Day 14 - Crescent City, CA

Off at 9:30 to meet at Ocean world.  

 While waiting some of us enjoyed riding a surfboard in front of a painted sea scene.

Or climb aboard a small jet scooter.  Who says we can’t have fun??? 

Great tour by director of facility who clearly loves his job.  ­­­  

Very informed & enthusiastic.

First the tide water pool where we could pick up & touch starfish, sea urchins, etc.  Tiny eels & other creatures hid under the rocks.  

Our tour guide shared lots of information about starfish & other tide pool creatures.  Then to the downstairs aquarium where seawater is filtered in.  Has both prey & predators in tank so some fish disappear from time to time.  He shared that he had put 100 crabs in a few days ago; only 10 remained hidden under rocks.  Beautiful fish.  Scary looking fish.  

More fish facts with special emphasis upon rockfish, which are what is typically served in restaurants.  One “living fossil”, which dates to dinosaur days, was a large sturgeon,who swam around with a line of spots down each side.  Known for caviar (sturgeon eggs) and for being a boneless fish.  Then to the shark tank where baby sharks got all excited and swam over for a nice back rub.  As long as you pet from front to back, feels almost like fur.  Not the other direction, then you notice the skin is spiny.   

Lastly we met the performers, who did everything from waving to us, rolls, somersaults, mighty leaps, & returning items, which fell into tank.  

One mighty leap up to hit a ball suspended far above the tank. Very impressive performance by all concerned.  

Naturally we checked out the gift shop.  A quick drive over to a pier where the sea lions have taken over a portion of the pier for their very own.  They bark very loudly if you walk too close to “their” turf!  

Then it was time for lunch at the Harbor View Grotto.  Decisions, decisions, decisions—chowder, fish & chips, or something different???   Afterwards time to go for a scenic drive through a Redwood forest.  For the first ten minutes the only conversation was “wow”!  These giant trees are incredibly impressive.  

One newly fallen log demonstrated clearly why they have the name “red wood”.  

Lastly we visited the edge of Battery Park where you could see the lighthouse.  

You could see the road to the lighthouse as well, but as part was currently under 4 feet of surging tides, we didn’t attempt to walk over.  

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A great day! 

Submitted by:  Virginia Nehring #14