Our photographer timed this one perfectly, capturing the dolphin (or porpoise, or monkey, or whatever the hell that thing is) just as it passed through the flaming hoop of death. You can even see the reflection of the flames on its skin. After jumping through about 25 times, the dolphin was medium-rare and ready for eating.
In another nearby tank, Bubbles the psychic pilot whale smiles for the camera as he makes an impressive jump. In spite of his many talents and subsequent stardom, Bubbles remained the humble whale-next-door that he always was.
The whole "BBQ Dolphin" promotion sure fizzled back in 67 huh?
ReplyDeleteBubbles looks likes he's ready to trim that guys neck....
Boy, did THAT bring back memories!!! Love it!
ReplyDeleteAnd to think the dolphin was only trying to communicate: "So long and thanks for all the fish"
ReplyDeleteAhh.. Marineland of the Paskiffic, as Popeye used to say to me..
ReplyDeleteMakes me want to watch that Partridge Family episode with their hit tune "Whalesong", shot on this very spot with alive audience (the audience survived).
Katella, i was just thinking about the PF episode, too!! i will have to put it on, i think.
ReplyDeletewe went to Marinelane in Niagara Falls and Sea World in Ohio, and we always managed to go on a gray day like this.
the one thing i remember most about going to Sea World other than Shamu was seeing moms going around the table sprinkling their kids' fish and chips with malt vinegar! we had never eaten it that way and i remember thinking that was weird.
thanks for these cool shots :D
MMMMM Malt vinegar fish and chips. I bet that would taste good on dolphin.
ReplyDeleteJust kidding.
Very good picture of old MW. Only went once, but it was a good day. Thanks.
JG
Nancy: I took a few minutes out and watched that Partridge Family show about the whales. The old show actually looked pretty good 40 years later. Shirley Jones sang the lead (for once) and she is such a doll.
ReplyDeleteIt was also nice to watch a show that didn't involve constant snide comments or venereal diseases in unusual places.
One of the biggest disappointments in my life is that I never got to see Marineland of the Pacific. The day it closed, Johnny Carson began his famous opening monologue by saying, "Marineland closed today!" Marineland had a publicity campaign that was second to none - they even had a contract with CBS Television! The whale in the photo was 'Swifty' - the first psuedorca ever captured and trained in an oceanarium. Marineland was for many years the largest and most famous oceanarium in the world. Then Shamu began to steal its popularity. Just as Sea World in San Diego was instrumental in the demise of Marineland of the Pacific, so was Sea World in Orlando for causing Marineland of Florida to be closed. Read about my passion for Marineland at www.florida-backroads-travel.com.
ReplyDelete