S.E.A. Aquarium @RW Sentosa

Let us continue the previous topic - where I went to see the Maritime Experiential Museum (MEM) at Resorts World Sentosa, because it precedes (you have to pass by it in going to) this South East Asia Aquarium, which was what I came for. Not that I did not like it, MEM was actually a wonderful 'bonus'.

But here we are.., on the thing that I really came to visit.., the SEA Aquarium @ Resorts World Sentosa.

Yes, most visitors (or even staff at Resorts World) would pronounce it as "Sea Aquarium" that sounds like "C Aquarium". Seldom would anyone spell the S.E.A to mean South East Asia. Just so you'll know!

This was the largest "oceanarium" in the world when it opened in late 2012, until it was overshadowed a mere 2 years after, by a similar facility in Zhuhai. Same with that wide viewing panel (picture above). This one is 118ft wide, the 'challenger' is 130ft. Both 27ft tall. Halata, me hinabaan konti, masabi lang!

Wheh, di bale.., at least ito, made in Singapore. Eh yun? Eh di made in China! Duu!

Anyway, let's start from when I entered.., after going down from the museum (MEM) up above..,

From here on, you will not see any window to the outside world - probably confirming my calculations that this entire aquarium facility is already at an underwater level. Hmm, exciting! I believe this is only practical in consonance with the law of gravity and how sea creatures live/behave. Hirap gawin nyan!

Here is the nakaka-inis na nakaka-tuwa na portion, I am sure you will at least look around!

A big store (novelty shop) full of cute and cuddly things that are not only good as pasalubong but also nice for your very own happiness. Mostly "useless-but-priceless" - yung nakita mo lang ngingiti ka na?!

Ah, by the way, parang buong Singapore yata (pati sa airport) eh Pokémon ang theme for this season!

Yung Pokémon Balls, they're not perfect balls. Medyo flat, throw pillow yata ang totoong function nila!

How about a "pod" of dolphins and/or a "bale" of sea turtles, you like? Sige bili ka, ayan andami nila o!

If you noticed there are already spaces in that display rack for dolphins and turtles. That was because a lovely lady (mukhang yayamanin na bombai) was busy picking them (one of each size), and she was smiling parang bata. She was humming a song (or chant?) as she did so -di ko alam kung mantra yun!

I said "excuse me madam, let me please take just one picture before you wipe them out". Humagikgik sya saying "ov corrs yong maen, go ahead beforr I brring dem howme"! Ang tunog nya.., parang in the middle of Queen Elizabeth's chuckle na mala-donya at yung tawa ni eng-eng, yung kalaban ni Simatar!

Hey, if only to prove that there are many nice things in this store, I can divulge that I bought something here! But I'll never tell via this blog kung ano binili ko, because alam ko ang susunod na kabanata... all of you will say "eh yung sa akin", "how about me", "ako, walang pasalubong?", etc.! Kaya, magsitigil ka!

Anyway, ang dami pang pasakalye, tara na nga let's enter na the aquarium. Now na!

Wait! Before we enter, let me tell a misconception on my part, so you don't have to be "my synonym" in being 'duh' (estyoped)! Because of the name "SEA Aquarium", I all along thought that what I would see inside was/is just one big aquarium - as in singular, as in like 'just' the first picture above. I was wrong!

The SEA Aquarium (I realized) is composed of so many aquariums (yep we can also say aquaria) of so many types, shapes and sizes, that I lost count! But the first photo above is the biggest of them all.

Ahh, one last thing.., (huwag ka muna mag-huramentado importante ito): This place is just fine to the naked eye, but too dark to a lowly Samsung phone's camera. Plus, electric lights at the viewing areas, even signage outside these aquariums create glare, reflection and many other things that could make your pictures blurry or just plainly ugly. Plus, all the fish keep moving, mostly very fast. Makabuang oi!

My solution: video instead of photo. When fish move, I could also move to follow, with the camera still capturing them! Well, the reflections (even of myself) could still be seen here and there, but I was/am satisfied with what I got! Thus, I have 12 videos below, even if I already lumped shorter clips into one!

