From the moment we arrived, Jonathan could barely wait to see all of the fishes, sharks, and whatever else may be in store for him. He got so excited just seeing the parking lot signs! He grabbed Gampa's hand and started out on an adventure.
There was so much to see! From the life-sized sharks that greeted us at the entrance, to the kiddie area just inside, we were off to a great start!
Something that I loved about the Aquarium was the presence of so much artwork . . . subtle and obvious. From the a-maz-ing door handles (octopi, loons, kelp, and more!), to the incredible photograhy exhibit, I loved it!
Jonathan was captivated by the giant crabs. Come to think of it, we all were! They were unbelievable, and not even the world's largest! He is still talking about them, over a month later. He loved every little thing he saw . . .
. . . and touched. What fun to have a pool of anemones and starfish for little hands to experience. Gampa was a great help (probably more to the poor anemones than to Jonathan ;))!
One of the biggest attractions at the Aquarium is their "Passages of the Deep" exhibit . . . a series of underwater tunnels that take you through sharks, bass, and so much more. It's an incredible experience . . . one much like our favorite at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach.
Jonathan decided that the fish looked sad, so he is still making the "sad fish" face daily! But wait . . . might those fish be sad because they've already seen their fate?! (cue Jaws music . . .)
Aghhhh! Help, we've been eaten by a Great White! (Don't worry, we all survived. :))
We headed outside for more Aquarium fun . . . including a little playtime on a very nice sculpture (pretty sure it wasn't made for climbing on, but don't tell Little Mister that). Then it all went to the birds . . .
No, there are no penguins at the exhibit because they're all Auks. What's the difference, you ask? Auks are from the northern hemisphere, penguins from the southern hemisphere. They were renovating the exhibit, and it seemed that the puffins enjoyed being closer to us than to the guys doing the renovations. They came right up to us!
Not to be missed was the loudest crowd at the Aquarium . . . the sea lions. Oregon is known for its Sea Lion Caves (just an hour west of us), and it was fun to just have a little glimpse of the critters. They were in the middle of a domestic dispute while we were there and it was so fun to watch! No one wanted to share their sunning spot with a particular sea lion who appeared to have something else on his mind. Hilarious! But alas, it was time to say good-bye as the doors of the Aquarium were being closed for the day. We had an awesome day, and I am so grateful that we got to spend it together.
After the Aquarium, we headed to the bay for a view of the historic Newport bridge, the many fishing boats, and for a taste of seaside life. While we were there, a very kind woman stopped and offered to take a family picture . . .
. . . and although it could only have been made better by the presence of one other family member (Uncle Gary was missed, but he joined us that evening in Eugene with our cousin), I cherish this picture, and will always think of our incredible day in Newport every time I see it.
What are you grateful for today?
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