Beneath the waves
June 2nd, 2009 § 2 Comments
On Sunday we went to the Sydney Aquarium. What an amazing place. Bizarre how it can make you feel like you are looking through a porthole at a completely alien world. There were moments when I thought my daughter might self combust with excitement and I have to admit very soon I too felt the urge to run from tank to tank shouting “Wow! Look at THIS one!”.
Even though I’ve seen oodles of ocean-life docos, gazing on the real thing leaves me utterly gobsmacked, everytime. And my rampant imagination doesn’t have too much trouble placing me in the woman above’s high buttoned boots, rowing out to rendevous with Captain Nemo himself on the journey of a lifetime.
Our lights produced a thousand delightful effects while playing over these brightly colored boughs.
I fancied I saw these cylindrical, membrane–filled tubes trembling beneath the water’s undulations.
I was tempted to gather their fresh petals, which were adorned with delicate tentacles, some newly in bloom, others barely opened, while nimble fish with fluttering fins brushed past them like flocks of birds. But if my hands came near the moving flowers of these sensitive, lively creatures, an alarm would instantly sound throughout the colony. The white petals retracted into their red sheaths, the flowers vanished before my eyes, and the bush changed into a chunk of stony nipplesFrom 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne.
First Image ~ ‘Woman in a rowing boat’ c1890 From the Collection of National Media Museum/Kodak Museum | Porthole used as a frame ~ Porthole Fun, Lofaesofa
I love the photo of the woman rowing a boat in a long dress and straw hat. She probably was wearing a corset too given how tiny her waist was. Just imagine doing that now!
Yes! I too felt that same excitement whilst watching some enormous jellyfish at an airport aquarium recently. It was just so amazing to see their motion up close – a watery medium lends such unbelieveable grace. We encounter this world so infrequently that it’s totally like watching creatures from another planet.