I saw one of these at Monterey Aquarium a few years back. My ex had heard that they had a Great White shark there and she wanted to go see it, so we headed to Monterey. They've got a huge tank there, so big you can't see the far side from the viewing window, and we kept waiting for this monster shark to show up. Well, it eventually did but we were disappointed - it was only about 4 feet long. But dead off behind it comes this gigantic sunfish that stole the show as far as I was concerned.
If you ever go to California, the aquarium there on Cannery Row is worth the trip, especially if you've got kids with you - lots of interactive displays for them. Even if you don't have kids, it's well worth the trip. I've been there several times and enjoyed the hell out of it every time.
Mola Mola, the ocean sunfish, possibly the largest bony fish in the sea.
ReplyDeleteAgreed on the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Have also seen the ocean sunfish. It's impressive.
ReplyDeleteSaw one in the Cape Cod canal once, at first we thought it was a dead body.
ReplyDeleteMonterey Aquarium is great but makes me hungry for seafood :Q
ReplyDeleteLuckily Cannery Row has quite a few good restaurants.
DeleteAbalonetti's
DeleteYou've made it to the Tennessee aquarium haven't you Kenny?
ReplyDeleteNo, I did not even know they had one. Can't be too big with only catfish, bream, bass, and snappers in it.
ReplyDeleteThanks, I'll look it up and see if I can't make a trip. I love aquariums and zoos.
Oh it's huge. I like it much better than our aquarium in Atlanta. And the one here is quite good. It's neat because you start upstairs and work/walk your way down ramps and it's a path from the upper mountain streams and creeks all the way down to the ocean. They've got some big ass largemouth and cats there yes. I've gone a few times to see their jellyfish display. Incredible. You definitely need to go. And Chattanooga has now become "gentrified" so it's a nice town to walk around in.
DeleteThanks, I'll have to make that trip. It sounds like they've got the displays laid out really well.
DeleteBaltimore has a nice aquarium. Sadly, it's in Baltimore, so you should avoid it.
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Before going I suggest watching the movie "Cannery Row" or read the book. Lotsa history in that little town. Plus that's the location of the "Monterey Pop Festival" back in '67: https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Monterey-Pop-Festival-1688427
ReplyDeleteBeen to Moneteray aquarium 3 times and whale watching out of Moss Landing 5 times. Both highly recommended. Moneteray is an excellent vacation spot. If you can get a behind the scenes tour at the aquarium - DO IT.
ReplyDeleteWatch the two Boston guys on YouTube who thought one was a baby f***ing whale
ReplyDeleteOur Marine Habitat group has worked with MBARI for a number of years on different projects. They are pretty much the Gold standard in Aquariums and collaborative Marine research. The Aquarium in Newport,Oregon, that we work with as well, is very nice, but on a much smaller scale than MBA.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I'm probably the only redneck Oregon stump jumper/Marine biologist on the planet! LOL! Lowest paid too! Don't care. I love it!
Behind the scenes at any large aquarium is well worth the price just to see the plumbers' nightmares they have back there. That big tank at Monterey Bay is where they filmed the Star Trek scene where Spock mind melds with the whale. The whale was a fiberglass mock-up...that tank isn't big enough for an adult humpback.
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