On The Go

Senior Road Trip

The first post on my On The Go page will be my senior trip of June 2018. Almost a week long, this 5 day road trip was shared with my mother. We discussed cruises, beach trips, the usual. The idea of a road trip along the entire Florida coastline didn't really sink in until a week before. The plan was to hit places we'd never been too before so we bypassed Panama City Beach, Fl. This is definitely my favorite vacation experience yet AND it plays a role in my life/career decisions (thanks mom)! I tried my best to draw out our miles.

First Stop

Once we hit the Florida state line, we took a break at a rest stop. I saw this statue and found it so ironic. If you've read the last section on See Me, you understand why!

Indian Rocks Beach, Florida

After around 7 hours of driving, sunset was an hour away. For our first actual stop of day 1, we hit Indian Rocks Beach, Florida. Reason being it was near our first true destination, therefore we could rest through the night and hit the spot in the morning!! Neither of us had ever been to this area so we enjoyed some beach time during sunset. I remember the water being way warmer than expected AND the sun was located at an angle I'd never witnessed so Mother Nature won when it came to taking a decent picture.

Clearwater, Florida

After showering and a good night's rest, we had a 20 minute drive from Indian Rocks Beach to Clearwater. I'd been to Clearwater before with a close friend but only for a stop that was no more than an hour on a different road trip to south Florida. In this city was our destination for the day and the actual reason for my senior trip.

Clearwater Marine Aquarium

If you've read the last section of See Me, you know this was a dream come true. I was super excited as well as my mother, but I like to think it was a different experience for me. From watching a movie over 10x to seeing the setting in real life.... it's crazy especially when it's what you want to do for the rest of your career. We bought Behind The Scenes tickets that included a Dolphin Boat Tour so I was filled with shock and happiness! As I strolled through CMA, I was taking pictures and videos of literally everything!!

The Setting Of My Dream

What you're looking at is where the magic happens. This is where animals are taken care of from veterinarians who may or may not have to perform surgery. In the movie Dolphin Tale 2 (I believe), you will see a sea turtle being operated on to remove a fish hook if I'm not mistaken.... it's been a while since I've had a movie night. This will be the atmosphere of my career. I cannot wait to do such things on our marine life so this room is a beauty to me.

Chef-Fish-Ar-Dee

This is where all the food is made for the animals. Many of those who perform tasks like this are volunteers and interns if they aren't employees. Hopefully I get an internship like this. I think I hate the smell and taste of fish so much because God knows what my future holds...

Save Winter Day

The scene "SAVE WINTER DAY" was about a fundraiser for Clearwater Marine Aquarium. That event was full of fun and food. I highly suggest watching Dolphin Tale and Dolphin Tale 2!

Same One?

NOPE. It's 3 turtlely different turtles!

By the way, this is my #1 favorite animal!

Meet The Girls

I swear when I turned and saw Hope peering through the fence, I felt her gaze. I was lucky enough to capture a picture! I also got a picture with Winter and her legendary swimming area; she's waiting by the door for Hope.

The Dynamic Duo

The girls were able to be together after being fed a quick snack. You can see they're quite close! Also, Winter's Gallery of Hope is filled with lovely letters from people she inspires.

Aquarium Sights

This scuba diver was writing on a board and communicating with us on the other side of the glass! It was pretty fun waiting for a response. After that conversation, mom and I got to touch some stingrays! They felt like jelly!

Lemme Drive Da Boat

You know how an ambulance works for humans? Well this is the ambulance for marine animals in need. I'd absolutely love being in the back of one of these on a mission one day!

This Way To Nicholas

Nicholas wasn't in either of the movies but he's actually been a resident of CMA for most of his life. When he was about 6 months old, he came to the aquarium with his mother, named Noelle, in December 2002. They're actually rescued on Christmas Eve (hence Noelle and Nicholas)! They were found stranded in the Tampa Bay area. Both having severe sunburn, Noelle was believed to have had a respiratory illness and passed away on December 27, 2002. Since Nicholas was still a calf, he will remain a resident of CMA for the rest of his life.

Hazel's Hiding Spot

Although this wasn't the boat we used for our dolphin tour, it was a great sight to see. I recognized this boat immediately since it was used on set in both movies. A character named Hazel would climb on top of the boat in the egg shaped seat to clear her mind.

Meet Mila & Her Calf

While we were on the boat, the architecture surrounding Clearwater was absolutely gorgeous. It reminded me why I admire beach properties so much. On our tour, we saw many beautiful dolphins. This is Mila and her new calf who is just a few months old. The calf was playing in the water so luckily I got this great shot!

Pose, Pose, Pose!

This was a photo booth available for everyone who visited CMA. We were standing in front of a green screen and holding props, doing different poses. After picking through many different photos, I chose this one as a souvenir of course. Since I was the one filming and taking photos the entire day, it was a relief being the one in front of the camera!

#CMAInspires

After a very memorable day, I'd say my experience of CMA was way better than I'd ever imagined. I recommend taking a family trip or even a group of friends to this cool place. I definitely think anyone with an interest in Marine Biology should go as soon as possible!!!