Keep What’s Wild, Wild

Sleeping sea lions in Dana Point Habour. By M.C.
Sleeping Sea Lions in Dana Point Harbor. By M.C.

One of my core beliefs is just because I see something doesn’t mean I must possess it. I feel SeaWorld has not learned this lesson. Why must we put dolphins and whales in aquariums and make them do tricks? It’s the nature of man to capture and conquer. I’m so glad this topic has been in the news.

U.S. Ambassador to Japan, Caroline Kennedy, tweeted out her concern for the dolphins in Japan @carolinekennedy.

NPR’s All Things Considered highlighted the movie Blackfish. A blog I follow,  The Journey of Two, has a response to Blackfish with great links and follows two other blogs about wild Orcas.

Peta protested at SeaWorld today. Other protestors were in front of SeaWorld San Diego about a month ago. I believe the same group protested at the Rose Parade getting arrested where SeaWorld had a float. I don’t know the group’s name or if it is linked to Protest SeaWorld, but if you click on February 16 there is lots of staggering information. It doesn’t say where they get their information.

The San Diego Reader has also published that SeaWorld is San Diego Bay’s largest polluter from dumping marine mammal excrement and ammonia. I’m surprised it’s not the Navy who dumps trash from their ships when out to sea.

I have found whale watching to be a much more memorable experience than SeaWorld.

Captain Dave’s Dolphin Safari is a fun way to educate your family about marine mammals. You will see gray whales, common and bottlenose dolphins. Sometimes, they have seen a super pod of five thousand dolphins. It’s an amazing experience watching the dolphins ride a wave along the catamaran. Downstairs you will have a chance to listen to the dolphins as you lie down and look through the glass.

Captain Dave is on a mission to educate the public. He has a book Lily, A Gray Whales’ Odyssey that is a true story about a gray whale that was entangled in gill nets in Dana Point Harbor. Dave has also gone on Ellen to talk about fishing practices that cause these situations. Find this information on his website and much more, like what they see daily. There is also livestream.

Instead of going to SeaWorld in San Diego go on a whale watching tour in Dana Point to see whales and dolphins happily in their natural habitat. Dana Point is about an hour north of Mission Bay, San Diego. It’s a beautiful harbor. This is definitely a memorable trip. Way better than a “marine park.”