text:
" Several locations in England: Southsea (Portsmouth), Tynemouth on Newcastle's coast (Tyne and Wear) and in Newquay (Cornwall). "
I visited the Tynemouth Blue Reef Aquarium this summer with my husband and our 2 boys aged 5 and 6.
We were travelling from a few miles away but there was plenty of parking in a car park at the back of the aquarium. We did have to pay for this.
Admission is quite pricey, but we were able to get a few pounds off through the use of an online discount voucher that we found. I think the aquariums offer such discounts quite regularly.
Once you have paid, all of the members of your group get their hands stamped. This is handy as it means that if you finish the circular tour of the place and want to go back through to look at part of the attraction again you can do this.
There are plenty of creatures to look at to keep everybody happy. As well as lots of different fish there are also otters, seals, sea lions and monkeys.
There are shows and displays on every day (though not sure about weekdays during term time) and we chose to watch the seal show and also the sea lion show. These are very entertaining and informative and the creatures seem to be happy and well cared for. You can also have a photo taken of a sea lion kissing you for an extra charge - I think it was about £8 but we didn't do this.
There is a fairly large cafe and a nice shop. I was quite pleased that you don't have to go into the shop if you don't want to. It's to the side of the reception area, and not part of the attraction - so you can avoid it if you don't want your kids to pester you for souvenirs! There is also a snack stand outside (during the summer anyway) next to a small play park area. On the day we visited there was also a bouncy castle, which was £1 for unlimited bouncing.
This attraction is very close to the beach and also to a crazy golf course. It is also very near to public transport links such as a metro station.
Bluereef Aquarium is found on the seafront in Portsmouth (opens at 10am). They do have a number of other Aquariums located across the country. It is very similar to what you would find at one of Merlin's sealife attractions without the huge payout.
It is very easy to travel to by car, hovercraft or bus, the train station is about a mile and a half away. There is plenty of parking although it can be very busy during the summer months. Parking is paid at a parking metre and is free for blue badge holders.
The Bluereef Aquarium is very disabled/buggy friendly. As you enter the Aquarium you are greeted by friendly, helpful staff. It is here that you pay for your entry, they also stamp your hand so that can come& go all day which is useful as there a number of places that you could go out to eat.
Adult- £9.75
Child 3-12yrs £7.50
Seniors/students- £8.75
Family of four- £32.50
( please check prices as the tunnel tank has been drained due to the need for emergency maintenance so they are offering a 20% discount off the above prices)
If you live close by it would be better value to buy an annual pass as you would only need to visit three times to make it worth while. Also with the annual pass you receive 10% off in the shop.
If you have small children it would worth asking to hire a stool. It is a £1 deposit and very handy to have with you. It is here that you can pick up information on times of feeds although they do announce when they are about to start in case you forget a leaflet. Also during the school holidays there are often topic weeks. This Easter holidays was Yuck! Week which my son and his friend loved. By the entrance is also a buggy park where you can leave your buggy if you don't want to take it around with you.
There are a number of large tanks around the Aquarium the Rays being very fun as they often splash water over the side. Little ones will love climbing up the steps to a platform that overlooks the Rays. I love that the Aquarium has thought about its little guests because often it is easy for them to see the fishy residents.
Seeing the Sharks swim close to the glass can be very exciting and there are plenty of places to view them so no worries if it is a busy day. You will see a number of jelly fish, seahorses , finding nemo (clown fish) and . . .I could go on & on! There is also a tunnel tank where you walk through and can see the fish all above you. At present this is empty so check before you go if you would find it disappointing not to see it full. Half way round you will also find some reptiles and the otters who are cute but very smelly!
There is a lot for children to do apart from viewing the fishy residents. Throughout the Aquarium you will find boards for children to do rubbings (ask at desk for crayons& paper), quiz questions on the walls with wooden flaps to lift and just before the gift shop there is a large blackboard with lots of chalk for your little ones to use. My sons favourite part of the Aquarium is the outside play area. By the Otters there is a door to a large outside area. Here you will find a little splash park with fountains shooting up jets of water, boulders to climb on, play sand and little plastic seesaws. There are also picnic benches here so if it is a nice day it would be well worth bringing lunch. Also by the Otters is where you will find the toilet facilities with a large baby changing area and disabled toilets.
Near the gift shop there is a room where you can often go and listen to a talk. Last week my son got to touch a starfish and a spider crab. There is often colouring sheets and crayons in here.
A word of warning and the part which annoys me is the gift shop. It is a lovely little gift shop but you have to walk through it to exit which when you you have a five year old is no fun! There is also a £1 a go children's ride and a Hurricane experience booth £2.
The Aquarium does have a cafe but it is located out the front so you will need to exit to reach this. Also next to it is a fish and chip shop. Although you are only a fifteen minute walk from a Brewers Fayre located at the funfair. There is often an ice-cream van parked up near the D-day museum. Of course if it is a nice day you might want to have a picnic which there lots of places for such as on the common opposite or on the beach.
The Aquarium has an awful lot to offer and well worth a visit if in Portsmouth. My final tip would be to visit on a sunny day as I find it is often quieter and you can make full use of the outside play area.
The Blue Reef Aquarium
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There are currently 5 Blue Reef Aquariums in the country. I recently visited the Portsmouth on which is easy to get to via car, bus or train. The aquarium isn't as big or well known as Sea Life Centre's but they do claim to have some beautiful displays showing various animals and their home life. There are over 40 displays which show fascinating marine life from around the world. The aquarium is family friendly which means it's suitable for people with wheelchairs and pushchairs, and with multi-level displays it means the smallest members of the family can enjoy the Aquarium too. There is a small cafe and gift shop also in the aquarium where you can enjoy a wide range of snacks, drinks and meals. The gift shop contains marine themed gifts, educational toys, cards, posters and more. The Aquarium looked very small from outside; how-ever we wanted to visit it anyway so we went here on the Sunday morning just after they opened so it wasn't too busy.
Under water Tunnel - This was my favourite part of the Aquarium as you walk through a long tunnel with fish swimming over your head and around you. It's fascinating and beautiful looking at the corals and exotic fish such as angelfish, puffer fish and other brightly coloured fish that grab your attention. This area is quite bright and it's a beautiful place to take photographs. I could have spent longer in here watching the different fish swim over my head and around the sides of the tunnel.
Solent Seas - This area contains lots of different species found here in UK waters. This area contains large open top tanks which include large rays and sea bream and bass. It advises you not to ouch any of the fish which may come to the surface of the water, which found a lot of the rays, did. These are beautiful animals and I loved watching them swim around the open topped tank.
Blue Reef Nursery - The nursery provides the perfect environment for many species including clownfish and seahorses. This area is very small and although I didn't see any seahorses, we did see some small fish in their egg sacks which was quite amazing to watch as you can see them moving about. There is plenty of information about the animals in this section as well and how they help to look after the baby fish and animals.
Predators - This section includes some of the most interesting fish and animals such as sharks, stinging jellyfish, venomous lionfish and the giant pacific octopus. I found this area quite fascinating and I particularly loved watching the lionfish and the jellyfish which I think are beautiful creatures.
Fascinating Frogs - This area contains small tanks with lots of plants in which contain some of deadliest and most beautiful members of the amphibian family. In this area you will see the highly toxic poison dart frog and the giant cane toad. I also think these are beautiful creatures and I love how bright and colourful the frogs are. Although some of the frogs are quite bright they can be hard to find in amongst the greenery and plants.
The Amazing Octopus - An Octopus has three hearts, blue blood and the ability to change both in shape and in colour, which is why it has terrified mankind to centuries. This is the most intelligent inhabitant in the ocean that are capable of solving complex puzzles and tests of memories. The octopus is kept in a large round tank which means you can see all the way round the tank. This was good as wherever the octopus may be you can see it.
Otter Holt - Otter are the most enchanting and graceful aquatic mammals in the world and are adapted to life above and below the water. They have a freshwater indoor display which has natural themed surroundings for the family of Asian short claw otters. This area is quite large and has perfect viewing areas in which you can see the otters running about, playing with each other and eating. I think these animals are really cute and I could have spent much longer watching them run about on the rocks and pieces of wood.
Sharks & Rays - These are the top predators in most food chains are the only threat is from other sharks or man. The rays are beautiful creatures and are often hard to spot as they are adapted to life by lying flat on the seabed which also makes them camouflaged as well. These are beautiful and graceful creatures are truly fascinating to watch. They only have one shark which is kept in a large tank along with rays and other fish such as large eels.
Reverting Reptiles - This section is very small and although it states it has constricting snakes the only reptiles in this area we could see were iguana's, baby crocodiles, snapping turtles, poison frogs and giant toads. There definitely weren't any snakes and if there were we would have seen them.
Blue Reef Beach Club - This is the aquariums newest attraction which overlooks Solent. It had its very own 50-tonne sandy beach and rock pool sandpit alongside an outdoor splash area which is complete with giant water nozzles, showers and sprays. This area is great for the children; how-ever not so good if the weather isn't particularly great.
Feeding displays and other things go on throughout the day in the Aquarium and you can find out the times of these things by asking for a leaflet at the reception when you pay for your entry fee. A staff member may also come around the aquarium to inform you of the things that are going on during your visit here. There is plenty of information about each animal located next to the tank they are in. This information is very useful and children can learn fascinating facts about the creatures.