The Shipwreck Sharks
This is a continuation of the first picture above - the big, wide, 36-meter viewing panel. "Shipwreck" is the theme being portrayed here. That theme could change (a staff told me), depending on the season!

Ah, I don't know how many sharks and how many kinds are in that giant tank. But nice to see them up close and 'face-to-face'. Even with the thick glass, it felt chillingly scary and excitingly scholarly. Jaws!

There is ample information that can be seen and read by visitors of all ages, all about these creatures!

There are even games and educational activities hosted/curated by technically conversant staff!

Girl with a hijab at right is an aquarium staff. She was answering a barrage of questions from that kid!

You of course, did not fail to notice other creatures harmoniously 'co-habitating' with the sharks, right? Like those charming sting rays? They are well-liked by visitors as they seem to be perennially smiling!

Eels In Full View
What eels, who eels, where eels, why eels! It is not common that we see live eels from tip to tip, right?

Even in professionally crafted documentaries, we usually only see their heads or eerie faces, while the rest of their long bodies hide in dark crevices, right? But in this aquarium, we can see full body lengths of eels, live, doing what they do best (wiggle?) in their very own 'habitats'! And, it's usually not just one or two that you will see. There's a whole barkada of them congregating at their underwater tambayan!

Information boards say many things to introduce eel to our liking. All I can say is.., ayaw, takot ako!

That board says "they look menacing but are generally shy and will bite only if provoked". All I can say is "hiyay, do humans and eels have the same definition of "provoke"? I still don't/won't like them hehe!

Thanks to this SEA Aquarium anyway, since we get to see these frighteningly grotesque creatures up-close but safe (behind thick glass), di ba? Nice knowing more about them too. I still abhor them hehe!

The Calm & Collected Crawlers
Oh, the lobsters and crabs won't be left behind! They're also around just minding their own business!

Interesting to see that even if far different from one another, and seemingly hostile to other species.., lobsters and crabs can actually just go about calmly on their own ways, oblivious of the many fishes 'hovering' or 'fluttering' around them. If only humans (who have bigger brains) could be like them, our world would be much wonderful! By the way, those spider crabs are so huge. Isang paa lang ulam na!

Look here.., the crab is a little far, but compare that to the size of the girl's phone and her hands!

Imagine.., "the leg span can reach 12 feet", my gosh, busog tayo dyan.., "carapace width can reach 15 inches", palanggana na yan ah! Ilang maki, nigiri, tempura, kanijiru, kanimeshi ba kaya ang magagawa sa isang ganyan? Yummy-yum-yum. Kahit gyoza, sige! Ah I've tried that - gyoza na me kani ang laman!

Colorful Underwater Fiesta!
The corals, hard or soft, teem with a plethora of colors that the surroundings look like its a big fiesta!

Seeing that gigantic vertical cylindrical tank, what came to my mind was "The Jetsons"! Every creature is just floating about on their own respective "city" directions, but no hostilities, no issues whatsoever!

Unity in diversity ang dating! Every species seem to contribute to the overall harmony. I said to myself, I could watch this all day. It's like being in an underwater city. Mesmerizingly beautiful to say the least!

The fish too seem to be sporting a diverse new version of colors, combinations and patterns..,

Some are yellow-and-pink, some are purple-and-yellow, others are pink and purple, and so on. Some of them are spotted, some are striped vertically, others horizontally, others diagonally, and yet still others more even have their outer look like that of a 'PCB Chip' - yes a 'printed circuit board'! Diversely lovely!

Big, [yet still] Colorful, Calm and Cool
Oh another misconception.., I thought the bigger the fish, the less bright their colors are. I was wrong!

There are bigger fish that're still very colorful. Some even have more elaborate and complex 'prints' on their outer 'skin' layer - tataob ang monotonous patterned letters ng LV Bag mo, kahit na tunay pa yan!

Here's a closer look at the 'skin' of the white fish in the video (zoomed and a little darkened for clarity)

The other thing I noticed with these bigger fish is that, they're cool, elegant gliders. Chill lang ba. As in swabe sila gumalaw! Not frenzied nor panicky. Konti lang kung kumembot, hindi maharot! Di ba Jun?

