Longstanding Flow client, the Two Oceans Aquarium recently launched its first large-scale exhibit since opening its doors in 1995.
The new I&J Ocean Exhibit was launched on 17 August, with a wonderful evening of music, food and background entertainment courtesy of an inquisitive sea turtle. Two Cape Town Flowstars had the honour of attending the launch.
Flowstar Stuart Buchanan comments, “It was an honour to be considered among the Two Oceans Aquarium’s ‘friends and family’ and to be included in the event. Having worked with this Flow client for nearly four years, I know what a milestone the opening of this new exhibit is, and I’m just glad to have contributed in some small way to the great conservation work that they continue to do.”
The I&J Ocean Exhibit, which features a mammoth tank that extends to a 10-metre tunnel, the longest such structure in South Africa, has been open to the public since 16 June 2017. It was only on 17 August, with a ballroom full of media, stakeholders and aquarium friends and family, that major underwater attractions such as guitarfish, tuna, bonito, musselcracker, grunter, rays, kob and turtles were added to the exhibit.
Aquarium favourite, Yoshi the loggerhead turtle, was also not shy about adding entertainment to the evening by swimming up and down the glass and paying attention to the evening’s proceedings. Yoshi joined the aquarium in 1997, no bigger than a dinner plate, after being caught in fishing nets. Today she is well over 120 kilograms and more interested than ever in the world around her.
For a newbie Flowstar like myself the jellyfish hall at the entrance of the exhibit really stood out. It was quite a magical experience in the dark room surrounded by luminescent jellyfish that seemingly went on forever in the mirrored walls. The exhibit also features columned tanks where the only light source comes from the jellyfish themselves, illuminated under blue light.
The I&J Ocean Exhibit holds 1.6-million litres of seawater and stands at a depth of six metres. It is the first exhibit of its kind in South Africa and the exhibit’s main viewing window is a continuous nine-metre-wide panel, which is four metres high and weighs 22 tonnes.
Want to experience the amazing new I&J Ocean Exhibit for yourself?