Overall Opinion
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The Aquarium is good value as when you enter you will get given a stamp on your hand which entitles you to go away and come back to the Aquarium later in the day so you can have entry all day to the aquarium so long as you show the stamp on your hand. The range of displays and information is good and is also very interesting as you learn new things about the animals and creatures in the aquarium. Some of the creatures such as the rays and jellyfish are fascinating and beautiful to watch. Children can easily see into the tanks as a lot of them are quite low down so children can enjoy watching the fish swim around in the tank. I would probably go back here again in a few years' time when visiting Portsmouth again. I could also recommend this to others as well to visit as its good value and you get to see a good range of different fish and animals.
Admission Prices
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Adult - £9.75
Child (3-4yrs, must be accompanied by an adult) - £7.50
Seniors & Students - £8.75
Family of 4 (2 adults & 2 children) - £32.50
Family of 5 (2 adults & 3 children) - £39.25
Tickets cannot be purchased online and must be purchased at the venue on arrival.
Other Information
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Getting there - I was staying at a hotel nearby with my boyfriend so this was within walking distance for us. You can catch a bus straight to the Aquarium from the Harbour Station. Alternatively it's a short walk from Southsea Centre. There is also parking available nearby for those driving.
Blue Reef Aquarium, Clarence Esplanade, Southsea, Hampshire PO5 3PB
Tel: 023 9287 5222
(review may also appear on ciao)
I was stuck on ideas about what to do for my daughters second birthday last November. For her first birthday we had the normal party at home but it was so much hassle, I wanted to go for a relatively stress free approach. I decided I would take her out for the day on her actual birthday, and let her friends come round to play the day after. With not being able to drive last year I had to find somewhere to go on a bus route, so decided on the Blue Reef Aquarium in Newquay.
Blue Reef have four aquariums around the UK, Newquay, Portsmouth, Hastings and Tynemouth. I'll be reviewing the Newquay aquarium.
----- Getting there -----
The Blue Reef Aquarium is situated in the middle of Newquay, right on Towan beach. Being in the centre of Newquay there isn't actually any parking around the Aquarium but there are lots of various car parks for the town. We went by bus and it was a 5 minute walk down hill until we got there, of course that meant a tiresome push of the buggy on the way back! The train station is around a 10 minute walk away. Towan beach is signposted around Newquay so is easily found.
----- Opening times and admission -----
Newquay Blue Reef Aquarium is open daily from 10am, between November and February the last admission time is 4pm, and between March and October it is 5pm.
* Adult - £9.75
* Child (3-14) - £7.50
* Seniors and students - £8.75
Family tickets are also available, 2 adults and 2 children for £32.50 or 2 adults and 3 children £39.25.
----- Around the aquarium -----
The main entrance to the aquarium is quite spacious with toilets to the right and a disabled toilet with baby changing facilities. Although cramped once the change table is down, I did manage to change my daughters bum with ease.
There is one pay till, which I imagine would be quite busy during peak season being in Newquay town centre. The lady seemed friendly enough and told me that I could leave my daughters buggy in the 'pram park' next to the till. This was incredibly helpful as I knew my daughter wouldn't want to be in her buggy around the aquarium and meant that I didn't have to lug it around with us.
The aquarium was quite quiet when we went in November, with only seeing a couple of other people during the whole course of the walk through which meant we could take as little or as long as we wanted without getting in anybodies way. The walkways were wide enough to fit a couple of pushchairs side by side, so in summer months I think it could get cramped with lots of tourists having a visit.
The displays and tanks were all clean and well looked after. Each tank had a little display showing information about the different creatures in each one. The first few tanks had open tops and glass walls making it easy for small and big visitors to see what was lurking inside. One tank contained mini crocs and it has to be one of my highlights of the aquarium with them watching my daughter run from one side of the tank to the other and them following her back and forwards.
After we went past the first few open tanks we went through some of the plastic door hangings (like you'd find at the butchers and such) into a dark room with lots of different shape and size windows. It was dark and recreating being deep at sea, here we found lots of different sea creatures including lobsters and an octopus. The viewing windows made it hard for my daughter to see everything as some were quite high up. Some were small round windows, again, I think during busy months it would be hard to get a look in.
This underwater display finished then we went through the underwater tunnel. A walk way underneath a big tank. This walkway had a sort of shelf around the edge so that younger visitors could have a good look inside. This tank contained the most exciting creatures with sharks, shoals of fish and a giant tortoise. The tunnel wasn't as long as I'd expected and after we went round a small corner in the tunnel we was at the end. At the end of the tunnel there are some steps that take you up and around the tank. At the top of these steps there is a viewing platform made completely from glass so you can look down at the tank below.
That's the end of the aquarium, through some doors is the gift shop and café. We didn't stop to have a look in the café but it seemed spacious. The gift shop is full of the normal things you'd expect to find in this nature of gift shops, lots of lovely little sea creature teddies, sweeties and the likes. My daughter loved the foil balloons and since it was her birthday I decided she could have one, she opted for the pink dolphin, I took it to the till and found out it cost £3... How much?! So the gifts are a little on the pricey side, but that's to be expected. Between the gift shop and the café are the steps to go back down to the main reception.
Blue Reef aquarium has many talks and feeds on throughout the day with different creatures, we didn't actually see one but there is roughly one every few hours. Blue Reef claim the aquarium is accessible for pushchairs and wheelchairs, but I couldn't see a lift anywhere and with the steps up and around the big tank at the end, and the steps to leave the café and gift shop I'd imagine it would be difficult to say the least. If you are planning on visiting I would ring up and ask how accessible it really is.
Taking photos around the aquarium is quite difficult as the flash has to be turned off so it doesn't stun the sea creatures, most of our photo's turn out blurry!
----- Overall -----
We tottered our way around very slowly and still only spent an hour and a half at the aquarium so it isn't really the place to go if you want a whole day out there. If it was summer months I would imagine it would take longer after waiting to see into some of the displays.
On the whole the tanks were nice and clean and most of them were easy to see for people of all sizes, however the few windows that can't be seen by younger children is a bit of a disappointment. The viewing platform above the big tank was a definite highlight for us, my daughter got so excited!
Blue Reef is a nice place to go for a couple of hours out, but the price for a couple hours is quite high. I'm lucky as I only had to pay for me, if I had to pay a child price as well I think it would have been too expensive.
The Blue Reef Aquarium and IMAX 3D Cinema in Bristol
I was visiting Bristol for a work-related training. During my stay there, I wanted to take my daughter to visit local attractions. Through word of mouth, I learnt that Bristol Blue Reef Aquarium was an excellent place to visit. So, me my daughter and husband, decided to visit the Blue Reef Aquarium.
The price of the ticket was £13.50 for an adult ticket and £9.20 for a ticket for my daughter. In total, it cost me, my husband and daughter £36.20 to visit the aquarium and it was definitely worth its money! Child tickets are for children aged between 3 and 14 and they must attend the aquarium with supervision of an adult. I paid for my ticket via visa card. The price of the ticket also includes a visit to the IMAX 3D Cinema inside the Aquarium.
Is it worth visiting?
The Blue Reef Aquarium is definitely worth visiting and me, my husband and daughter really enjoyed our visit. As we entered the aquarium we got our ticket from the ticket desk. The staff were helpful and friendly as they issued our tickets. They also gave us a small piece of card stating the times of the IMAX 3D cinema show times and other events that were going on at the aquarium. On the side of the entrance desk, there was an aquarium shop where you could buy souvenirs. We decided that we would go to the shop last after we had seen the whole aquarium,.
As we got into the aquarium in the afternoon, we decided we would head to the IMAX 3D Cinema first, in order to avoid missing the show. The IMAX 3D Cinema inside the Bristol Blue Reef Aquarium was very interesting. This is included in the standard ticket and you do not have to pay extra to attend the IMAX 3D Cinema. We were not allowed to take the pushchair inside the cinema for health and safety reasons, so we took our valuables with us and left the pushchair outside the cinema. We were given 3D glasses and we seated ourselves on the seats and it was very comfortable. The short movie/documentary they showed us was wonderful and it felt very real because it was in 3D. The documentary was about sea life and show all the different types of creatures under the sea. My daughter really enjoyed watching the 3D show.
After the 3D show, we proceeded to walk through the aquarium. The Bristol blue reef aquarium has a wide range of sea life creatures and compared to other aquariums that I have visited, there is an extensive range of wild life to see! I have included pictures of the Ray and another fish that we saw at the aquarium. My daughter really loved the Ray and I think the Ray liked my daughter as it kept coming near the window of the glass to look at my daughter! My daughter was also amazed by the seahorses! The other sea creatures we saw are Blue Reef babies, Coral Reef fish, Black Tip Reef Shark etc. There is a whole range of colourful and different shaped fishes! There were more than forty living displays of sea life! There was one interesting fish tank where you could crawl underneath it and its was shaped so that you could stand in the middle of it and it would appear in photos as if you were inside the fish tank. There was a bit of a rush for this and everyone wanted to crawl under the tank so I couldn't stand around and take photos of myself in the tank for too long! There are several themed events being help at the Bristol Aquarium and in the future I hope to take my daughter there for themed event rather than a standard visit to the aquarium.
Transport Links
We drove to Bristol by car from London and our journey took us about three hours. It was quite a straightforward drive with the tom-tom. After arriving in Bristol we parked in a local car park and had to pay roughly £5 to par there for a few hours. By train, the nearest station is Bristol Temple Station and it is a twenty minute walk from the station. The aquarium is open from 10am every day. The postcode to use on you tom-tom or route-finder is BS1 5LL. The address of the aquarium is Blue Reef Aquarium, Anchor Road, Harbourside, Bristol, BS1 5TT.
Family Friendly
The Blue Reef Aquarium is definitely family friendly. The aisles are wide and I was able to glide my pushchair throughout the aquarium. A baby changing facility was also available. As mentioned earlier, we not allowed to take the pushchair inside the cinema but this was for health and safety reasons (incase the fire exits were blocked).
