While spending our December holiday and New Year’s in the Mother City, a trip to the Two Oceans Aquarium was high up on mine and my girlfriend Dominique Cadora’s bucket list.

From the moment we drove into the V&A Waterfront on 2 January 2014 to park, the Two Oceans Aquarium immediately caught our eye, and when entering the attraction the excitement hit like a wave!

We were immediately welcomed by a beautifully set tank filled with some of the ocean’s most exquisite fish. However, our attention was stolen outright by the resident sea turtle, and of course my first 15 minutes in the aquarium were spent checking out the little guy and the variety of colours and shapes present on his shell and fins. The way in which the exhibits are set out in the aquarium were a particular attraction for me, as they truly allow you to capture a taste of the habitat these amazing sea creatures thrive and live in.

Our next stop was through the various exhibitions, exploring different parts of the ocean and species. The signage and explanations make for quite an adventurous and informative experience, and one stop included a very cool encounter with the clownfish or, rather, “Nemos”. This particular attraction caught the eye of quite a few guests, as it allowed visitors to enter a tunnel under the tank and appear in the middle of the tank surrounded by hundreds of clownfish. My girlfriend and her friend Emma Allen didn’t hesitate to try it out and the photo of them surrounded by the Nemos says it all!

“Salty but satisfying” ... My precise thinking the moment we arrived at the Hi-Tec Microscope Exhibit where two Two Oceans Aquarium experts greeted us and immediately placed a small container in front of me, asking me to dip my finger in and try. At first I was hesitant, but my curiosity got the better of me. The taste was extremely salty, actually not bad at all, and when the guy then placed the container under the microscope and asked me to look at the screen, I would be lying if I wasn’t a bit shocked to find out I had just eaten quite a few brine shrimps! Incredible how small they are, but apparently rich in protein.

Our final stretch of this incredible experience took us to one of my favourite ocean creatures, the penguin. The manner in which the penguin environment is set up is fantastic. The little guys have a great habitat going on and it’s fantastic to experience them in such close proximity. The same applies to the I&J Predator Exhibit, where you come up close to seeing two-metre long fish and two ragged-tooth sharks that are near bus-like in size!

To sum up, the morning at the Two Oceans Aquarium was a real treat, and its mix of experiential exhibitions, informative setting and the many wonders it holds, including the many sections dedicated to ocean care and environmental well-being, make it a must-see for any couple, family or visitor to the V&A Waterfront and the Mother City! Even though we weren’t able to take a penguin home with us, the fluffy penguin toy we bought at the curio shop at the end certainly made for a memorable experience.

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