Underwater exploration without getting wet
“Mommy, look, a stingray!” 4-year-old Nicholas Brown of Newport Beach exclaimed as he peered out the window of a semi-submarine near Balboa Island. “Mommy, another orange fish!”
His mother, Sharra Brown, 46, pointed out other colorful sea life, from Garibaldi fish to plants.
When they went to the top deck of the boat, called Sea Life Discovery, Nicholas’ excitement did not cease.
“Mommy, sea lions!”
Sea Life Discovery Tours and its 65-foot, two-level boat first arrived at the Fun Zone dock in September after 12 years in Alaska.
“Tourism had slowed down for a long time in Alaska, so we knew we had to move the vessel so it could be utilized more often,” Debbie Rear, founder of Sea Life Discovery Tours, said after a recent underwater viewing trip along Newport Harbor.
“We wanted to bring it somewhere it could be used all year round. We went up and down the coast of California. Newport Beach just seemed to talk to us.”
The vessel, which can hold about 50 passengers on upper and below-sea-level decks, enables patrons to peer through thick glass and watch underwater sea life while staying dry during an hour-and-a-half tour.
In clear water conditions, passengers can view marine life like Garibaldi, stingrays, blacksmiths, halfmoons, opaleyes, zebra perch, dolphins and sea lions. They also can see a kelp forest and a variety of other vegetation.
“When a sea lion comes to visit, they’ll go right up to the windows and look in,” Rear said. “They’re very curious animals, and they’re very playful.”
Rear said the experience is enjoyable for locals and tourists alike.
“Sometimes people will live near here and say they never knew what was right here in our waters,” she said. “But there are plenty of tourists that come aboard too.”
Alex Anderson, 29, of Laguna Beach said she was excited to see the plant life in person after recently studying it.
She said the experience gave her a way to study without getting wet.
“It’s so cool to be able to go underwater and see it, because I’m not certified for scuba diving,” Anderson said. “I work with the Back Bay Science Center as a volunteer, and I’m just really interested in marine life. This is a great way to see it up close and in person.”
Some guests, like Nawaf Alardhi, think the semi-submarine is a great way to spend part of a vacation in Southern California, where he believes the weather is perfect for an activity like this.
The 34-year-old Houston resident was visiting Orange County with his wife and children when they decided to board the Sea Life Discovery craft.
“My son is so excited to see sea lions,” he said. “This is a totally new experience. We’ve never been in a boat like this, where you get to see what’s down under. These guys know what they are doing, and the experience here is so beautiful.”
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If you go
What: Sea Life Discovery Tours
Where: 600 E. Edgewater Ave., Newport Beach
When: 3 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays
Cost: $35 to $49
Information: https://www.sealifediscovery.com