The forecast was for rain all day...
I saw this gorgeous Chevy on the way to the Aquarium.
Bel Air,
designed by Chevrolet.
Monterey Bay Aquarium occupies the site of the now defunct Hovdern Cannery.
The aquarium is well named, as it sits on the edge of the thriving kelp forest otherwise known as Monterey Bay.
From its terraces, one can observe all types of wildlife. Otters swim in the kelp beds,
while closer to shore, this industrious gull plies the shoreline. Not content begging tourists for scraps, he earns his meal the old fashioned way.
Seals luxuriate on a nearby island.
Clearly, they've already eaten. Cormorants dry their feathers in the sun...
as does the gull.
Incorporated into the design of the terrace is an exhibit which simulates a crashing tidal wave.
I walk inside to see what it looks like from a different vantage.
This exhibit was my first impression of the aquarium proper. Needless to say, it was a good one.
Tube anemone: hypnotic and beautiful.
Nearby, I spied this spiny king crab.
Next were these mesmerizing Cnidaria, or jellies.
A very poisonous lion's mane jelly.
Sea nettles sting...
But not all jellies do. This spotted jelly, for instance.
Mackerel are just one of many species that inhabit the bay.
Kelp is held at the surface by gaseous bladders,
and anchored to the sea floor by a network of roots called a holdfast.
It provides excellent cover for this Leopard shark.
I wished I'd had a strobe and some fast film for the Leopard Shark, so intricate and beautiful was his texture.
Pacific sardines were once the economic life blood of this region...
but overfishing decimated the industry, and Hovden Cannery, the current site of the aquarium, was forced to close
in 1973. It was the last operating cannery on Cannery Row.
Pacific Sardines...beautiful, and delicious!
The sea turtles were very nice.
As was this flourescent shrimp.
Many different ecosystems were represented in the Aquarium.
This one, a lovely coral reef, was teeming with exotic fish of the most fantastic colors and patterns...
...like this speedy Regal Blue Tang.
It was an easy place to get lost in...
Sea horses are bizzare creatures, indeed. This is one of several tanks built to house the many species on display.
There's something almost mythical about this regal fellow.
What's this? A tank of Kelp? At first glance, perhaps...
but a closer look reveals these Leafy Sea Dragons.
Talk about specialized.
The sea horses were the last thing I saw before reaching the point of sensory overload.