I would definitely recommend the Blue Reef Aquarium in Bristol. The other Blue Reef aquarium branches are in Newquay, Portsmouth, Hastings and Tynemouth and I hope to visit these aquariums one day. My daughter really enjoyed viewing the fishes and other sea creatures. I will return there again in a few years on my next visit to Bristol.
I hope you enjoyed reading my review. I will also be posting this review on other sites such as Ciao under my same username Angela150
I've always loved fish (live ones, not with chips!) and been amazed at the variety of life the sea contains. As such, I'm also a bit of a sucker for aquariums, sea life centres and if there's one nearby, I just have to go and visit it When I heard that the Blue Reef Aquarium was in Tynemouth, I was in that car before Mrs SWSt knew what was happening!
The aquarium is very easy to find, mainly because Tynemouth is not actually that large, so it's quite tricky to get lost there. Ironically, when you arrive on the main road into Tynemouth, you turn away from the town centre and head out on the road which runs along the coast. The aquarium (which is well signed) is just a couple of minutes down the road.
Although some parking is available at the centre, there is also ample free on-street parking down some of the side streets just a few minutes' walk from the centre. This is where we parked and our car was fine.
The aquarium is housed in a large purpose-built building. The foyer inside is a little bit sterile and rather reminded me of old-style swimming baths. Space in this lobby is fairly limited, mainly consisting of a gift shop (selling the usual zoo and aquarium type tat) a cafe (OK for basics, but not that much on offer food-wise) and the ticket kiosk. There's also a small display of fish so you can see a few for free to whet your appetite before making your way through into the main aquarium.
The aquarium itself is massive. I have no idea how many tanks there are, but Mrs SWSt and I spent well over two and a half hours there. There appear to be little corridors lined with tanks leading off in all direction (although everything is well signed, so it's impossible to get lost).
Tanks are very well laid out and spaced out sufficiently so that you can get close enough to peer inside and get a really good look, without feeling that you are blocking someone else's view or stopping them from getting past.
Pretty much every tank has an information board displaying details of the fish inside, their preferred foods, behaviour and any notable features. These were really well written and interesting to read. They were also very well pitched, containing enough detail for adults to find them interesting but short enough for kids to read without getting bored. A smattering of "interesting facts" were also aimed at children, revealing surprising things about some of the fish, (in fact these were just as much fun for adults to read!). If kids did get bored of staring into the tanks, there are a number of "rubbings" scattered around the place, where kids can make outline drawings of different fish on pen and paper.
What astounded me was the sheer amount of variety of creatures on display. Once you've been to a number of aquaria, you start to see the same thing in the same layout - tanks of fish which are common to British waters then those native to more tropical climes etc. As well as these, Blue Reef also had lots of other creatures that were a bit different: an outside tank contained several seals, there was an otter pool, an amphibian section containing spiders and frogs and even a small Amazon area housing some amazingly cute pygmy marmosets and other furry creatures.
This level of variety means you get so much more than just fish and. Everyone will have their favourite creature of course (mine was the pygmy marmosets), but you're never quite sure what you're going to see around the next corner. Whilst it has some features common to most aquariums (ray tank, shark tunnel etc.), Blue Reef also offers something a little different.
Particularly fascinating was a large octopus in a tank of its own. This really seemed to enjoy showing off, and swam around the tank, giving a stunning view of its tentacles, suckers and bulbous head. It's unlikely that many of us will ever have the chance to study such a beautiful creature this close in the wild and it really helps you to appreciate how incredible it is.
At regular intervals throughout the day, you see some of the creatures being fed and hear a talk about them. The timings for these are very clearly listed on a number of boards around the aquarium, giving you chance to plan your visit around these if you want to. Loud speaker announcements are also made 10 minutes or so before a talk to give you time to make your way to the relevant area.
Normally I wouldn't bother with this sort of thing, but we just happened to be by the otter pool as one was starting and so stayed to watch and listen. Overall, it was really interesting and well delivered, containing exactly the right balance of information about otters generally and about the four living at Tynemouth specifically. The only criticism was that the person delivering it could have done with a microphone. Although she delivered her talk in a loud, clear voice, the constant chatter of other people going past or the excited shrieks of kids did mean that she was occasionally drowned out by the background noise.
Blue Reef can get very, very busy. We went in early July - just before the main school holidays, but it was still pretty packed. Although there wasn't much of a queue to get the tickets once we were inside it was full of schoolchildren on a school trip. At times, moving around or getting to see into the tanks close-up could be a problem, as there were lots of other people trying to do the same. It was also very noisy. The aquarium is housed in an enclosed space with a low roof and sounds echo around quite a lot. Much though I enjoyed it, I did leave with a pounding headache caused mostly by the noise. I would imagine that, during the main tourist season, these issues are magnified.
Cost-wise, Blue Reef offers very good value for money. 2010 admission prices are: Adults £8.30 (concessions £7.20) and Children £5.95. For the amount of animals you get to see and the length of time you could spend in there, I have no complaints about that price. Mrs SWSt and I spent well over two hours in there and could easily have spent much longer.
Blue Reef Aquarium is definitely well worth a visit. It offers a deeply interesting and well though-out view of all sorts of marine life and will delight both children and adults.
Basic Information
Blue Reef Aquarium
Grand Parade,
Tyne & Wear
Tel 01912581031
© Copyright SWSt 2011
***This review is based solely on Newquay aquarium.***
As many of you will know I have recently come back from Cornwall. This is one of the places we took the kids for the day.
Newquay blue reef aquarium is situated above Towan beach at the bottom of Newquay.
The website claims......
'Situated on Towan Beach in the centre of Newquay, opposite the famous island, the Blue Reef Aquarium is a stunning visit.
Be amazed by the local marine species from the Cornish coast to hundreds of tropical species in the gigantic ocean display complete with underwater tunnel.'
Well I wouldn't call it gigantic........
Upon arrival you are given a ticket which is valid all day and a list of feeding times and also an opportunity to buy the guide book priced at £2.99 which I was conned into by my 4 year old. The staff were all friendly and pleasant although we did feel rushed in places like the shop and restaurant. In the reception there is also a penny press and ride on submarine.
***It is very warm inside the aquarium we ending up having to remove layers of clothing***
To be honest for what it was I found it very expensive at
-child-£7.30 (3-14)
I thought that due to the size of the aquarium the entrance cost was steep, as I paid for 3 adults and 1 child it did start to mount with also the restaurant and gifts. This was however my only problem with the aquarium.
***Opening times***
10am until 5pm daily during holiday season. Last admissions are an hour before closing.
There are 2 lifts one upto the gift store and one to the tunnel and there is a ramp into the building. The gift shop is VERY small and difficult to navigate with a pushchair.
***What kinds of fish are there***
It would be easier to ask what's not there!!! At the start of the tour you have the British species such as Bass and Pollock leading on to the sea-horses and crabs. Then into a large tank room containing of all things a alligator and other small fish and turtles. Through the corridors to the octopus and tropical fishes I did get particularly excited at this point when I saw a puffer-fish!!! Then onto the greatest bit the under water tunnel which was amazing and a definite crowd pleaser-the only problem is that it is rather small!! It contains giant turtles sharks and sting rays amongst other things. We then took the life up to the top of the tank and other smaller tanks containing clown fish etc and then out into the gift store and restaurant area.
***What will my children learn?***
There are touch screen computers in every room around the aquarium which tells them about all the fish/species in that room and some interesting facts etc.
***Gift shop***
One word expensive!!! No real surprise there though. I managed to spend the best part of £20 on 2 snow globes, 4 tiny plastic shells, a colouring book and a magnet. I was admittedly shocked at the price of the plastic fish at £6 each or £12 for a teddy- I nearly passed out!!! I do admit though that they do have a great selection of gifts ranging from eco-bags and candles to the usual tacky plastic toys. Its just so small that you really cant navigate around it with a buggy, and therefore ending up buying anything the kids see just to get out of there. As I mentioned there is also a penny press in the reception which my kids loved doing and this was cheap 50p a go.
This is located on the top floor overlooking some of the exhibits and reception. Again expensive but I found it worth it. The food was lovely and fresh. We paid around £25-£30 for 3 lots of lasagne and chips and 2 lots of chips and nuggets. The meals were all of decent portion size with salad on the side. The dining area looked clean and tidy and we couldn't see any mess. The staff were friendly and polite. The children were also given little activity packs containing a colouring book and crayons with their meal. The restaurant overlooks the beach and sea with amazing views.
***Overall impressions***
Despite the entry cost and the prices in the gift shop and restaurant I would recommend a visit I will be going again)as it's a definite crowd pleaser, yes it is small but it does pack a lot in!! The main reasons for me are these-
The range of fish and animals.
The food there is great as is the quality of most of the gifts.
Its location is great above the beach it passes an hour or two.
It teaches children via the interactive computers dotted around.
I am only awarding 4 stars, it loses one because of the price of admission i know thats petty but when you are paying for the amount of people i was it is expensive.
I recently took a group of 7 year old children to the blue reef aquarium in Bristol, it was a party booking and whilst expensive, in comparison to the cost it would have been to go as a family it was relatively affordable.
The staff at the aquarium were absolutely great and the girl who took us round was brilliant. Whilst other kids were racing around looking briefly in each tank before racing off to the next display our guide pointed out something interesting in each tank, asked the children questions and got them to look for particular items.
Without the guide Im afraid to say we would have not been able to keep the childrens attention and the visit to the aquarium, which is very small, would have been brief considering the rather expensive entry prices.
