San Diego, cont'd

Day two (Tuesday, 6/23): Kids got up very early. After breakfast at the hotel, we headed north to La Jolla and Birch Aquarium. We arrived just in time for the shark feeding (smaller than the Jenks Aquarium sharks, but 5-6 different types, incl. black tipped reef sharks--very sleek and beautiful). Kids had a ball in an extensive tide pool exhibit complete with staffers insisting you touch everything (urchins, anemones, garibaldi, sea stars, sea slugs, crabs, spiny lobsters including two large enough that Ashlynn could have ridden one). The view from the terrace above La Jolla cliffs was fantastic. We enjoyed a dive show in the 70,000 gallon kelp forest display (eels, nurse sharks, giant black sea bass, etc.). A diver wearing a headset goes in to clean, feed, & answer questions from patrons. She seemed to be attacked by the nurse shark. Turns out he was just keenly interested in the electric discharge from her mask. After the aquarium, we watched sea lions, sea gulls, & pelicans along the coast, then headed south to Silver Strand State beach. (This became a favorite--no crowds, surf not too rough, great shell collecting.) We had dinner at a new favorite mexican restaurant (Chevy's--kids ate free and left with ice cream cones). We turned in early.