A Day at the NY Aquarium

You talkin' to me?


An off-season visit to the NY Aquarium is a treat. You beat the crowds and don't run into beachgoers on the way home. It had been five years since our last visit and that's too long.

One minor criticism is the alien stingers exhibit, which repeats several of the fish that are featured in other exhibits, such as the jellies.

If we ever make it to Io's oceans we might see creatures like the mysterious jelly.

The Aquatheater features California sea lions in a fun program with stunts by the seals and education by the trainers. When we went five years ago the program was slightly apologetic about putting the sea lions through stunts but it's possible the political climate has changed. Also, these sea lions, Otis and Osborne, didn't actually do many vigorous or exotic stunts, mostly just shaking their flippers and leaping out of the water to hit the balloon. Five years ago two other sea lions were jumping through suspended hoops and flying around the arena at high speed.

Trainer: Come on Otis, jump through the hoop. Otis: No ma'am, UPPSLUS* says we don't have to after the second show.


A lot of animals have physical antecedents in fish, such catfish and sea horses, so maybe there's something to Darwin and the Little Mermaid. Another good example is the toad fish.

A close-up of a toad fish or the reincarnated Eddie Robinson without trademark cigar?

A rare shot of Mrs. 1Ott out at the Aquarium, admiring Little Caesar.


Pretty as a picture.


This guy came formal, or, hey, they said this camera took color pictures!


Here is mama walrus Kulu, who gave birth this summer to 115-pound baby Akituusaq. Ouch! Actually the film loop that showed the birth shows him popping out in a few slippery seconds.

We close with a last look at some world famous Coney Island attractions so well-known that they need no description. Apologies to Kevin Walsh, Mr. Forgotten New York, who gets a royalty every time someone takes a New York picture of anything more than 10 years old.



Photos by B.P. Black

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*Union of Professional Performing Sea Lions of the United States.