The food set up for the party was good - the party food is limited to pizza/nuggets/ fishfingers etc with fruit and a drink - and individual orders are taken on the day rather than pre-ordering weeks before. The kids loved the aquarium fish mascot who came to visit our table and it caused quite a stir around the eating area which made the party children feel special.
I had been carefully advised on a good party time in order to get round the aquarium and eat in time to watch the IMAX film and we were taken into reserved seating just as the film was about to start - very VIP. However whilst the kids loved the 3D glasses the novelty of the 3D film wore off quickly as they didnt find the film itself very engaging.
By coincidence I happened to meet a friend who was visiting the aquarium on the same day and and their experience was not as positive as ours. Whilst her children enjoyed looking in all the tanks they had very quickly got round the aquarium, they didnt enjoy the film and the parents who were trying to get what they felt would be their moneys worth out of the visit were tired of being asked if it was time to go to the aquarium shop yet.
Overall the party was expensive (there is a minimum number of children in a party) but it was an easy party to organise and our guide was the best that we could have asked for. Would I go again - probably not as it just isnt big enough for the entry prices that they are asking.
After a recent interview in the centre of Bristol, I had some time to kill and decided to treat myself to something different. I love animals and find fish fascinating as well as relaxing so thought that the recently opened Blue Reef Aquarium would be an interesting idea.
Blue Reef Aquarium is situated in the centre of Bristol on Millennium Square, very easy to find with good bus routes, and if you are driving to the Aquarium there is adequate parking at Millennium square.
Upon entering the aquarium I was greeted by a member of staff who was very enthusiastic about their job, which was a nice start as he informed me all about the different things that we going on that day, including feeding times and IMAX film showings.
As you enter the first part of the aquarium you find yourself in a sunken boat, where you can view the first of the fish. The themes change as you go through the venue including the rain forest, the Amazon, and the Bristol Harbour side. All of these have different fish included in them which is an interesting way for this to be presented, especially for children who from what I saw seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the themes, especially when they could climb and look through the portholes making it seem that they were in with the amazing collection of fish.
Around halfway through the Aquarium you find yourself in a large section with questions on the wall, this is a section to stave off any boredom with your children. There are around 10 questions for children to answer which are all based around the fish they will have already seen on their trip around the aquarium. As well as the quiz game there is also a collection of tables where children can colour in some fish pictures which are then collected and put up on the walls, which I think is a really nice idea.
I was in the Aquarium for around 3 hours and in that time there was plenty to do and see. I am one of those people who reads all of the information on everything though, so for those who don't and just like to look at the fish I imagine your trip could be a bit shorter.
My favourite part of the trip was either the jellyfish which for some reason I found really relaxing to watch, or a personal favourite the rays of which the aquarium has a few varieties.
I also managed to learn a thing or two about fish that I never knew before such as the fact that the puffer fish can only inflate itself between four and ten times in it's lifetime or it will die, this is due to the fact that to inflate it uses a massive amount of energy.
Included in the admission price is a showing of an IMAX 3d film, I took advantage of this as the one showing was whales and dolphins and as a dolphin lover it was definitely worth it. The only downside to the IMAX showing is that it was a little longer than I thought it would be, and I did see quite a few people leaving early especially those with children as I image for them sitting still and quiet for that length of time could be a challenge.
The blue reef aquarium in Bristol hosts a few events and these running in the next few weeks are world ocean day, a special fathers day as well as pirates weekend in July. The aquarium also hosts children's birthday parties these come in three different themes including Pirates, sharks and mermaids, definitely one to please all of the children out there.
Blue Reef aquarium also has it's own restaurant and shop although I didn't use either on this particular trip. The restaurant has a range of drinks, snacks and meals.
10 - 5 weekdays
10 - 6 weekends & school holidays
The aquarium is closed on Christmas day only.
Adult - £13.50
Child (3 -14) - £9.20
Seniors & students - £11.50
Family of four (2 adults & 2 children) - £43.40
For more information and to get a £1 off voucher for a trip check out the website at www.bluereefaquarium.co.uk
The Blue Reef Aquarium in Bristol is the most recent one to open, the four others being located in Portsmouth, Hastings, Newquay and Tynemouth. I have to admit that the adult admission charge of £13.50 initially sounded high to me, but we were in Bristol on a wet afternoon and it seemed a good way to spend some time.
The first section of the aquarium that visitors enter has very low lighting and a series of tanks of various sizes. I was particularly fascinated by the jellyfish floating slowly and gracefully, and the pipefish that are almost camouflaged amongst the water weeds. Some of the tanks go right down to floor level, making it easy for young children to get a good view of the fish.
Emerging from this area, you continue in a light, spacious area that is also hot and humid. Rocks, small trees and a water feature add atmosphere to the pools and tanks here. There is a gradual slope to climb, but it is easily negotiable by pushchairs and presumably wheelchairs too. You can watch ray fish hide on the bottom of an open tank and then come right up to the surface to greet you.
Although this is a beautiful part of the aquarium, it's a relief to get away from the heat and humidity as you enter another low-lit, cooler area. As well as a series of small tanks with fish and sea anemones, this has a huge open tank that you can look down into and watch small sharks, ray fish and other species weaving in and out of the coral. Some of the smaller tanks have deep concave windows so that you can peer right in and see what's happening right at the top or the bottom. To one side is an eerie area that resembles a mangrove swamp, but I couldn't detect any fish swimming in its waters.
There are toilets in this area as well as a number of small tables and chairs where young children can sit for a while and have a look at the worksheets that are provided here. This probably marks the halfway point of the visit, so it is a good place for families to stop and have a break. Don't miss the seahorses - you can actually crawl under the tank and get into a domed area in the centre of the tank for an inside view. The angelfish are beautiful too, and it is hard to believe that the little red-bellied piranhas can be so lethal.
Soon it's back to the hot, humid area, and down the wooden slope to the open tank where the turtles are a star attraction. Sometimes they enjoy sitting on the rocks at the edge of the tank, basking in the light, but they also love swimming among the fish and are likely to come right up to the surface, just like the ray fish. Again, there is plenty for young children to see here at a low level.
Out of the humid heat and this time into a tunnel with stunning coral reefs and gorgeously coloured fish on either side and above you. Everyone wants to stop and watch for a few minutes, so it is likely to be crowded here. Then you move into the final low-lit area, where you can see a leopard eel, slender crawfish and rainbow fish amongst others. The visit ends with a huge wall-to-ceiling tank containing more coral reefs and several of the smaller, most colourful species of fish.
We arrived at the aquarium at about quarter to three and just as we started our visit there was announcement that the final 3D film showing of the day was about to take place in the IMAX cinema. We decided against going to see this, so I can't comment on how interesting it is. The announcer said that pushchairs could not be taken into the cinema but that there was a special place to leave them outside. The Blue Reef website also states that feeding displays take place in the aquarium, but there was no sign of any during our visit. They may take place earlier in the day.
I enjoyed visiting the aquarium more than I expected to and could appreciate why the ticket price is high. We spent about an hour and a half there, but had we watched a film and visited the cafe we would obviously have stayed longer. Our local Blue Reef Aquarium in Portsmouth is much smaller than this and the adult ticket price is £9.50, but the Bristol Aquarium is obviously far superior. There are of course discounted tickets for children, students and seniors as well as family tickets.
The aquarium is situated close to the harbourside, bordering on Millenium Square. We took a taxi from Temple Meads station as it was pouring with rain, but it is a walkable distance, perhaps twenty minutes. The Blue Reef is open every day of the year except Christmas day from 10am. The aquarium has easy access for pushchairs and wheelchairs, and baby-changing facilities are available. The cafe serves meals, snacks and drinks and there is a gift shop selling educational toys are well as souvenirs related to marine life. For families with children it is an experience that is both enjoyable and educational, and it is an ideal way to spend time in Bristol if the weather is bad. My grown-up children and their partners found it fascinating, and I was definitely impressed.
Blue Reef Bristol Aquarium & IMAX Cinema
Anchor Road
Also posted on other sites.
Blue Reef Aquarium - Tynemouth
I live in the Tynemouth area so this place is easy to get to for me. It also has ample parking and is easy to find if you are not local. (Follow the A19 taking the A1058 (Coast Road) signposted to Tynemouth. Follow signs towards Tynemouth seafront and there it is, opposite the Longsands - if you go on a nice day, why not take a bucket and spade and visit the Longsands too, this stretch of beach will not fail to impress).
The Blue Reef Aquarium boasts over 40 species including sharks, seahorses, various fish, giant Pacific octopus, poison dart frogs, turtles, terrapins and a family of friendly and fun asian otters. The shark tunnel is great and allows you to walk underneath while these mighty creatures swim above.
They also have seal cove, where you can see the fab and friendly seals - try to get there for feeding time if you can, they put on a great show which will be loved by children and adults alike.
This place isn't massive but it has a lot to see. There is also a cafe and gift shop and the facilities are clean and convenient. It caters well for children and has lots of information in a child-friendly format as you go round, so it manages to be educational and fun at the same time.
Admission Prices
Adult £7.75
Child 3 - 14 years £5.75
(must be accompanied by an adult)
Seniors & Students £6.75
Family of 4 £24.00
(2 adults and 2 children)
Family of 5 £27.50
(2 adults and 3 children)
To recap, the aquarium offers a fun and informative day out for chilrren and adults alike, definitely worth a visit.
There are four Blue Reef Aquariums located in the UK:
~ Newquay
~ Porstmouth
~ Hastings
~ Tynemouth
The latter one is approx 10 minutes drive from where I live. Formerly known as the Sea Life Centre, I've visited a few times on very wet days to amuse the nieces and nephews.
- Admission Prices -
This isn't cheap!
