Georgia Aquarium Trip

It is the largest in the world and even has whale sharks. (That impressed John.) It holds 8 million gallons of water, has ,ore than 100,000 animals and 500 different species.
We went today with out Sunday School class and had a grand time! Dory got to ride a school bus for the very first time, she played with Maddy, and saw LOTS of fish! She, by the way, was also a saint- she was so well behaved. It was a long trip, over 4 hours each way, but it certainly was worth it... but next time I would rather go on a weekday. It was so crowded you could barely turn around at times.


Bus excitement! The very first time on a real school bus! (No, she is not throwing a gang sign... she is holding dearly to one of my hairs in the two folded fingers...)

We had lunch at The Varsity in downtown Atlanta... it was John and Dory's first time... so of course they both had to wear the traditional hat. John was a bit reluctant; I have a pic to prove it... but I don't want him to leave me so I won't post it. :)

Dory and Maddy playing for the few minutes we allowed them to stare out the back window as we drove down the highway. We didn't allow them back there again.

Mr. Turtle says hello.

Dory and I look for Horseshoe crabs to touch.

One of the most impressive things is the tunnel through one of the aquariums. The walls were 33 inches thick and made of acrylic. Shown here is a flock of stingrays and other schools of fish as well as one of the Whale Sharks in the background. From the GA website:

The Great Barrier Reef is known to everyone, but an equally impressive reef occurs only a short one-hour plane ride from Atlanta: the Meso American Barrier Reef of Central America (MAR). The Ocean Voyager gallery is themed to represent the diversity of marine life of the MAR, as well as the success stories of Belize and Mexico to manage the MAR and associated fisheries. This exhibit was specially designed to house the whale sharks, the largest fish species in the world. Toothy cubarra snappers, schools of predatory trevally jacks, squadrons of small and large stingrays, an enormous goliath grouper and hammerhead sharks, all ply the waters of this captive ocean habitat containing more than 6 million gallons of saltwater. With 4,574 sq. ft. of viewing windows, a 100 ft. long underwater tunnel, 185 tons of acrylic windows and the second largest viewing window in the world at 23 ft. tall by 61 ft. wide and 2 ft. thick, visitors will have multiple opportunities to view all of these magnificent animals. No other aquarium in the world has featured the MAR, and no other aquarium in the world has ever attempted to manage the variety and size of fishes in this major exhibit.

The one toddler meltdown for the entire trip... Dory was tricked by an optical illusion and fell face first into the bubble dome wimndow when she expected it to be right there and flat.

Still crying, but now you get to see my preggo glory!

This was one of John's faves... the tiny eels that made up a garden!

Another pregnant shot! Dory in the Onbu sling that I made in front of the tropical fish tank.

The Leafy Sea Dragons, kin to the sea horse. There are several of them in the picture.