horned shark (I am proud to say my son knew this before the docent told us.) It looks like kelp because they lay them in kelp fields and it camouflages them.
Here's what happens when you try to take a photo of 4 kids, and a beluga!No beluga ... (it's actually way in the background, but you can barely tell.)
Jane screaming to get down, beluga just coming into shot ...
oops, there goes the beluga - and Jane ....
Jane, please stand with your brother & sisters ...
Still no beluga, kids separating ...
Beluga arrives - causing 2 kids to look away ....
"Jacob & Jane, look at Mommy - hurry, the beluga is leaving" ...
beluga's tail - bek is now the only one still looking at me ...
Forget the kids, how about a nice picture of just the beluga?
Now you know why so many pictures on my blog are of individual children!We had a great time there, and will continue to make it a stop whenever we head north that direction.
4 comments:
Those pictures were funny and Rebekah was a trooper to stand with a happy face for so many attempts.
looks like fun. i actually LOVE that photo of jacob looking right at the Beluga's face, it's sort of artsy. but my favs are normally kids being kids. my mom waits so long for me to post a nice photo of my boys looking at the camera and smiling cos I always forget to work on those kind of pictures.
makes my grandma nuts when we visit cos she tries to take a picture of zane, but he has never really been taught to stop and smile for anything, let alone a camera held by an older lady he doesn't know very well! ;-)
That is so cool Tania; the Beluga is gorgeous.
All you need to do now is get a ray touch pool at your house and you'll no longer have problems with Jacob leaving while you shower!
Post a Comment