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Wow Place #263: Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta
If I were to assert, “Angels walk among us,” you’d probably think either 1) Geez, Dave has found religion or 2) Dave has been reading too many urban fantasy books. Well, what if I changed it to “Angels swim among us”?
Whatever you may think, I stand by my assertion — and no, I haven’t gone off the deep end. I’m actually talking about the angelic beluga whales on display at the Georgia Aquarium. With their distinctive, white color and prominent foreheads, beluga whales are hard to miss. As they dip and glide in the Georgia Aquarium’s giant, glass, viewing tank, you can’t help thinking, “These are creatures from a kinder, more-graceful dimension.” Maybe it’s the fact that they have flexible necks that enable them to nod and turn their heads in all directions. Maybe it’s that belugas are known for their curious and friendly nature. Maybe it’s that they emit a series of chirps, clicks and whistles, earning them the nickname “canaries of the sea.” For me, however, it’s their smiles. Beluga whales always appear to be grinning, always appear to have a constant smile on their face. In my mind, they’re swimming angels.
The Georgia Aquarium, of course, is more than belugas. From its opening in 2005 until 2012, it was the largest aquarium in the world (surpassed later by aquariums in Singapore and China). It’s currently the largest such facility in the US and the sixth largest in the world. Some of its notable specimens include whale sharks, California sea lions, bottlenose dolphins, manta rays, sea otters and tiger sharks. Its grand centerpieces is a 6.3 million gallon whale shark exhibit — a sight that has to be seen to be believed. Split into seven galleries and exhibits, the aquarium takes a full-day to experience as you wander through sections like: Tropical Diver, Ocean Voyager, Cold Water Quest, Southern Company River Scout, Dolphin Coast, Trist Pier 225 and Aquanat Adventure: A Discover Zone. Each exhibit corresponds to a specific environment. And that doesn’t even count the “Journey with Gentle Giants” experience, where you can suit up and scuba dive with whale sharks and manta rays!
Myself, I’m happy to stay in my street clothes, behind the safety of thick glass, and just gawk at the graceful, smiling beluga whales. A few, fun Beluga facts:
• The rounded structure on the top of their heads is called a “melon.” It can change shapes when the whale is producing sounds. The melon focuses and projects echolocation signals through water
• Their lips can be pursed to form the shape of an “O.”
• Belugas do not chew. Most of their food is swallowed whole.
• They often hunt cooperatively.
• Their calves are dependent on their mother’s milk for the first 6-12 months of life and may nurse opportunistically until 2 years of age.
• Beluga skin is ten times thicker than dolphin skins and 100 times thicker than human skin.
• They can swim backwards.
There aren’t many opportunities in a lifetime to see “swimming angels.” Get yourself to the Georgia Aquarium and become a believer.
(It’s thought that belugas are so friendly because they come from an environment relatively free of predators. This raises the question, to be “happy” should we seek “safe” environments of our own? On the one hand, the place you live and the folks you associate with make a huge difference. Just look at the Blue Zones (popularized by Dan Buettner), the places in the world that produce more centenarians than anywhere else. The Blue Zone are characterized by safety, community, activity, spirituality and healthy eating. On the other hand, I’ve visited developing countries with low, overall income where people appear to be far happier than, say, your typical American suburb, where half the people are taking anti-depressants and undergoing therapy. So how important is environment? That’s really up to you to decide. No place is 100% safe. About the best we can do in a dangerous world is create micro-environments of safety – our homes, our families, our communities, our circles friends. And of course, do the inner work—creating safety in our hearts and in our minds.)