fh_trips | Atlantis Resort - Tuesday [Adventures]

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spring break 2010: the bahamas

Atlantis Resort - Tuesday [Adventures]

After a perfect first day lounging on the white beaches, Atlantis beckoned to its guests, calling them to explore and experience the adventures of a lifetime in its many amazing aquatic activities. The time was right to try something new!

It wouldn't do for guests to forget that it's better in the Bahamas!

[ Map of Atlantis | Hotel/Activities Post | Dolphin Cay | Aquaventure | Marine Habitat | OOC ]

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Located in the Royal Towers, and viewable from within The Dig or the lower level of the Great Hall of Waters, the Ruins Lagoon (http://www.atlantis.com/thingstodo/marinehabitat/ruinslagoon.aspx) is filled with ancient Atlantis artifacts, and is home to more than 20,000 deep reef and pelagic fish. These open-water fish include a variety of jacks, snappers and spiny lobster. The 2.7 million-gallon exhibits allow for the magnificent display of rare species of fish, sleek sharks and giant manta rays. Guests can snorkel in this unbelievable setting during one of our exciting Sea Keepers Adventurers programs - Aquarist for a Day and Snorkel with Mantas.

Most of the time, Jonas didn't like to jump in without assessing new situations but this was something he just couldn't pass up. After being absolutely fascinated by the creatures in the exhibit, he'd gotten enough courage to actually decide that he wanted to be even more up close.

So, even if the goggles and snorkel made him look silly, there was no denying his excitement at getting a chance to do something he'd never thought he'd do.

Jack was mesmerized by the displays of artifacts and by the colorful sea creatures. He reached out to tap a finger against the glass, curious what reaction he'd get, then and jumped back himself when a ray came at him.

Hoping no one had seen him flinch, he tucked his hands firmly behind his back as he roamed the rest of the aquarium.

Edited 2010-02-23 13:47 (UTC)

Having so far dismissed the water park, shopping, food and the casino, Angela was still looking for something that would actually interest her.

This would not be it. She walked around for ten minutes, scowling at all the fish, and finally complained, "This is boring."

Having been to planets like Ithor and Mon Calamari, you'd think something like a marine habitat on Earth wouldn't be that much of a source of fascination for Tahiri. It was, though, for much the same reason as the beach intrigued her. Everything was new and different these days, like she was rediscovering the entire universe.

If she occasionally stopped and stared in at a school of fish with something close to reverential awe on her face, it really was what she felt: both the Yuuzhan Vong and Jedi parts of her had a deep and innate respect for life in its many forms, and finding the balance between them got easier every day.

Jonas didn't want to disturb her but seeing someone looking at the habitat in a similar fashion to his own fascination was going to draw his attention.

"Are you going to go in?" he asked quietly, staying a few steps behind her to try and prevent any sudden surprise.

It was hard to suddenly surprise a Jedi, but the way Tahiri was staring at the marine life, this time it would be very close.

"I don't know," she answered with a small smile, turning to look at him. "I'd love to see it up close, but I've never really learned to swim."

"It doesn't look all that deep," he said, peering past her to gauge the depth of the water, "but I'm probably an awful judge of that sort of thing. I can't imagine any of the employees would let anyone fall into danger."

Jonas winced though, wondering why he'd decided to just come out with the possibility that there was danger but he shook it off. "I don't swim either but I still think I want to try to go in."

"No, I suppose not," Tahiri agreed. And it was pretty stupid to keep falling back on her inability to swim, wasn't it? That was another old bad habit it was past time to break.

She took a breath and nodded. "Want to go in? Between the two of us, we could handle it, I bet."

"Yes," he said instantly, glancing past her into the aquarium and then back to her. "I'm Jonas. Since I won't be able to tell you anything like that underwater, I thought I'd mention it now. So you don't wonder."

Jonas didn't babble often but, when he did, it was rather mundane and laughable.

And that was just fine. She'd babbled nonstop about anything and everything when she was younger; it wasn't like she could judge.

