Something fishy on the prom. . . (From Daily Echo)

Something fishy on the prom. . .

3:47pm Friday 19th September 2008 in

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WITH most of the so-called summer a washout, it can be quite a task to find somewhere to visit with a two-year-old in tow.

But despite the endless torrential rain and gusting wind, my friend, her young son and I were determined that our planned day to the seaside would still happen.

And the beauty about visiting Bournemouth is that, come rain or shine, there is something to keep any eager youngster occupied.

Just a stones throw from the beach that was meant to be the focus of our day, the town’s Oceanarium is the perfect respite if outside the weather is failing you.

It seems we were not alone with our plan – the queues out the door of rainsoaked mums, dads and grandparents showed just how popular this attraction is.

The Bournemouth Oceanarium may not be the biggest building around, but what it lacks in heaps of space is made up for in content, with ten naturally themed environments to visit.

As well as spending much of our two-hour visit searching for Nemo, there’s a chance to see every kind of water creature from tiny turtles to the most spectacular coloured fish of the kind you see in exotic reefs.

Walking underwater through a specially-built tunnel is one of the best bits of the centre, where sharks and rare green sea turtles and stingrays can be admired from every angle.

There’s also a lot on offer for those seeking more contentment than just looking at the many different species.

The award-winning attraction also boasts its latest piece of technology in the form of an interactive dive cage where visitors are submerged in the ocean on a virtual adventure and are even swallowed during an encounter with a blue whale.

Themed exhibits, documentaries to stop and watch and daily feeding of some of the creatures are an extra bonus to older children, and of course the grown-ups, who want to learn more about the fascinating world of the deep blue seas.