Monday, May 7th: SeaWorld, continued
After breakfast, we decided to head over to Shark Encounter for another tour of one of our favorite exhibits, and to get our photos re-done at the magic photo kiosk. Neither one of us were wearing any shade of green today, so the pictures (which are taken on a green screen) should be able to turn out well
. Along the way to the Shark Wreck Reef area, we couldn't help but marvel at the gorgeous gardens that brought such color and beauty to the park
. They were simply stunning!
While we didn't have the Shark Encounter attraction all to ourselves today (sheesh!
), it was still nice and quiet that early in the morning so we were able to tour again at a wonderfully relaxed pace. I could have stayed to watch these beauties swim for hours
.
The sharks were nice and active as well, and we had a great view of them as they swam quietly overhead. There is just something unbelievably captivating about these great creatures, isn't there? Such quiet strength and power.
I think the information on this display is so impressive and interesting......though I do remember thinking (on our very first visit to Seaworld back in 2012) that I wish this particular feature was at the beginning of the exhibit and not the end
. Always that sense of "what would happen if this thing collapsed?" until you realize just how well built it is.
As planned, we had stopped and had our pictures taken at the photo kiosk, so we paused at the Photokey desk outside the Sharks exit to have our photos added to our account at the exit to the attraction. Some turned out better than others
but hey, the photo crew was working with some tough subjects!!
The first shot was a with a trio of killer whales:
Next, we were feigning a little fear as we found ourselves inside a shark's mouth:
We took a "ride" on Mako (and this virtual image will be the closest I ever get to sitting on that coaster......that, I can assure you!
):
...and this photo background, promoting the new Kraken: Unleashed VR upgrade, was new since our most recent visit. It didn't turn out to be the most becoming picture of us, but the concept was kind of cool.
We were able to have a "close encounter" with a Mako shark:
...and finally, there was this poorly placed photo with the Kraken
. In the photographer's defense, it's tough to pose two people who are so oppositely sized
.
I love the fact that these are all included on the Photokey
. While SeaWorld doesn't have as many photo opportunities as Disney or Universal, their photo products have come a long way since our first visit 8 years ago.....and hopefully, they just keep improving as time goes on
.
With our photos successfully uploaded to our card, we stopped for a spell to watch the sharks and rays swim around the shark pool ... this is one of Steve's favorite places to relax and enjoy.
The water was super clear so we could easily watch all the activity in the pool. Most folks in the park seemed to be in that early morning hurry to get to one place or another, so there wasn't another soul along the water's edge as we stopped to admire the animals swimming by.
We hadn't been to Wild Arctic the day prior, so once we had our fill of the stingray performance, we headed through the shuttered Happy Harbor and found my beloved Sea Carousel closed as part of the preparation to convert the area to Sesame Street Land. Apparently, when we rode it the day prior, that was it's last day of operation
. Hopefully it will be re-purposed for the new kids area when it opens next year.....perhaps with SS characters versus sea creatures?
While the carousel was silent and tall walls blocked off much of the areas that had already been closed off to guests in the prior weeks, the stunning gardens were still able to bring much needed cheer to a part of the park that could easily have felt sad and eerie. After a long, cool and dreary spring in Michigan, the bright colors and lush greenery were as rejuvenating as a therapy session.
More of our Monday yet to come......