Of course, you can't have SeaWorld Orlando without Shamu! So, without further ado, here are some shots of the killer whales:
Isn't she a beauty? For those who are wondering, the killer whale that caused the death of one of the trainers a few months ago is not in the show. They also never mentioned the tragedy. The daytime show, called Believe, is dedicated to the men and women in the armed forces, and a very moving dedication it is. Then it's about believing in your dreams.
Notice I mentioned killer whales, not whale. Much is said about Shamu, but there are about 5 different orcas in the show, and if you ask me which is Shamu, I couldn't tell you. They are all magnificent creatures as far as I'm concerned.
I loved when they jumped up out of the water like that! 
Look at the size of these amazing mammals (not fish!). I can see where Jonas would have easily fit in the belly of one of them, though I wouldn't want to test that for myself. ;-)
At night they do a different show, called Shamu Rocks. Again, all the orcas are in the show even though Shamu is specifically mentioned. I liked this second show better; less human participation. It was all about the whales.
There's older rock music playing in the background (70's and 80's stuff) but quite frankly I was so mezmerized by the show I don't even remember the songs that were playing. They have 4 screens which turn (as you can see below) with lights and colors. It's quite a show.
It was harder to get shots at night because it was so dark you didn't really know when they'd jump out of the water. Still, it caused a lot of oohing and ahhing.
I think this one is the real Shamu. Don't quote me, though.
There's lots more to come, so stay tuned!
How neat! I would of loved the night time show more too. I love the lights! The whales are beautiful! We were just talking about Shamu the other day. It's such a hard thing. They are just doing what comes naturally...you can't really blame the whale. We are making them do things and live in environments that are un natural to them. I think the shows are neat, but of course they are going to come with great risk. We decided that Shamu needs early retirement!
ReplyDeleteDidn't the real Shamu die, like, years ago? It always makes me laugh to hear them say "Welcome Shamu" when he isn't even alive anymore. I guess it keeps the idea alive for the newer generations.
ReplyDeleteSis - I believe the original Shamu died but they keep naming the descendents Shamu, sort of like the dog on the TV show Lassie. That way there's always a Shamu in the show.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures. I am now following your lovely blog and can't wait to read more. Thank you for your visit. Happy Monday.
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