Saturday, February 25, 2012

Vintage Gulfarium--Ft. Walton Beach, Fla. Oldest Operating Facility of It's Kind In The World

Year unknown. Jim Alexander, I have never seen such concentration in the delivery of the target to a non-human denizen of the deep in the rarely seen "breach 0 death," in my life. Just chilling how he has willed this fish to come to daddy!!!!! :)





1978

2 comments:

Greg May said...

KING OF AQUARIA says: "The photo of the dolphin leaping to take a fish from the mouth of the sea lion was a featured attraction at Gulfarium's show. If the theme park industry ever gave an award for the most innovative design it would have to go to Gulfarium for their 'Living Sea' reef tank. The 60,000-gallon tank was the FIRST exhibit of its kind to employ floor-to-surface viewing windows. This was totally unique for 1955. This oceanarium has survived a number of hurricanes. During Hurricane Elena, Greg Seibenaler jumped the fence to check on his marine charges and found a 10-ft. lemon shark snapping at his feet. Notice how the water level in their circular dolphin tank is halfway up the viewing windows? That was Brandy's idea so guests below deck could watch the dolphins jumping from an underwater perspective. I always thought Gulfarium was a highly-underrated attraction. But it was the only attraction in the Florida Panhandle to remain open year round. Read about other Florida oceanariums at www.florida-backroads-travel.com."

Greg May said...

KING OF AQUARIA says: "It is with sadness that I learned today that GREG SEIBENALER had passed away due to complications of emphysema. My article, 'Gulfarium: Last of the Great Oceanariums' on www.florida-backroads-travel.com was a tribute to his entrepeneur father, Brandy."