Back around 2000, I think it was, the SC Aquarium started offering memberships. Whoever purchased a membership that first year was deemed a "Charter Member." After ten years, the Charter Members who had maintained their membership that whole time, were all invited to a reception one mid-week late summer night. There was food, drinks, live music, and (best of all) you got to see all the exhibits with people who really love the aquarium.
Each year since that decade mark the SC Aquarium has honored its Charter Members with a reception. This year the reception was the night of August 30, 2016.
I was so afraid I was going to miss it this year, as I had been very sick. I was given an antibiotic on the Saturday prior that wasn't working, so I was given a different antibiotic the day before the reception. I had missed work that Monday and Tuesday, and didn't really feel myself, but I reasoned that if I couldn't go to the aquarium for an hour that night, I surely wouldn't be able to work the long day I had planned for the next day, so I talked myself into going and I'm so glad I did.
I learned that there are new things coming to the aquarium soon!
The Madagascar Exhibit is being replaced with the the new Zucker Family Sea Turtle Recovery™ Exhibit sometime around May 2017. I'm very excited about this, as I LOVE the sea turtles. The Zucker family is all about supporting education, so this exhibit will be interactive and educational. Win win! I can not wait!
This year at the reception they let us tour their present sea turtle hospital, which is located on the lower level of the aquarium and not generally open to the public. I just love these gentle creatures and feel so honored to have been able to see them so close up.
Here are some photos I took of a few of the turtles in the sea turtle hospital. There were a good many that I did not photograph, but I think these photos are a good representation of what I saw.
The first two photos are of Sumter. She was my favorite. No. I really have no clue if she is a she or a he, because this turtle is a teenager and you can't tell their gender until they are at least in their mid-20s, but I like to think this is a she. She just seemed like a girl to me.
Sumter was very active and personable and I just loved her.
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| Sumter |
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| Sumter |
Here are some other turtles (below) who are presently in the hospital but these are scheduled to be released back into the sea soon.
My friend, Judy, took this last picture (below). It is a good sized porcupine puffer fish in the main part of the aquarium. This fish was very friendly and just downright interested in us. We spent a good bit of time with it. I liked it a lot!
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| Photo Courtesy of Judy Shillito |
And last (but not least), before I end today's post, I'd like to say a BIG, "THANK YOU!!" to the South Carolina Aquarium for acknowledging and thanking their Charter Members and treating us to a night at the aquarium once a year. Way to go, SC Aquarium! This is yet another way I know I've been supporting a very good thing all these years. 😊
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