A Fishy Story

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Greetings fellow discoverer, yes it's your favourite time of the month again and my favourite time of the year. Yours truly has always been a big fan of December, probably due to the fact that it's my middle name (my parents were rather eccentric in their youth).

It's Holiday Time Again

For most Capetonians, December is all about having fun, and your trusty Caped Discoverer is no exception, some people do not share this enthusiasm with me though. I have a good friend who is a housewife and mother of three. She absolutely hates this month. "I absolutely hate this month," she told me recently. "My kids are home from school and I always run out of ideas for them. Where do I take them? What can I let them do? I don't want them sitting at home all day because in all honesty they annoy me a little bit." I nodded sympathetically and decided to spoil her, seeing as this is almost Christmas time and the season of giving. "Let me take them to the Aquarium" I said without thinking. She looked at me blankly. "We have an Aquarium?".

The Two Oceans Aquarium

Amazingly, many people do not know or seem to have forgotten about our beloved Aquarium so I thought we'd revisit it and give it a bit of a plug. Situated near the Waterfront, the Two Oceans Aquarium can provide hours of entertainment as you gawp at strange and exotic looking fishes. You may even learn an amazing fact or two about the exciting lives of kelp, and may soon be able to amaze dinner party guests with your brilliant knowledge. Lets face it, everyone loves looking smart at dinner parties, don't they?

So back to the Aquarium, they've been around for a few years now, having opened it's doors in the mid nineties. It's Cape Town's first and only world class aquarium and has attracted more than 4 million visitors which is quite an amazing feat. They try and cater for everyone, so whether you're a loner looking to explore by yourself or someone looking for a guided tour, your needs will be catered for. Daily feedings are held at the "I&J Predator Exhibit" at 15h30 so be sure not to miss that. Penguins are also fed daily at 12h00 and 15h00 (I guess they're greedy), Seals at 14h30 and the fishes in the Kelp forrest are fed Wednesday at 11h30 and Sundays at 12h30.

Get a Day Pass

You are allowed to leave the aquarium and come back later in the day (be sure to get a re-entry stamp though) and you can travel between the Waterfront and the Aquarium using a "Water Taxi" (It's a boat. I'd much rather walk though).

If your kids are becoming a pain and you're tempted to throw them into the Shark tank, take a deep breathe and pay a visit to the Holcim Activity Centre, where they'll be amused by puppet shows, puzzles and other arts and crafts which children seem to love.

Admission Costs

Admission costs will set you back R60 as an adult, R28 for kids (4 -17 years), and free to those under 4. I tried persuading the one kid I was taking to sit in a pram, but he flatly refused so I was forced to pay the full R28 for the spoilsport. Something I found quite interesting is that the Aquarium gladly welcomes volunteers and they're always on the lookout for them, so if you're looking for a free day at the Aquarium there's always that route to take.

Have a Great Christmas

Anyway, to sum up my story, my friend's kids had a ball at the Aquarium. They've learnt to appreciate and respect Cape Town's sea life and I am now an expert on the sex life of the sea urchin. I guess everyone won. Let me finish this month by wishing everyone a happy and fun filled Christmas time, exploring and discovering new places in the beautiful city of Cape Town.

Signing off.
The Caped Discoverer

 

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