SeaWorld, San Diego is actually located across the bay from the city itself, it's kind of on its own island which makes you feel like you're in your own little world once you cross the bridge. This was the part of the trip that I insisted I pay for at least half on (I wasn't below bribing my family to go there) ^_^. Sadly, I lost the camera that had all of the pictures I took during this part of the trip, but I will be supplementing this post with images that I now make the disclaimer that I do not own and do not claim ownership of in any way.
The first time I went to SeaWorld was when there was still one in Aurora, Ohio as a part of the Geauga Lake/SeaWorld Adventure Park complex - I was five years old at the time and I still remember the first time I set foot in Shamu Stadium with my family. A memory that powerful has never faded nor left my heart, even sixteen years later. I still remember the picture my brother, sister, and I took on the back of the killer whale statute outside the stadium and the look of happiness I had when the photographer snapped that picture. I haven't truly smiled like that in quite some time, but the second I set foot inside that park, I did once again :)
It would take me forever to describe what all we did while we were at the park, so I'll just say everything. Honestly, once we were there it didn't make a difference to me, because my dream had come true to even be lucky enough to be there. We saw the dolphins, sea otters, sea lions, polar bears, penguins, sharks, manta rays, beluga whales, walruses, tide pools, aquariums, coral reefs, and...killer whales!!!
My favorite animals on earth, hands down. Apparently San Diego harbors eight killer whales at its park there and regularly rotates them all so they get a chance to perform in the shows there. There was nothing more magical for me than standing at the underwater viewing area of the orca tank and watching them glide right in front of me, not to mention getting to see them perform and interact with their trainers to a certain extent. I will cherish that for the rest of my life and what one of the trainers did for my littlest sister. The trainer came up to us before the first show of the day and asked Gina to be a part of the show and give the whales the hand signal for splashing (or in our case drenching) the audience. Since we were in the very front row of Shamu Stadium and in reserved seating (thanks again Carissa!), I think I got more soaked there than I did in the bathtub when I take a shower at home. Words cannot describe how happy I was seeing my little sister get to experience the joys of this place as much as I did as a little kid. Below are links to both of the shows that we watched, One Ocean and Shamu Rocks! Again, I do not own these videos.
A show in the afternoon and a show during the day made us very happy campers, absolutely no doubt about that one! We also got to see the Sea Lions Live show at Blue Horizons Stadium in the park and got to take a close look into the Wild Arctic exhibits - these were the ones that recreated the habitats of beluga whales, polar bears, walruses, and hundreds of penguins :) This SeaWorld also has one of the only baby beluga whales born in the care of trainers, named Pearl!
I also got to spend some time with my little sister Gina while my mom and brother braved The Manta, a manta-ray themed roller coaster that circled the manta tank in the center of the park - I thought I'd better pass on this one :) Instead, she and I took a little trip over to the kids zone where she got to spend a lot of time playing with the geysers and just having an all-around good time.
I'd say that overall we spent a good eleven or twelve hours at the park - far more than I could have hoped for and so much more than I could ever have wished for. I got to revisit the place of my childhood that gave me the secret dream I've always had, to become a whale trainer and work for a SeaWorld park. I will forever be thankful for this opportunity and I will carry the memories of this trip in my heart forever. :)
God bless the powers that be for giving me this opportunity and I thank you with all of my heart, I truly do.
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