Adult - £7.75
Child (aged 3-14) - £5.75
Senior & Students - £6.75
Family of 4 - £24
Family of 5 - £27.50
There's also an option of becoming an annual member, which I really should contemplate as since it's so nearby, I would probably save quite a bit and use it more often:
Adult - £22
Child (age 3 - 14) - £18
Senior & Students - £20
Family of 4 - £65
Additional benefits include:
Free Admission for a full year to all Blue Reef Aquariums.
£1 off the full admission price for accompanying friends and family
£1 off the full price for children's birthday parties.
- Opening Times -
Daily from 10am
Last admission is 5pm (4pm November - February)
Closed on Christmas Day only.
- Location -
This is easily spotted, just outside of Tynemouth, right on the sea front. The nearest Metro stations are Cullercoats and Tynemouth but allow approx 15 - 20 mins walk.
There's quite a bit of parking along the sea front, priced at 80p for 2 hours.
- Inside -
Depending on whether or not they are having a busy day, the entrance is usually at the front but on busier days is at the side of the building as they use the 'official' entrance as an exit.
In the entrance area there is a small gift shop, a café, the tills at which to pay for your entrance, the toilets and a small tank of fish and turtles.
Once you have paid you each get a stamp of something that resembles a very basic fish head. On entering the double doors in to the main section of the aquarium, there are little stools, much what we used at home for the youngsters to stand on to reach the sink. It really is a good idea to take one of these with you if you have children under about 7 or 8 as many of the displays aren't at their eye level and your arms will ache by the end from lifting them up to see all of the things! My niece is 8 and of average height and this is the first time we haven't needed to lift her up more than twice.
The corridors through which you walk are quite narrow and on a busy day, prepare yourself to be shoulder to shoulder in some places with complete strangers! It is quite dark in most of the corridors which emphasises the tanks. Quite a lot of the tanks are set in corridors but there are other areas which are large rooms such as the stingrays, lobsters, otters and seals.
There are pictures of most of the fish in the tanks with information about them. Since becoming a little older my niece showed a lot more interest in the information about them but the problem was that because of the positioning of many of the posters and the darkness of some of the areas, the writing was quite difficult to make out. The information is extremely detailed and appropriate for adults and I found myself having to scan some of it and translate it in to child friendly information.
I can understand that they are catering for adults who are interested in sea life but I do think that there is a case for them to then create little bits of information for children and positioned at a level that is appropriate to them. After all, in each of my visits the only adults I have ever seen are those accompanied by children!
There are little quiz questions intermittently placed on walls near different tanks, that children can turn with different options on but the answers are nowhere to be seen. There also areas to take rubbings of fish but no paper or crayons were given out or clearly available on our entry to the displays.
The range of sea life on show is very good, for example:
-Fascinating Frogs - a few deadly frogs and toads are shown in this area.
-Otters - this is a large room in which about 4 - 6 'toddler' otters are in full view. You can see them playing above the water and also see how they swim by bending down and watching them through the glass walls. This was a very busy area and it's quite hard to find a good spot. Be prepared for a foul stench.... You know when you are near them as you can smell them through the preceding corridors.
-Tropical fish area which is really very beautiful to look at, given the colours of the fish.
-A large octopus - we found this fascinating as got to it just at the right time as it came moving over to the front glass. We could clearly see it's suckers and how it changed colour in order to become more camouflaged. This is the only area where you are requested not to take photos as apparantly it is very sensitive to flash lights.
-Nursery - This houses some baby fish and fascinating Dogfish in pouches that you can see moving and breathing. It also houses a few rock pools and skeletons of shark and fish jaws.
-There is a large tank with small black tipped sharks and other fish. These creatures can be seen from different areas. Finally through a short walk through tunnel at the end of the aquarium where you can see them swimming above and to the sides of you. There are also a couple of shark talk and feed sessions throughout the day which is announced with approx 5 minutes warning.
-The seal cove - This is an outdoor area situated towards the end of the building. On entering the area you are faced with a very large glass wall, you are then able to walk outside in either direction to the surface of the pool. You are therefore able to see the seals above and below the water. There are a few talk and feeding times with the seals which can be checked out on the website. We missed it this visit but my niece had already seen it on her school trip so it wasn't too much of a travesty!
~ The Gift shop ~
The small size of this is very apparent on a busy day. It sells a wide range of toys relating to seal life, along with many things that bear no relation to the sea, for example pens, rubbers, jewellery.
~ Information isn't always child-friendly.
~ It's quite expensive for one to two hours entertainment.
~ Since when have children become adults at 15? 14+ and you are charged as an adult, not very fair.
~ Not all of the signs match the creatures that are in the tanks.
~ Something to kill an hour or so on a miserable weather day.
~ Educational.
This review relates to the Portsmouth Blue Reef Aquarium only as I have never been to the others.
When you enter the building you come into a large light and airy reception area, the size of it is great because if it is raining it means it is unlikely you will end up lining up out of the door! We joined the line and must have been served within one minute. You are given a stamp on your hand so you can return the rest of the day which is great if you want to leave for lunch or simply come back later.
As you enter the aquarium itself you pass a few tanks of fish (which my niece found ordinary and boring) and then you are hit by the rays. Personally, for both myself, my partner and my niece this was the best part of the whole day. There is a large tank in the middle which the rays are in and you can get to almost all the edges of this and also can climb up some steps to get to a viewing platform in order to see the rays from a birds eye view. The top of the tank is open but it is requested that you do not touch the rays due to potential damage to them from human skin. There are a number of different types of ray in this tank and they are a variety of shapes, sizes and colours. When I visited (July 2009) there was also a section of the tank cornered off for the baby rays which was lovely to see. Also in this tank we spotted a lobster, a crab, a small shark and a number of other fish. Towards the side of the ray fish there is a much smaller tank with some small seahorses in it, this was also very interesting as they were a rare species of them with unusually large stomachs!
Upon leaving this room there is a ceiling high window looking into another generously sized tank which contained a few more ray fish, eels and an amazing zebra shark (who was actually spotty!), which provided entertainment for a short while. In this tank was also a moray eel which had its head sticking out of the rock on the ground. As you proceed round this tank there are more viewing windows so you can get a fantastic view of the fish wherever they may be hiding!
As you progress further you reach the more tropical fish. This included my personal favourite, the lion fish. There are a number of tanks in this area and a vast amount of various fish and other species (such as hermit crabs) in them. In this area you will also find the Clownfish (Nemo's!)
You will then reach the aquariums walk through tunnel which children and adults both find truely amazing. There are a number of fish and creatures in here and the use of lighting in the tank makes all of the creatures easily visable. The tunnel is of a good length making it easy to look at all the creatures. It provides you with the real feel as though you are actually swimming with them.
Carrying on you will find a large pond which is usually full of carps (they weren't there on my visit-July 2009 because of a leakage within the tank). You will also find what is described as a 'giant' octopus. Don't be fooled-we couldn't find the octopus upon first looks but it is actually much smaller than you may have been led to believe!
Progressing further through the aquarium you will reach the otters, here you will also find the toilets as I think they may be the only ones in the aquarium. The aquarium houses 3 Asian Short Claw otters, 2 girls and one boy. Depending on what sort of mood they are in, you can spend a short while being entertained by them and watching them go about their pen in a convoy. The otters have a musty smell which is typical of all otters and should be expected when entering this part of the aquarium.
If you choose to go outside you will find the Blue Reef Beach Club which consists of a small sandy beach and a splash zone for kids, make sure you take a towel as they are likely to get soaked through! Here you will also find a pirates bridge, a rock pool and a generous amount of picnic benches, perfect for having lunch while the kids play! There are also some turtles housed outside here.
When you go back inside to where the otters are you will also find various kinds of lizard, a chameleon and a snake which adds some great variation for the day. Progressing round the corner you are greeted by a number of different frogs which are all weird and wonderful colours.
Continuing through you will find the Snapping Turtle which was donated to the aquarium by somebody who had purchased it as a pet when it was the size of a 50p piece and had now outgrown the washing up bowl it was living in (it is now around the size of a domesticated rabbit). The turtle provided great entertainment and kids of all ages were amazed by it and spent a long time watching it swim around its tank. Both times we viewed the turtle it was swimming up against the glass ready for visitors!
You will then reach the Blue Reef Nursery which is a fairly small section of the aquarium consisting of around 6 tanks where you can see the babies of the larger fish. In here when we visited were baby seahorses. The lighting used and the size of the tanks make the subject easy to view and spot.
You will then reach the gift shop which is of a good size. Prices vary and some may be thought of as a little steep whilst others are reasonable.. In here you can buy soft toys, stationary and toys. There is also a Blue Reef Cafe situated outside of the aquarium.
The aquarium in Portsmouth is situated on the sea front. There is no parking for the aquarium itself but there is pay and display right outside of the building. The charges for this are £1.10 for an hour and thereafter cost around £1 per hour. It is open daily from 10am to 5pm (4pm in winter).
Admission prices are as follows:
Adult £9
Child (Aged 3-14) £7
Senior and Students £8.25
Family of 4 £27
Family of 5 £29
There was also a sign up when we visited stating a special offer for familys with more than 3 children.
I really enjoyed my day out at Blue Reef, as did my partner and niece. It was slightly disappointing that you have to pay extra to park, especially as in my personal opinion, prices for entry to the aquarium are already fairly steep. However, you can transfer tesco clubcard vouchers, which makes the day much more reasonably priced. I found the aquarium to be fairly small, we were round and out within an hour and a half but the stamp which allows you to visit all day is useful as it means you can come back for another look later. The majority of the tanks are of a vast size and for the larger tanks a number of viewing points are there meaning you can view the tank wherever the fish may be. My niece really enjoyed the splash zone and was desperate to go back later, I would recommend bringing a spare set of clothes or a swimsuit though as if they stay there too long they will get soaked! The staff were helpful and polite. Please do check with staff the actual feeding times as we waited around for 10 minutes for a talk and it never actually took place despite being advertised on the board. Other than this, I thought it was a very nice day out, well worth going for a look.
