North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher

During our vacation we took our annual trip to the Fort Fisher Aquarium. This year we did a "Behind the Scenes" Tour. It was really quite neat. We were able to see the boring stuff like the filtration and cleaning systems, the salt water making machinery and the two generators(which btw will power the aquarium for 28 days each in the event of a power outage). Then came the really good stuff. Our guide took us to see all the animals that are used in the many educational programs that are offered. We saw 2 month old baby alligators that were only about 10 to 12 inches long. They hiss like cats when you get to close! We also saw several older (4-5 years old) alligators (which also hiss but in a much more menacing way), endangered turtles, venomous snakes, frogs, toads and a rare melanin-free turtle. There were several rays and skates that had to be in quarantine before they could be released into the big tanks. We saw tanks and tanks of teeny tiny baby moon jellies (they breed them there and give them to other aquariums) and a tank of real coral that had been collected off the coast of North Carolina. We saw two educational octopuses, one of which took a real liking to Mac. Every time Mac would put his hand up to the tank the octopus would put his tentacle on the glass. We got to see the kitchen where all the fish and animal food was prepared, apparently the aquarium serves only restaurant quality food to it's animals. Mac and Abbey liked the big frozen rats the best. Our guide took us to a room with a swimming pool in it and there, swimming around in the pool were three sharks. They were too large for the big tank so they were waiting to either be released or traded to another aquarium. At the end of our tour we were taken up to the very top of the aquarium to look down into their "big tank". The tank has several sharks, lots of fish, a few giant rays and two very big moray eels. Since this is the feeding area most of the sea life came up to see us!! Our tour lasted about 2 1/2 hours and we all enjoyed it. Mac has decided that he would like to work in an aquarium or be a marine biologist when he "grows up".
Here are a few pictures from the trip to the aquarium.

Fort Fisher Aquarium

Carolina Beach Vacation

Last week we took a vacation to Carolina Beach. Carolina Beach is about 15 miles east of Wilmington, NC and 15 or so miles south of Wrightsville Beach. It shares the island with Kure Beach and Fort Fisher. The entire island is named Pleasure Island. We stayed on the north end of Pleasure Island in a very small condo. We were not too far from the beach and had a view of the ocean from our front deck. We were also very close to Freeman Park which is a North Carolina State Park on the beach--4 wheel drive access only. The weather was gorgeous with temperatures in the low to middle 80's and the breeze coming off the ocean each day. The ocean was not very deep where we were and the kids were able to go out far enough to boogie board every day. Ocean temperature was in the upper 70's all week. Needless to say the kids and their parents had a great time and were sad to come home.
Here is an album of our vacation:

Carolina Beach