Day 65 Surfer's Paradise (Sea World)

Sea World was our favourite theme park the last time we visited Queensland, so it was with much anticipation that we returned there today for the first time in 10 years with the kids in tow.  After Warner Brothers yesterday, it's all about roller coasters and rides and what they want to go on first.  We tried our best to explain that this park is a bit different, but it is on par with talking a seagull out of eating its chip.  All fussing aside, we arrived in good time, and still managed to get our other priorities attended to beforehand.

We had only missed one show which was to be on again later in the afternoon, so we made our first stop the new Penguin Exhibit.  Like all of the exhibits at Sea World, this one too is immaculately laid out with information and interactive displays.  In the exhibit, they have both Gentoo and King Penguins.  The Gentoo penguins here (Famous for Mr Popper's Penguins) were swimming up a storm when we first came in for a look, so we were able to see them under water.  Very graceful.

The King Penguins are nearly a metre tall, and whilst they aren't quite Happy Feet (Emperor Penguins) they are pretty close.  They stand about regally craning their necks and preening their feathers.  It was quite mesmerising to watch them, although I couldn't help but feel a bit sad to see them contained in such a small space.  They did look a bit bored to me...although I am no Penguin expert.

We returned to this exhibit last thing in the day, and all of the penguins were up on the ice, walking up and down the glass staring at us as much as we were staring at them. 

The King Penguins are able to dive to 300m depth, and eat a varied diet of fish and squid.  With a bit of batter, and a cold beer, I'd happily share with them.  Our first drama of the day came when we left this exhibit, and Rowan didn't follow us.  We were outside counting heads when we realised he was gone.  I found him pretty quickly though with two of the park ladies who were about to lead him away to look for us...tears streaming down his face.  He stayed nice and close for the rest of the day though.

Our next stop would be the Dolphin show.  I don't think this show has changed a bit in the past 10 years, and is still thoroughly entertaining.  We were treated to six Pacific Bottle nose Dolphins leaping, spinning, somersaulting and frolicking in the water with their handlers.

The handlers have such a great relationship with the dolphins, and ride on their backs, surf on two at once.  It is hard not to appreciate the relationship between people and these beautiful marine mammals. 

The park has several juveniles at the moment, and their breeding program is still very successful.  I think the kids got a lot of enjoyment out of seeing the dolphins active and up close.




We were side tracked after the dolphin show as there is a new marine aquarium experience at the park.  They have built an artificial reef, and filled the pools with all sorts of tropical fish, rays and sharks.  There is a large coral reef section for smaller Clown Fish, Surgeon Fish, Crayfish and other reef species.

Along with the reef fish are some very sizeable barracuda, some Bull Sharks, Tiger Sharks, Reef Sharks, Shovel nose Rays, and Manta Rays.  There are probably another 500 species that I can't remember off the top of my head, but Emma was delighted to find a Unicorn Fish amongst the schools.  I think that alone made her day.

Outside there were also segregated touch pools where the kids were able to touch Starfish, Sea Cucumber and many other types of marine life. 

This new display is a real winner with the tourists and the kids.  If you have a few extra bucks in your pocket, they have a glass bottom boat tour, or you can snorkel or dive with the sharks.  I thought it was a bit cold for that today, so we moved on. 

It was time to give a little, so we agreed to head towards the rides.  On the way is the Polar Bear exhibit which was our favourite the last time we came to Sea World.  We dragged the kids into it for a quick look prior to heading across to the rides.

The exhibit and setup at Sea World has been so successful that they have been donated another two bears.



There was only this grumpy old guy walking around the enclosure when we got there though. 

It must have been his exercise time, as he was wandering from one end of the enclosure to the other, sniffing around and searching for some more food.  We didn't get to see any of the bears swimming today.  By now the kids were really restless and bugging us to go on rides, so we left the bears behind us.

First stop was the log ride which the kids spotted on the way to the dolphin show.  We all jumped on for a ride, and got thoroughly soaked as is the case with log rides.  Ashley and Emma wanted to go again, so they took Rowan around for a second ride.

And then went around twice more for good measure.  By this stage we had had enough of waiting around, and encouraged them to try something different. 

