Afternoon at the Aquarium

I have a four-day training next week, and my school starts up for pre-planning on the 17th. So I’ve been trying to get out and do some fun activities before the madness begins in a couple of weeks.

Not that I won’t do fun stuff when the madness does begin, but I’ll have to be more mindful about when I do them.

So today it was off to the Florida Aquarium for me. They offer free admission to teachers all of the time, which is really nice of them.

This was my third time to the aquarium since I moved to Tampa back in 2010. I like that they focus a large portion of the aquarium around native species than some I’ve been too. Living in Florida, we have such a wide range of cool critters living both above and below water. It’s nice to get to know more about them.

I took my camera again, but the aquarium is not nearly as photogenic as the zoo. Too much glass and reflection on the water. Still I got some Ok ones…

As with the zoo, there were plenty of kids running around. This time they were mostly with parents. It’s cool to interact with them and their parents a bit. We’re all looking at the same cool stuff. When they ask questions, I can sometimes answer them. Sometimes they answer mine!

I have no answers for why the batfish looks the way it does though. Well, the only answer I have is “evolution.” But still, it is a weird looking fish!

I really do appreciate the gifts Mother Nature gives just for their inherent beauty. These guys were beautiful, but they also looked delicious.

Whoever is in charge of naming did a good job with the toadfish.

These fish are called “lookdowns.” But they arranged the exhibit so that you had to look up to see the lookdowns. Well played, FL Aquarium. Well played.

I then moved on to the coral reef exhibit. Definitely impressive.

These divers weren’t worried about the sharks in the tank.

These guys always give me the willies.

I love, love, love the seadragons. And sea horses too. Such weird fish.

That sums up my adventure at the aquarium. Living daringly the past couple of days has been photography trips to the zoo and to the aquarium. Is anyone else living daringly through end-of-summer shenanigans?