Crowding Crowd Pleasers
I observed too, many fish by the corals seem to enjoy crowding together, as if to "see-and-be-seen"!

To the extent that their merry mix of colors and patterns sometimes look like fireworks explosion with many colors bursting together! Thus they become reliable crowd-drawers for young and adult visitors.

Ah the last segment of that last clip above, there were just too many people crowding to see all those fish, particularly the most popular 'artista kind" of them all - you can hear kids calling out their names!

You guessed it right.., of course, nakisiksik din ako, makita ko man lang yung animinimonie! Aliwness!

Jolly Jerking Jellies
Ah they're also 'represented' in this aquarium! The bouncy little ones and the graceful lethal big ones.

Note: my camera was never inverted hehe, it's just how they are.., to us they look upside-down. But are they really? Tanungin nga natin ang mga dikyang 'yan minsan! Baka lang iba ang point of view nila 'no!

While watching the smaller pulsating jellies, I couldn't help but pick some kind of a tempo in my mind. The regularity of their movement seemed like they were rocking to a song hehe. Naging musician ako!

On the other hand, looking at those big translucent (some transparent) bigger jellyfish not only raised goose bumps but I actually shuddered a bit. Well, if you have ever been stung by any jellyfish, you will know what I mean. There was a time nagka-fever pa ako on top of the excruciating pain. Masakit yan.

Awesome, yes amazing that they become the color of light that shines upon them. But that should be it. They are better viewed in aquariums like these, than encountered in the wild (at sea) - because that is truly unforgettable! Salabay, sabay, dikya, bukya, bokya, whatever it's called, if it stings, magdusa ka!

THE Nautilus
Ah, this visit became a 'milestone' for me because of the Nautilus. This was the first time I saw it live!

I've seen nautilus shells many times. I guess everywhere there was a beach that I've ever been to! But I did not know, no one told me (even my teachers from kinder to college), that these creatures, though living inside heavy shells are not actually sand or bottom dwellers like the crabs, lobsters or scallops!

They may rest on rocks especially when laying eggs. But, they actually like floating up and down coral reef walls or slopes foraging, from near the surface to as deep as 2,300 feet! Malalim ang isang 'to ah!

The Dolphins
Yes there are dolphins at the SEA Aquarium, and some of you may remember they came from Subic.

Did you hear the oohs and aahs of the children (and adults too!) beside me? Yeah, dolphins are crowd drawers wherever they may be in the world! And did you see there were mothers and babies? Sweeet!

We cannot anymore say they are still those that came from Subic's Ocean Adventure. The little ones may have already been born at this aquarium, right? I really wanted to ask the mothers, but my ik-ik-eeek and twit-twit-tweeet won't penetrate the glass hahaha! Di ko rin alam kung Tagalog pa rin sila or Singlish lah, o baka Bahasa o Chinese o Tamil na hehehe hihihi! Who knows, baka re-educated na sila!

Basta, nag-sumiksik ako dyan hanggang napunta sa harap, until I was able to shoot the video above!

What I can recall though is, sometime 2011 or 2012, news of 20+ dolphins dominated headlines and front pages of both Philippines and Singapore. It said conservation and animal rights groups in both countries were against the transport/transfer of Resorts World's dolphins from Solomon Islands that were kept (in transit) at the Ocean Adventure in Subic. I can't remember details why they opposed it.

I do remember me hablaan, injunction, TRO whatever pang naganap, ang ending natuloy din ang flight ng 20+ dolphins! Isa daw namatay pa sa flight pero ang ending-ending, ayan na sila sa SEA Aquarium!

Nag-rally-rally pa yata noon. So ano na? Ah, ewan, basta ganun na nga, hehehe!

Parade, Procession or Rally?
Ah ito gusto ko.., parang mga students sa school.., aw teka "school of fish" nga! I liked their "action"!

Fascinating how everyone follows, well, everyone! I watched a while. I wanted to ask, ano ito, parade? Eh walang drum and bugle corps, baka prosisyon! Eh walang karo at mga kandila, baka me rally! Yun!

Baka nag-aaklas ang mga uring manggagawa... oops uring manlalangoy pala! Baka niyuyurakan ang kanilang mga karapatang pang-isda, ng mga mapang-abusong, maka-kapitalista na tuta ng estados!