There is only one new ride at Sea World that I wanted to try which was Jet Ski Rescue.  This is a roller coaster that has jet skis for seats, and runs through a series of high speed bank turns.  Lots of fun.  Mum, Dad and Ashley got to ride, and yet again Rowan was too short whilst Emma just wasn't interested. 



Ashley wanted to ride on the Sea Viper.  This used to be called the "Corkscrew" and I recall riding it more than 20 times the first time I went to Sea World as a kid with my dad.  Again Rowan was howling with disappointment at not being allowed to ride.  This is what faces us at every roller coaster at the moment.

Not only do we get the waterworks, but also the howls about how unfair it all is.  I do feel sorry for the poor little guy.  He is missing out on the good rides.  He told me today that all of the kids rides are really lame.

To be fair to Rowan, after Lisa and Ashley had gone around a second time on the Sea Viper, mum took the kids to the carnival rides, and dad had one more go on Jet Ski Rescue for good measure...just in case the ride was better on the right hand seat.

The kids all had a go on some of the carnival rides and seemed to be satisfied.

We were able to duck around to Dinosaur Island from the carnival rides.  This is also a new addition since we last came here.  There are several scale models of various dinosaurs that move and roar at you when you get near them.  They were very well done, and appeared quite life like at times. 

My favourite was T-Rex who towered over us as we exited the island.  He gave me a different perspective of how nasty he could have been just by his sheer size.

The next show was starting being the Fish Detectives with the Sea Lions as the supporting cast.  This show is very similar to what I remember from last time, and it is still very entertaining. 

I don't think that the kids were too enthusiastic about this one, but the great mix of humour with the help of some very well trained Sea Lions makes this show hard to go past. 


Unfortunately at this point the camera ran out of battery as is Murphy's wishing.  I grabbed the spare battery, but was pleasantly surprised to find that the spare was flat too.  Pleasantly because I got to watch and enjoy the rest of the days events without the camera in front of my face.

Sometimes it is just nice to enjoy the spectacle and take the memory away.  (I do try and share as many as possible though.)


Earlier on in the day we had seen a huge rope playground for the kids, and we returned to the other end of the park to have a look.

On the way back we stopped to see the penguin feeding which we all enjoyed immensely.

There was this great pirate boat ride that the kids went on.  They have water cannons on the ships to fire at the other ships and spectators on the footpath.  The catch is that the spectators have cannons too...MWAHAHAHA!  We had two very soggy children returned to us after this ride.  Only two you say?  Yup, Emma went around a second time just to make sure she was completely soaked.  Good on her. 

The boys went into the big rope jungle playground, and I enquired about the high ropes course that they have there.  Unfortunately the high ropes take 45 minutes, and we wanted to catch the last show of the day so I didn't go, but we have decided to come back to Sea World to see some of the things we missed.  I plan to do the ropes course, as does Ashley and Lisa.  Rowan and Emma can play in the rope jungle jim or just get soggy on the pirate boats while we do.


On our way back to the main stadium, we came across a couple of pelicans.  I couldn't help but snap this guy.  Spooky, stealth, poltergeist pelican is watching you...

Last show of the day is the Jet Ski Stunt Show.  This is new, but well worth the watch.  It is amazing to see what they can get these machines to do.

They have 200HP and can accelerate very quickly allowing them to get substantial air of a very small wake.  At one point in the freestyle expression session, one of the riders did three consecutive back flips on his jet ski.  Rowan is in awe of a new machine that he can maim himself with.

Souvenirs were calling us, and the kids spent the last of their cash today (HOORAY!) so we don't have to listen to the sooking about buying bits of useless ballast for the caravan any more.  (Rocks, Shells, Plastic Insects, Boomerangs that come in two parts...)

There were several soft toys bought by all.  Ashley got an awesome squid that he has aptly named "Noodles".  Emma Purchased a small polar bear, and a showbag of soft toys that had a penguin, a baby polar bear and a dolphin.  Lisa is a sucker for animals, so we got her a large polar bear, a fluffy penguin and a sea lion. 

Rowan only wanted a dolphin, so we pitched in a couple of dollars to make up for the fact he has been excluded on the roller coasters.  I think he is happy.  All the kids are exhausted, but are going to have to repeat their efforts a couple more times yet.