Mystic Aquarium and Institute for Exploration in Mystic, CT was for a couple of decades just a typical Aquarium, but now it must be listed among the top five in the nation. It also heads a unique class of its own with the coordinated efforts of Bob Ballard, the famous sea-explorer who recovers many historic underwater wonders, his most famous being the Titanic. The Aquarium was completely renovated in 1999 at which time Bob’s Challenge of the Deep was opened to exhibit his finds and his equipment when it is not in use.
Bob, a marine archeologist, had spent years SCUBA diving and also “going below” in small submarines. To descend to the ocean floor outside of the exploration sub required several hours, and several moree hours to re-ascend, leaving only a few hours to explore. While on a dive, Bob looked into the sub window and realized his crew-members were watching his movements on the TV monitor inside the sub instead of looking through the window directly at him, and it occurred to him that this could be done from the ship above. He began to develop the ROV, now a standard way to search the ocean depths. Thus began a new generation of ocean exploration.Monitoring ROV Undersea, Challenge of the Deep, Mystic Aquarium, CT Remote Onsite Vehicles could be operated and viewed from above water, and research was not limited to the few man-hours of air pressure. An ROV robot could act as an archeologist to retrieve finds. Now much ocean floor research and study is on-site and by camera, and the artifacts are left in their natural grave underwater. Bob found the PT 109 (of J. F. Kennedy in World War II fame) a few years ago. You can learn all about it in the Challenge of the Deep exhibit. If you are one of the lucky children in each group of visitors, you can even operate an actual robot in real time beneath the sea, perhaps half a world away, and watch the monitor camera from Mystic Aquarium. The scientific and archeological discoveries Bob exhibits at his Challenge of the Deep provide a wealth of knowledge in a world of fun presentation, for kids of all ages.
Mystic Aquarium has exciting face-to-fish exhibits of numerous forms of underwater life, from sea, river, and tide-pools. You can handle many of the animals in the hands-on exhibits, or get an extra behind-the-scenes tour ticket to help feed them and to get a closer view of the mechanics of the aquarium. Men especially like to see the huge machinery required to filter the 850,000 gallons of water every 70 minutes, which is salinated to the perfect balance and returned to the aquaria, providing healthy environs for all the aquatic life.
Animal Rights advocates will be happy to learn that Mystic Aquarium never takes animals from the wild. All of the specimen are either the result of Mystic’s extensive breeding program, or they were rescued as part of the North East Stranded Program. Workers answer calls in Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Cape Cod to rescue and nurse injured animals and return them to their natural homes.
We were simply overwhelmed at the first large, glass viewing window where big, white beluga
whales turned somersaults in the water, blinking playfully at us. The two males (identified by chubby “love handles” on their sides) and four females are part of a national breeding program for which this aquarium has been chosen. The breeding season is in winter, and that is fortunate for tourists because in summer, from June to October, you can sign up ahead of your visit to join the Beluga Contact Program. You’ll don waders provided and get into the water to pet these friendly aquatic mammals. To plan ahead for this wondrous event call 860-572-5955, Ext. 520. But whether you sign up for this program or not, your children will feel as if they have touched the whales when they come nose-to nose with them through the glass, and you’ll get great photos!
Several other breeding colonies are fun to watch. A large group of northern Fur Seals and lighter, spotted Harbor Seals are in residence here in an environment that replicates Cook Inlet of Alaska. You’ll find also a very active group of Stellar Sea Lions, the largest of the species. These endangered animals are part of the research, education, and breeding program to try to save the species, which is dying in the wild. These animals love to play with each other and are quite agile in the water. Note that sea lions have no ears, their most easily distinguished difference from seals. Sea lions also can climb much higher than seals because seals are mobile only by their front flippers, instead of all four, as the sea lions.
No one will want to miss the antics of the African penguins which are quite social and friendly and enjoy contact with people. They are quick to learn and are rewarded, not with food but with petting. This exhibit is open-air, and you can go behind the scenes where they jump onto their own scales to be weighed and even sit on the workers’ laps. Mystic has a successful breeding program to help save this species. They lose their little tuxedos each year when they molt. Just prior to molting, their eating increases fivefold because while molting they stop eating and stay out of the water. When new feathers have grown in, they preen themselves very carefully so that each feather lies just right, in order to be waterproof! The breeding program here is so successful and the birds such good parents that penguins from other aquaria are sent here so that these can teach other penguins these vital skills.
The aquarium animals here are lucky diners: they eat restaurant quality, grade A fish, 30,000 pounds of it a month! Attendants begin at 5:30 a.m. removing fish from the freezer to thaw for food. Food is checked carefully three times before it is fed to the aquarium resident animals.
Hungry human visitors will find two good places to eat: Water Front Café has many selections and serves people quickly. For the more leisurely and relaxing meal in a lovely setting, select Lakeside Patio Restaurant beneath the yellow tent. You’ll find delicious fare in both.
Mystic Aquarium averages about 5,000 visitors daily during summer but handles the crowds skillfully with adequate indoor and outdoor room and exhibits. There are shows and shops. Special exhibits change frequently, so you’ll want to return often if you live in the area. It is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. year-round except Christmas, New Year’s, and Thanksgiving.
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