Kaso tahimik eh. Baka silent-protest!

At ano naman ang ginagawa ng dalawang Balanak na yan? Ano sila, bantay? O bantay salakay? Aba at mukhang pareho pa sila camera-shy ano? Talagang binakuran ang camera, yung isa e umatras pa!

Balanak nga ba ang dalawang iyan? Are they? Whatever hehe! By the way, Balanak (Tagalog/Waray) is the same in Bahasa. Sa Cebu kasi, they/we remove "la", kaya Banak! Ganyan sila/kami, like "wala"(left) becomes "wa"; "wala"(none) also becomes "wa". But it is not everytime that the Cebuano will omit "la" in every word that uses it. Kasi, paano nila kakantahin ito: Deck the halls with boughs of holly, fa_ _ _?

Da! Nabuang na!

Seriously, I liked their organized and well-coordinated movements. Sapsap ba ang mga ito? Mukhang hindi 'no? Anyway, I was also awed that they know where to go, in case they have to break the line off.

The Yellow Crowd
Ang mga dilawan! No I do not subscribe to them, but let's dedicate this clip to their color, at least!

Unbelievably beautifully shiny yellow, right? And they like to congregate, so all the more that they paint the town yellow! I say.., if ever I will have an aquarium at home, it should contain something like them!

Others more!
And here's one more clip of equally fascinating rarely seen creatures but are now at SEA Aquarium..,

You probably noticed, those twig-like leaf-like things floating are also fish! Did you see the sea-snakes too? One is a 'banded sea-snake', the white one, I don't know. Of course you saw the 'bamboo sharks', the horned puffer, the white spotted puffer (brown ang tingin ko dun ah), and the pretty golden puffer!

Too many photos and videos I have here in a single story, I think. Yet, I can't say that's all there is to it. These are just the ones I was able or willing to capture, based on my personal circumstances and the flailing capacities of my telephone's memory, battery, and even lens! There are more in this aquarium.

Here's an example.., this is called a "walkthrough glass tunnel". Pansinin nyo walang naka-hangad!

Eh nakakapagod kaya tumingala ng matagal sa dami ng shark, rays, etc., etc! Masakit sa leeg at batok ha? Ayan tuloy, ginawa nang tambayan - me upuan eh! Dapat daanan lang yan na walang pahingahan.

Bakit ayaw ko na pahingahan yan? Kasi, in our modern times, 1] maiilang ka mag-kodak na andyan sa likod at harapn mo yun mga taong naka-upo, pinag-mamasdan ka, ang iba nakasimangot pa; 2] laging me ibang tao sa lahat ng picture mo dyan sa tunnel! Buti sana kung mga K-Pop / J-Pop na nakahilera!

Here's another wonder.., a big octopus confidently resting in full view of the aquarium visitors!

Particularly the octopus, many of the creatures in this aquarium are generally shy, right? They usually hide behind anything huwag lang makita ng kapwa nila, o ng mga tao. So I wondered why they do not avoid the glass. Hmm, maybe it has a special coating where only the 'people side' could see through.

Here's another of the "new to me" sightings at this aquarium, a unique sea star (forgot the name)!

This one at bottom-center. It has orangy flower-like little fronds in the middle of its star-shaped body - parang binudburan ng arnibal o! And it is not rigid-hard like the horned or chocolate-chip sea star. This one's body is pliant like a cloth, I saw one crawling up a rock, even clambering over its fellow seastars.

I think this was also the first time I saw Sea Dragons (in the pic are Australian Sea Dragons)

They are (I think) cousins of the Sea Horse, just bigger, and they look like twigs or branches of some sea-dwelling plants. They're the brownish "leaves" at left of the collage. Difficult to spot even up close!

Anyway and OMG, I got carried away telling you many things. This has been such a long story hehehe! Yet there are others that I did not mention, like the "touch" area where children (and adults) do enjoy.

Exit is even dramatic too! You cross a transparent glass bridge over a 'mangrove swamp' complete w/ real mangrove trees and shallow water where creatures as we usually find at mangroves, swim about!

A very educational "must experience" place for young and old!