This review relates to the aquarium in Portsmouth.
I was quite suprised with the Blue Reef Aquarium, in a good way. The place itself is rather small, although it does seem to be packed with all sorts of interesting displays. The highlight for me was the room with the Carp pond and the massive octopus! I've never seen anything like it! Also interesting was the Otter enclosure, they came right up to the glass wall so that you could get a really good look at them - they were obviously used to playing up to the crowd! Also of particular intrest was the breeding tanks where the baby seahorses were. I've never seen anything so delicate and really quite cute.
There is a good size outdoor area for families with a splash park and a small kiosk serving food. The only real downside to this attraction is the price, rather expensive for adults, although we got a student discount. Other than that, a fun, family afternoon out!
Newquay Blue Reef aquarium is on the small side, but it is a brilliant place to visit if your on holiday In the area.
The aquarium claims to have over 40 living displays. There is a turtle creek which is fantastic, you can get up close to sea turtles, the aquarium have also rescued three turtles.
Other displays include the shark lagoon, blue reef nursery- this is home to many baby sea horses and captive bread fish.
The tropical paradise if the centre of the aquarium, you get to walk through a tunnel which you can walk through, this is the amazing coral reef where you can get up close and see some amazing brightly coloured species such as angel fish, puffer fish, the tropical paradise is also home to a variety of sharks.
The best part of the aquarium by far is the Shark lagoon. This section is an open pool is home to the amazing sting rays, zebra sharks and other tropical fish.
This year there is a new display area which is called Predators, this is where you can discover some of hunting skills of the worlds marine predators. There is a section of jelly fish also which is really fascinating, attached to this there is a jelly fish nursery,
Through out the day there are special talks and feed's, the tropical paradise feed is brilliant, you get to see the frenzy of the tropical fish being fed, the talks about the different species through out the day are very informative.
The facilities at the aquarium are good, there is a large café serving hot and cold food, toilets and a baby changing facility and a brilliant gift shop where you can buy everything imaginable to do with marine life.
They also offer a children's birthday party package, this includes a tour and talks and a birthday tea with goodie bags.
Newquay blue reef aquarium can also be hired out for corporate hospitality events.
The aquarium can be found in the centre of the town on town beach. The aquarium is signposted from town centre car parks and takes you direct to Towan beach. Some of the sign posts take you to an area with a lot of steps, if you wish to avoid these steps just follow the signs for Towan beach!
Blue Reef Aquarium is open daily from 10am
Last admission is 5pm (4pm November - February)
Admission Prices are: Adult £6.50, Child £4.50, Senior £5.50, family £18.99
Explore the undersea and be amazed by the fantastic sea life and creatures!


text:
Parathyroid Hormone (PTH) Homeostasis in Bartter Syndrome
Recruitment status was: Not yet recruiting
- Full Text View
- Tabular View
- No Study Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
Parathyroid hormone (PTH) gland calcium sensing receptor (CASR) regulates PTH secretion. CASR is also expressed in nephron thick ascending limb (TAL). Bartter syndrome (BS), a normotensive hypokalemic tubulopathy, may be due to mutations in different TAL channels, including the potassium channel ROMK. Mutations in CASR may also cause BS through its effects on ROMK function. However, it is unknown whether ROMK mutations exert any effects on CASR function and PTH physiology. Preliminary data from our center shows that PTH levels were specifically elevated in type II (where ROMK is mutated) and not in type IV (where another gene, Barttin is defective) BS, without a common explanation. We assume that the mutation in ROMK may cause a dysregulation of PTH secretion via possible interaction with CASR.
The purpose of this study is: to investigate the PT-gland function and regulation in BS.
Methods: Patients with BS type II and IV and normal controls will undergo a standard protocol of controlled ionic hypo- and hypercalcemia, during which PTH secretion, phosphate balance and calcium excretion will be followed. Calcium Vs PTH response curves will be generated and compared.
Expected impact and benefit: the results of this study will help understand the mechanisms of PTH regulation beyond CASR.
|Hypocalcemia Hypercalcemia
|Study Type:
|Study Design:
|Observational Model: Case Control
Time Perspective: Prospective
|Official Title:
|Case-control Study of the PTH Homeostasis in Adolescents and Young Adults With Bartter Syndrome
|Estimated Enrollment:
|Study Start Date:
|January 2013
|Estimated Study Completion Date:
|June 2014
|Estimated Primary Completion Date:
|December 2013 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
Type II BS
Adolescents and young adults with type II Bartter syndrome
Type IV BS
Adolescents and adults with type IV Bartter syndrome
Age and sex- matched controls
Show Detailed Description
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|14 Years to 35 Years (Child, Adult)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
|Sampling Method:
|Non-Probability Sample
Inclusion Criteria:
- Bartter syndrome
- Normal Vitamin D status
Exclusion Criteria:
- Age < 14 yrs
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01021280
|Soroka University medical Center
|Not yet recruiting
|Beer Sheva, Israel, 84101
|Contact: Daniel Landau, MD 972-8-6400546 firstname.lastname@example.com
|Contact: Ruth Schreiber, MD 972-8-6400546 firstname.lastname@example.com
|Principal Investigator: Daniel Landau, MD
|Sub-Investigator: Ruth Schreiber, MD
|Responsible Party:
|Daniel Landau MD, Head, Pediatrics Department A and Pediatric Nephrology Service, Soroka University Medical Center
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT01021280 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|Study First Received:
|November 25, 2009
|Last Updated:
|June 13, 2012
Keywords provided by Daniel Landau MD, Soroka University Medical Center:
Bartter syndrome,
parathyroid hormone,
calcium sensing receptor,
ROMK channel
Barttin gene
PTH response to hypo- and hypercalcemia
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Bartter Syndrome
Calcium Metabolism Disorders
Metabolic Diseases
Water-Electrolyte Imbalance
Renal Tubular Transport, Inborn Errors
Kidney Diseases
Urologic Diseases
Adrenocortical Hyperfunction
Adrenal Gland Diseases
Endocrine System Diseases
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 21, 2017

subset: commoncrawl


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You know the old saying: Build a better iPad keyboard and the world will beat a path to your Kickstarter project. Maybe that's not exactly how the saying goes, but when Steve Isaac and Brad Melmon went on Kickstarter last October with their revolutionary idea for an iPad keyboard, people flocked to their project page in droves, wallets open. Isaac and Melmon asked for $10,000 to get their project off the ground. The Kickstarter community countered with over $200,000 in pledges. (Full disclosure: I was a backer, pledging $80.)
There are countless Bluetooth keyboards for the iPad, including some terrific ones such as the Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover and the ZAGGfolio. But even these compact devices add significant bulk to the iPad. The Logitech weighs about 12 ounces and the ZAGG device weighs over a pound. The TouchFire, on the other hand, weighs less than an ounce. And at $49.99, it's half the price of the other products.
The TouchFire is a clear, soft piece of silicone with bumps for keys that precisely overlay the iPad's virtual keyboard. Magnets snap the TouchFire into position on the iPad 2 and "new" iPad; the device also can fit on an original iPad in its Apple case.
Typing on the TouchFire gives a sensation very similar to typing on a real keyboard. In general, it's faster and more precise than trying to type directly on the screen, though it doesn't quite measure up to using a Bluetooth keyboard. But for most users, it will likely be enough of an improvement.
When typing with the TouchFire, there were a few quirks that took some getting used to. The TouchFire feels like a real keyboard so sometimes I found myself forgetting that I was really using the virtual keyboard. For instance, I would try to type numbers by going to a top row of keys (that weren't there) or accessing symbols by pressing the shift key rather than tapping the button to toggle the iPad's virtual keyboard between letters and symbols. But it didn't take long to switch my mindset back to using the virtual keyboard's layout.
Because the TouchFire uses the virtual keyboard, you get to take advantage of the iPad's tools to enhance speed and accuracy such as auto-correct and automatically inserting periods at the ends of sentences and capitalizing the first letter of the next sentence when you tap the spacebar twice. You lose this with a Bluetooth keyboard. On the other hand, a Bluetooth keyboard lets you view your documents full-screen whereas the virtual keyboard covers up half of the screen.
TouchFire provides iPad typing exercises on its site that appear to be derived from those in the TapTyping iPad app. I compared my speed typing on the virtual keyboard, TouchFire, and Logitech keyboards. The Logitech was generally fastest and the most precise. The TouchFire was better than using the virtual keyboard alone. Because the TouchFire has nubs on the F and J keys, you're less likely to slip from the home row when you look away. Also, you can rest your fingers on the TouchFire keys without accidentally pressing them. It's definitely more comfortable for typing large amounts of text.
The TouchFire doesn't work when you're using the iPad in portrait mode. I didn't find this to be a very big limitation but if you like to use your iPad this way, the TouchFire probably isn't for you. Note that some Bluetooth keyboards also have this limitation.
You can carry the TouchFire with you in a couple of different ways. The device ships with a long thin plastic carrying case that reminded me of a pencil box. Alternatively, the TouchFire can attach directly to Apple's Smart Cover or Smart Case through a couple of magnets that you attach to the cover with adhesive clips. Fortunately, the company provides extra adhesive clips because it can be a little difficult to stick the clips in just the right place so that the TouchFire snaps to the cover and folds and bends along with it without bunching up. Despite fairly clear instructions, I blew it with my first set of clips. I got the second ones close enough that I decided to live with it rather than wasting more clips. If you choose to attach your TouchFire to your Smart Cover or Smart Case, always look closely to make sure the iPad goes to sleep when you close the cover. On occasion, the TouchFire slipped a little, preventing a tight seal and the iPad stayed awake.
