San Diego is a beautiful seaside city of Southern California State of the USA, which we visited a few months back at the invitation of our son and daughter-in-law. Vast beautiful beaches of the Pacific with rolling slopes, Sea World, the State zoo, golf courses, are some of the attractions of San Diego. The Mexico border is hardly 50 km away. As we are aware, the California State of the USA is located in the western coast and that all big cities of California, example, San Fransisco, Los Angeles, Montrery, San Diego are on the seaside.

While in San Diego, we planned to visit the famous Sea World, where all types of aquatic creatures give unbelievable performances. Dolphins, otters, penguins, whales perform in seperate stadiums, packed with eager visitors.

Sea World is spread over a huge area – about 3000 acres – of which the parking lot covers an area over 500 acres, allowing more than 3000 cars at a time to park. Every visitor is provided with a map and show schedule as they enter the main gate. One can choose to see the shows of one’s liking as per one’s time schedule. Actually, after spending about six hours there, we felt that an entire day should have been allotted to visit a few more stadiums and parks.

First, we visited the Dolphin Discovery stadium showing high flying thrills, excitement and tricks performed by the dolphins. Next, we visited the Sea Lion and Otter stadiums. The show is based on a story of the rescue of an ill-fated submarine marooned in the sea. The stage is a submarine like structure in the sea with a semi-circular sitting area for over 200 people. Sea lions and otters actually rescue the ill-fated crew, including Admiral Biggenbottom from the sea. Then, we visited the stadium housing 8-10 killer whales – the most famous being ‘Shamu’, the oldest of 23-years and weighed about 4000 tbs (2000 kg). In fact, Sea World is famous for ‘Shamu’s show’, where all the whales perform different acroloatre games at the orders of the trainer. The stadium is semi-circular, with 15 rows of gallery, seating more than 200 people. Sea water is held above the more than seven feet (2.10m) high pool by thick sheets of armoured glass. Visitors of the first few rows are warned that they would be drenched by the water splashed during the performance. We then understood the reason why some people wore plastic raincoats, which were hawked among the visitors. Trainers move in high speed seated on whales. The whales also jump over a platform with shallow water and remain there in full view. They also roll over the platform showing their entire body. One trainer jumps into the pool and sinks, prompting a whale to sink, which resurfaces promptly with the trainer and throws her up in the air. A few whales jump over a rope held above the water, not less than 15 ft (4.50m). Then, we boarded the more than 320 ft (100.0m) high Sky Tower to get a clear view of the Sea World, the nearby city and the Pacific. Then, we visited the Arctic show created underground with chunks of ice. Penguins are held in one such pool. It is understood that penguins actually breed there. Then, there is another pool where arctic blue whales are kept. Both can be clearly viewed by visitors through glass. One realistic model arctic camp has been made over snow to give some idea of arctic life of adventurers. Then, there is a simulated helicopter ride over the Arctic, where every visitor experiences the harsh realities of snow, mountains, reindeers, polar bears, sledges, etc.

There are many other interesting shows, boat-rides in narrow channels with rushing water, aquariums with varieties of sea, as well as fresh water fish and other animals, ornamental fishes, wild geese, flamingoes, etc., which are worth seeing. In between, we dined and rested and felt no exhaustion at the end of the visit. We shall remember the visit for a long time due to these unusual and unbelievable shows. We should also thank the trainers who make these shows possible.

Arabinda Chakravarty