She grinned more openly at him in response. "And I'm Tahiri," she answered. "And it's probably a good thing we know each other's names now. I don't think speaking through a snorkel works too well."

"I think we'd end up choking on water," he agreed, wincing. "And while water is certainly needed, I think that way of getting water would be uncomfortable."

"Not to mention go down the wrong tube, and that's never fun." Tahiri paused to gape at a ray gliding by. "Force, they're amazing creatures, aren't they?"

"They are," he said, pressing a hand to the glass and watching one of the fish swim past it. "I'd only seen pictures before coming here. And photographs don't do them justice. They're so much more vibrant up close."

"There's nothing quite like seeing the real thing," Tahiri said softly. "Pictures or holos don't do justice to the way they move. It's an entirely different way of moving than I think our land-based bodies are capable of."

She gave him a curious look. "You'd never seen anything like this for real before now?"

"Nothing like this, no," he said, turning back towards her. "There were very many...the place I come from was very lacking in things like this. I hadn't seen most animals save for in pictures."

"I know the feeling," Tahiri offered. She stuck her hands into the pockets of her shorts -- contemporary Earth clothing was never not going to feel very, very weird for her, and she had the feeling she looked awkward doing it. "There wasn't anything like this at all where I grew up, either."

On Tatooine, or on the worldship. It worked both ways.

"It's been a bit of a major adjustment," he said, interested to find another person with a background that was similar to his. "Major but very exciting, if that makes sense. For the longest time, I never thought I'd experience anything but my home so this is all...a bonus."

Not similar, exactly, although there were common points. Tahiri was starting to get rather practiced at looking for those points.

"Like the first time I got to set foot on a planet with actual plants," she said, grinning. "It was overwhelming at first, but I thought I couldn't get enough of it."

"Plants we did have which I suppose was good since almost everything else, we didn't," he shared, grabbing some of the snorkeling gear that was displayed. "There were lots of tree and rivers but a decided lack of animals."

Even now, even when he'd seen plant life, he was still surprised that it wasn't all just green and brown, bark and leaves. So many colors.

"You're not from this planet?" he asked, circling back to that. "That's new for me too but I've adjusted to it."

Re: Marine Habitat

weetuskenraider - 2010-02-23 20:45 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Marine Habitat

see-beyond.livejournal.com - 2010-02-23 20:53 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Marine Habitat

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Re: Marine Habitat

see-beyond.livejournal.com - 2010-02-23 23:40 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Marine Habitat

weetuskenraider - 2010-02-24 01:34 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Marine Habitat

see-beyond.livejournal.com - 2010-02-24 01:50 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Marine Habitat

weetuskenraider - 2010-02-24 01:58 (UTC) - Expand

Yesterday was all about the sea lions. Today? Manta rays!

The marine life in Minnesota wasn't anywhere near as cool as this. She was suddenly starting to understand people who became marine biology majors. . . .

There was only so long that even Effy could wander the beach and lounge around there without getting bored and needing a change of scenery. So come afternoon she took herself off to sample a little of the other entertainment.

Swimming lazily around and watching the fish was about her pace on holiday, and she could intersperse it with floating on her back on the surface and catching a bit of sun. Not bad.

There was a giant manta ray. No really, the thing was huge. Karla couldn't help staring, awed, at how massive the creature was. Fortunately, there was some random woman standing around to give a sense of scale so she could snap a picture.

[Dun care that Zeus was released a year after we went. He was my favorite part of the trip here!]

Edited 2010-02-23 21:46 (UTC)

Naomi was definitely going to check out the marine habitat and so she wandered around looking at the different exhibits.

Momoko was Exploring!

She had managed to drag herself away from the beach and to the Marine Habitat where she was currently standing in what the brochure said was the Predator lagoon, and what she could only describe as "whoa."

Another shark floated over her head and to the other side of the tunnel, and Momoko couldn't help following it with her whole body, pressing up close against the glass on the far side as it wandered away.

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