Dirt was very attracted to the TouchFire's silicone material. It doesn't affect operation, but it wasn't all that pleasant. Fortunately, you can just wash the TouchFire in warm water to clean it off. The company says you can also use dish soap if necessary.
Click here to see an image gallery of the TouchFire keyboard for the iPad.
If you want the very best typing experience on an iPad, get a good Bluetooth keyboard, But if you're enjoying carrying an iPad instead of a laptop and just want to be able to type more easily--and you want to save some money--I highly recommend the TouchFire.
The TouchFire originally was targeted to be delivered to Kickstarter backers last December. Like many Kickstarter projects, TouchFire experienced several delays due to manufacturing problems, parts shortages, design changes, and the like. TouchFire founders Isaac and Melmon kept their backers abreast of the situation with constant updates that provide a wonderful behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to bring a product to market.)
Name: TouchFire
The TouchFire is an ingenious overlay for the iPad's virtual keyboard that lets you type faster and more accurately. Unlike Bluetooth keyboards, the TouchFire doesn't add any appreciable weight or bulk to the iPad.


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Despite sweet corn and watermelon production problems, retailers should expect adequate volumes for Labor Day (Sept. 2) promotions.
Heavy rains during plantings affected growers throughout U.S. summer corn and watermelon producing regions.
Gill Corn Farms Inc. in Hurley, N.Y., began harvest July 14, ahead of the typical July 20 start.
Tim Richards, salesman, said torrential rains during plantings combined with high July heat forced corn to mature earlier than expected and field spots reduced yields.
Because the grower-shipper was transitioning from early- to mid-season varieties, Richards said Gill Farms on July 29 almost run out of corn and was harvesting lighter volume.
He said he expected normal volume to return in early August.
"For Labor Day, we will have supplies for our regular customers," Richards said in late July. "I'm optimistic and we have a lot of corn left and I think we will have fair volume. We won't be short of anything nor have an overabundance. We should come out right."
Richards characterized corn quality as excellent and said he heard heavy rains also affected other corn growing regions.
On July 29, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported wirebound crates of 4-dozen minimum yellow and bicolor corn from New York's Hudson Valley selling for $9-10.50, up from $8.50-9.35 the previous week, while the same crates from California's central district sold for $10-10.95 for white and $10.95-11 for yellow and bicolor.
Delaware, Virginia, Michigan, Colorado as well as Canada also produce corn for the holiday.
Labor Day watermelon supplies should be adequate as well but July supply and quality weren't so strong, shippers report.
Randy Smith, vice president and salesman for Midwest Marketing Co. Inc., Vincennes, Ind., described quality as "below par."
Midwest began harvesting July 21, a week later than the normal start, and Smith said Midwest was harvesting decent sizes but not as many large watermelon as usual.
Heavy rains hurt crop set and sliced considerably into Hoosier State volume, he said.
Smith said the region's volume is down by a third and said Midwest Marketing will be lucky if it's able to ship 200 of its typical 250 season loads.
Though the growing region was experiencing a production gap in late July, Smith said he looked for supplies to improve in August, in time for Labor Day promotions.
"In the past when we're early like we usually are, a lot of times on the tail end of the crop you're scraping to come up with enough watermelons to try to fill orders," Smith said. "That shouldn't be a problem this year. We should be in better shape then (for Labor Day). The gap will be over and hopefully, we'll be in the back end of the crop, which is often stronger than the front end as there's less stress on the vines."
Smith said Missouri and North Carolina should finish shipments by Labor Day and said retailers should remain dependent on Indiana, Maryland, Delaware as well as production in Michigan and Canada.
In late July, he quoted 18-19 cents a pound, higher than the typical 14-18 cents per pound.
The USDA in late July reported these per-pound prices for 24 inch bins: 15-16 cents for red seeded 35s while seedless size 45s and 60s were fetching 18-19 cents, up from 15-16 cents a week earlier for the 45s.
The USDA reported growers curtailed harvesting in several Texas growing regions July 14-20 because of rain and wet fields.
For Texas, the agency reported 24-inch bin per-pound red seedless 35s selling for 16-18 cents with 45s garnering 18 cents, the same as the previous week.
Retail promotions
Tommy Wilkins, director of produce procurement for United Supermarkets LLC, Lubbock, Texas, said he expects strong Labor Day corn and watermelon supplies.
The west Texas watermelon deal began three weeks later than normal, which made it difficult for July 4 promotions, but Wilkins said he expects the later volume to produce a strong Labor Day run.
He described quality as strong and seedless quality as "phenomenal."
On corn, Wilkins said the Colorado corn United switched to from Texas in mid-July looks well.
"Unless Mother Nature throws us a curve, it's just a beautiful set-up we have for Labor Day," he said in late July. "There will be good supplies and we are excited about the opportunities for corn. On watermelon, it's lining up to be a fun time and good for the consumer."


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A young mum from Wiltshire gave up breastfeeding her baby in order to donate blood stem cells to a seriously ill girl she has never met.
Sophie Eyre, who works as a weight loss consultant in Calne and Chippenham, registered with the charity the Anthony Nolan Trust on a whim five years ago.
"It was a random thing," she said. "I'd just given blood alongside a friend and we decided to register to become a bone marrow, blood stem cell donor knowing that many who do will never ever receive a call. It just seemed like a good thing to do."
Last year though, just five months after giving birth to her son William, she was contacted out of the blue by the charity to say that a 12-year-old girl from Belgium had cancer of the blood and the only match in the world was Sophie.
"Normally they don't allow any woman who has given birth in the last 12 months to donate stem cells. I told them, I'd had William a few months before and they asked me if I was happy to go through the tests as there were no other matches in the world.
"I didn't hesitate as I realised I might be this child's only chance."
In August, 27-year-old Sophie undertook numerous medical tests and was then asked if she wanted to go ahead and make a donation of stem cells.
"They said I was fantastically healthy, which was brilliant as I'd worked very hard on my diet and fitness for the previous two years.
"It did mean I'd have to give up breast feeding for a short period as they had to give me injections to boost my stem cells ready for donation. William was five months old, I'd breast fed him throughout so I was willing to do that. I know I'd done my best for him already.
"The donation involved three days of injections in the stomach at home followed by a day in hospital in London. I wasn't able to move my arm for five hours as blood was withdrawn.
"After the stem cells were removed the blood was then pumped back into the other arm. I had achy muscles for a few days as they inject you with something to multiply the cells, but as soon as it was donated I felt fine again," she said.
The harvested cells were then flown out to Belgium and Sophie was told the procedure with the 12-year-old girl had gone well. Although Sophie could have returned to breastfeeding a few weeks after the procedure, her milk dried up naturally in the meantime.
"I've got absolutely no regrets. I've not met the girl who was given my stem cells. But it's just amazing to think that there is someone out there that I've never met, never known and with whom I have no connection at all but we have something in our bodies which matches."
One of the reasons Sophie was able to donate stem cells so soon after her pregnancy was her good health.
In 2011, she'd been overweight at more than 12 stone for her height of five feet eight inches.
"The weight piled on when I went from being on my feet all the time working in a garden centre to sitting behind a desk. I was really, really self conscious, I lost all my self esteem.
"I started to go to Slimming World classes with my mum Suzanne and set myself a target of losing over three stones. My self-esteem was so low and I didn't know if I could do it.
"But I did and over time as I worked with the consultant, I thought, I could do that job and inspire others to lose weight too."
Soon after, Sophie became a consultant herself and today holds classes in Calne and Chippenham on Wednes-days and Thursdays.
"When I found out I was pregnant, I kept on going. This healthy eating regime worked for me and I was supported by my midwife and people who came to my classes saw me continue with healthy eating right through my pregnancy. In fact, William still comes along to classes now."
Sophie never dreamed that achieving a personal goal of losing weight – she's now under nine stone – could help her save the life of another person who was in desperate need.
"I would urge anybody to register for this – it means so much to me that I could have helped save a child's life.
"There were some people who felt that I maybe shouldn't have done this, quite soon after giving birth, for a complete stranger.
"But what if it was your loved one or a close friend?
"There was no doubt in my mind that it was the right thing to do. And if that child ever needs me to donate again, I'm more than willing to do it."
- To sign up to the Anthony Nolan register you must be aged between 16 and 30 – this is because doctors tend to prefer younger donors and the trust wishes to focus its resources in this area.
- Patient and donor can have anonymous contact if they wish for the first two years after donation.
- After two years have passed, the trust can put individuals in contact with each other directly. For details, visit www.anthonynolan.org
- Sophie runs her classes at Beversbrook Sports Facility in Calne on Wednesdays at 9.30am, 5.30pm and 7.30pm and at St Peter's School hall, Chippenham on Thursdays at 5.30pm and 7.30pm.
