Sunday Drive: An underwater rainbow

Opinion Opinion | May 22, 2023

Staring down at the calm pool of water, I was mesmerized by the giant stingrays lying motionless just under the surface, barely a ripple along their thin bodies. Silently, one came swimming through the pool navigating deftly with the smallest wiggle of its winglike body, moving silently as it swam past its friends.

"Go ahead, put your hand in," said the docent. I really wasn't so sure about that.

There is something peaceful and calm about watching fish flitting around in a tank. Stop into a Cabela's and you can find me at the aquarium, fascinated with the walleyes, bass and pike. Today, though, was a visit to the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium along I-15 in the Salt Lake Valley, just 45 minutes from Park City.

There is a majesty about stingrays. Their broad flanks seem almost lifeless as the hunker over the bottom of the tank. Their mouth is on their underside to scavenge for food and their tails are a defense mechanism.

My eyes were then drawn to what was one of the ugliest fish I had ever seen. The colorful lion fish with dozens of spiny points extending outward from its back stood out as it cruised along a small reef. I also learned that its ugliness was more than its looks, an invasive species that was wreaking havoc damaging coral in the Caribbean. We don't deal with underwater reefs here in Utah. So an aquarium is a way to educate us on a real danger in other parts of our world.

Tank after tank, the colors of the coral, the wavering urchins and the tropical fish painted an underwater rainbow. I was transfixed as I watched a brilliant blue tang surgeonfish and a Koran angelfish whip their tails and move effortlessly through the water.

Scrambling from gallery to gallery, I went in search of the sharks. Suddenly I was in a tunnel with water on three sides. Up above, coming out of the glare of the lights, was an eight-foot nurse shark, quietly moving its body up and over the glass tunnel then smoothly diving down to the floor.

My mind warped back to the 1975 film "Jaws" as I walked, literally, through a 300,000 gallon shark tank.

If that wasn't enough to get you freaked out, strolling into the next room I watched this seemingly never-ending dark fish slowly move at eye level to me through the tank. The Amazon Basin native arapaima is the world's largest freshwater fish, growing up to 15 feet long. It had a menacing look as it patrolled around the tank.

After sharks and arapaima, I needed to lighten it up a bit. What better way than to transport myself to Antarctica, watching penguins diving into the glass-walled tank. You gotta love penguins!

The aquarium was a remarkable afternoon, taking us from the deep tropics to Antarctica to South America and back to Utah's lakes and desert. We saw fish, penguins, sharks, snakes, tarantulas and birds.

Next time maybe I’ll dip my hand in the water!

THE DETAILS

Getting There: It's an easy drive to the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium in Draper, just 45 minutes down I-80 and I-15 to 12300 South.

Website: livingplanetaquarium.org/

Admission: Advance purchase online tickets will save you time on arrival. Adults $17.95-$27.95; Children (3-12) $12.95-$22.95; Teen, Student, Military, Senior, $14.95 – $24.95

Hours: Open daily 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Time to Tour: Lots to see on multiple floors. Plan on spending a few hours.

Dining: The Reef Cafe in the aquarium is a great spot for lunch, or there are plenty of dining options along the I-15 corridor.

Special Attraction: After U2 concluded its legendary 360° Tour in 2011, aquarium officials took an interest in the unique staging structure. A few years later, EECO (Ecosystem Exploration Craft & Observatory) landed at the aquarium and has become one of the most notable structures along I-15.

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