Turtle Hospital

One of the coolest things about being a parent is doing all the great things there are out there for kids to do and people don't think you are a weirdo.  Well today we visited on the coolest places I think Charleston has to offer, The Turtle Hospital at the South Carolina Aquarium.  I will go ahead and tell I am 100% sure I liked this experience just as much or maybe even more than MC.  

We are members of the Aquarium and we go there a good bit, MC has it memorized and had her own little path she takes.  We did our normal run through (yes it is a run through, we can cover the Aquarium in no time flat).  We normally view the Turtle Hospital from the flat screen TVs on the second floor, but today we saw it live in person face to face.  We bought our tickets for the 11:30 tour and MC waited patiently for our time (Little R just slept in her stroller)!

When our tour time came I swear to goodness I think I had bigger butterflies than she did.  Growing up here I have seen all my life the sea turtle nesting process happen on barrier islands.  Summers on the beach we learned about turning the lights off so the little turtles can follow the moon to the ocean and not think the ocean front houses are the way to the sea.  (Did you know that is why the new Cooper River Bridge turns its big lights off at a certain time every night).  I have been on the ocean and watched a loggerhead come up for air in the mist of a calm day, but I had never seen then this way before. 

So down to the basement we went.  When you first enter the TH, it is super warm, due to the fact the turtles, being reptiles are cold blooded.  We had a great tour guide Jacque.  She educated us on the 4 types of Sea Turtles on the East Coast region and then she showed us the turtles themselves.

 

Right now they have 11 turtles and hope to return all that they can back to their natural habitat.  Each turtle has a name, a brief bio and a story above their tank.  I was amazed about the amount of care that the volunteers and doctors give these animals.  It is amazing to hear and see the rehabilitation process. 

 

 

 

I could blog for hours about this experience and never be able to tell you how cool it really was.  The TH sparked the kid and nerd in me.  I have decided when I have some free time (not quite sure when in the world that will be) the TH will be the place that I give my time.  It is amazing.  Do yourself and the turtles a favor pay the extra 7 or so bucks and take the tour!  All the money from the tours goes right the hospital itself.  

 

Today might have been my first visit however, I know one little girl and one her Momma that will make this a more regular part of our visits to the Aquarium.  For more information visit the Aquarium's website:  www.scaquarium.org or directly link to the TURTLE HOSPITAL here.

Here are to the awesome things we get to do as parents that keep us laughing, loving and living!