Sophie's contact details are: 07525 807878 or email sophie_eyre18@ hotmail.com


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|Trad, 1 pitch, 40'
|YDS: 5.11b French: 6c Ewbanks: 23 UIAA: VIII- ZA: 23 British: E3 5c [details]
|John Bachar, 1976
|Page Views:
|Submitted By:
|Josh Beck on Nov 8, 2002
|Comments on More Monkey than Funky
|Add Comment
|Show which comments —
Comments displayed oldest to newest — Skip Ahead to the Most Recent Dated Apr 3, 2016
By Josh Beck
Mar 20, 2003
|One thing I forgot to add - readily toproped by scrambling up the backside (4th/easy 5th class slab). A safe toprope but if you blow it early in the roof the pendulum is better than disneyland. Be sure to pick up your feet and not drag them through the cat's claw on the way by :)
By Josh Beck
Mar 20, 2003
|A question for all the hardmen: For a punter (me) with dreams of Separate Reality, I'm working on roof cracks of all sizes for endurance, strength, technique, etc. Obviously I'm working on redpointing this route and have been working on Big Bob's Big Wedge and Pigpen. I'm wondering what people think of other training climbs - I'm hoping to make it to Red Rocks soon and try Desert Reality, and I'm thinking of bushwacking around Woodson until I find Undertow. Other suggestions? Anyone been on Separate Reality and have training advice? Thanks a bunch.
By Steve Juhasz
Mar 20, 2003
|More Monkey was my first totally horizontal crack, but as you found out, the vertical bit is harder than the roof. Separate Reality is much harder than More Monkey. The roof starts out pretty wide, but you can reach past it to solid hand jams deep in the crack. The roof is much longer too, and it gets progressively harder with each move, the end of the crack is very tight hands, from where you have to make a very strenuous reach to am awkward flake at the lip. Also, I never wear tape on my hands, and I did monkey several times with no tape and no pain, but on separate reality, you'll want tape. My hands bled from a dozen holes after this route, the rock inside the crack is extremely coarse for Yosemite standards. Core body strength counts for much more than crimp power on Separate reality. Also, keep only one foot at a time in the crack, use the other foot for flagging for balance. Good luck!
By C Miller
From: CA
Mar 20, 2003
rating: 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
Some ideas for roof cracks at Josh -
Castaway, Moronogo Man, Rice Cake Roof, Emotional Rescue, Control to KAOS, Comfortably Numb
These are of different ratings and widths to provide skill in a variety of situations. Hopefully when you get on Separate Reality you'll be prepared, and it won't be too bad; of course a season at the Gunks or at the T-Wall would really do the trick...get horizontal!
By M. Morley
From: Sacramento, CA
Mar 20, 2003
|I climbed this route several years ago on toprope with a then 18-year-old kid named Ben who went on to become a YOSAR staff and Yosemite hardman. Anyway, we used a 2-rope TR system to minimize the monster swing if you pop off. If memory serves, we set one rope in the usual location up top. Another anchor was set at the top of the initial slab where the horizontal crack begins. The climber could then climb the route on 2 separate belays (2 belayers needed). It worked out well (not that I fell or anything ;) ).
By C Miller
From: CA
Mar 20, 2003
rating: 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
|A single rope will suffice if toproping this line as the roof crack is much easier than past the lip.
By Josh Beck
Mar 20, 2003
|Indeed - one rope suffices, the roof crack out to the lip is very easy - strenuous but fantastic hand jams, and even if you do fall it's much more exciting to be on a single rope and have a great big swing :)
By Steven Powers
Oct 6, 2003
|i tried tr'ing this one when i had only been climbing three weeks.... the idea of a hand jam still eluded me and evrytime i tried to pick me feet up into the crack i would take a huge ride into space, have to admit it was kinda fun, just watch out for the catclaw as your being lowered.....owwwwww!
By Anonymous Coward
Mar 30, 2004
I tried top-roping this this thing years ago. I actually got my hand stuck at the beginning of the crack. Stuck like an oversunk nut. I was out from the slab, but not near enough to the lip to get any help from the rope. I was sweating it - and pumping out -until I finally managed to slip my hand out. Never got back to doing it though...
John Mireles
By d-know
From: electric lady land
Apr 1, 2006
|horizontal jamming rocks. I had my 2 pals all worked up about the start "don't fall man or you'll ride the slab", but once they latched into the 1st sweet jam it was all smiles.
By lhole
Jan 24, 2007
|Very fun and short little route! Some of the best handjamming in a roof that I have ever done. I had a ton of fun on it and would recommend it to anyone who can lead solid 5.11. T.R.ing it may be fun but the lead is very exciting, it takes gear exceptionally well. I personally think when led it bumps the grade up to it's guidebook 5.11d, Enjoy!
By Shambavi
From: Orange, CA
Sep 27, 2007
|anyone have anymore pics of More Monkey than Funky???
By susan peplow
From: Joshua Tree
Sep 27, 2007
Sure do, it's small but a goodie.
By andy patterson
From: Carpinteria, CA
Feb 19, 2008
For those that advocate the two rope system for leading or top-roping, I must say that a single rope works quite well for both applications. The swing, while considerable, is quite safe. For those leading the climb, be careful climbing above the lip encounter: if you fall and your belayer gives you too "static" of a belay , you run the risk of taking a pendulum into the roof. I did, and it hurt. A prudent "dynamic" belay would probably help all that. Or you could not fall like I did.
Wonderful climb!
By Burt Lindquist
From: Madison, WI
Jun 9, 2009
|On YouTube there is an old video of John Bachar soloing this roof for an episode of "That's Incredible". Its pretty funny to hear in the back ground "Fran Tarkington" (sp?) saying that the part of the climb above the roof is "the most dangerous part" even though that's were the harder moves are on this route. Always impressive on the other hand to see climber solo footage of hard routes and later in the video "Leave it to Beaver" is soloed by John.
By Adam Stackhouse
Jun 9, 2009
Here is the video
It includes an initial climb of a "small rock" So High, then More Monkey, then he literally walks up the Beaver.
By RTM
Aug 22, 2009
rating: 5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
|That vid is soooo classic, has the vibe of a '70s porn flik. Fran refers to the Monkey as a 50ft Mountain. That's one steep (and short) mountain!
By Drewsky
Aug 24, 2009
|Thank you for posting that link; the video is awesome. And the announcer is right: Leave it to Beaver is "almost impossible"--but not quite. RIP John Bachar!
By Nelson Day
From: Joshua Tree, CA
Nov 7, 2012
|Gear recommendations: (1) #2 C4 (first placement), (2) #1 C4 (or 1 C4 and a black metolius), (1) .75 C4, (1) 0.5 (orange metolius), (1) #0 master cam (purple for the top of the climb). Make sure to not place the #1 in the roof in your hand jam spot... I placed the black metolius at the lip. Optional green master cam for the roof.
By Russ Walling
From: www.FishProducts.com
Nov 7, 2012
Super classic route! Great cold weather oven over there too.
As to the pro listed above: How about just using crack size instead of all these brand specific sizes? WTF is a black/brown #9 Trango 2010 series master cranker? How about 2" pro under the roof and something in the 1" range around the lip?
Not everyone owns all that bullshit or even knows what it all is.
By Adam Stackhouse
Nov 7, 2012
|Quit whining Russ
By caughtinside
From: Oakland CA
Nov 7, 2012
|If you try this thing without that black/brown trango Master cranker it is an X route for sure. Better toprope.
By AST
Nov 28, 2013
|lol @ bachar with the sunglasses in that clip. Spitting image of Owen Wilson. RIP to the legend.
By Johnny Y
From: California
Dec 3, 2013
|The ultimate crux was trying not to land into the thorny bush directly below the anchor, my slings got caught while swinging out to the boulder and all was lost
By Phil Esra
Jan 2, 2014
|Try a kneebar at the lip!
By skinny legs and all
From: Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania
Feb 7, 2014
|I read an article in an old Climbing or Rock and Ice rag of Bachar recounting his witness to a solo ascent of this climb by John Yablonski. Yabo made it through the roof, and pulling the lip he just freaked. He was super pumped. Bachar thought Yabo had no business being on the rig without a rope and told him so prior to booting up. So Yabo is panicking, maxing out on poor jams and his entire body starts quivering; no I mean violently shaking. Somehow between blood-curling screams Yabo manages to make one more move, then another, and another, each time catching the jam poorly, with his fingers and hands oozing out. He stayed on each "jam" just long enough to snatch the higher, equally poorly set jam the moment before the lower jam was going to grease out in the next tenth of a second. It must have been quite a site to witness. Had I been there (or alive at that time), I don't think I would have been able to watch. Yabo was renowned for his skin of the teeth solos, but I understand that this one was an exceptional horror show. I am glad that the guy made it.
By Russ Walling
From: www.FishProducts.com
Feb 8, 2014
Here is a link to the Yabo freesolo story directly from Bachar:
By tanner jones
Mar 14, 2014
weekend whipper featured on rock and ice a few weeks ago
By Fat Dad
From: Los Angeles, CA
Nov 3, 2014
Wow, that dude is lucky he didn't crack his melon on the lip. No idea how he could have fallen from there. There's a tricky move getting established around the lip (that I think is the actually crux of the route, not the roof), but once you've done that, it's pretty mellow to the top. Guess it ain't over till it's over.
By Jordan Cannon
From: Bishop, CA
Apr 3, 2016
rating: 5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
|Surprisingly, this gave me more trouble than Separate Reality 12a in Yosemite Valley!


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As we reported yesterday, LRI National Coalition Member, the Lupus Foundation of Mid and Northern New York, Inc. has been working with influential legislative champions and numerous patient groups on a critical issue that is exacerbating existing health disparities among many underserved populations. The group is urging Governor Andrew Cuomo to reconsider a cost-cutting measure that makes it more difficult for millions of patients with chronic illnesses like lupus who are covered by Medicaid to afford necessary medications. In addition, the current regulations allow health benefits managers, rather than physician prescribers, to decide on the best medication for some patients.
Everyone's help is needed to convince New York State decision makers to include protections for lupus patients on Medicaid.
1) Call the Assembly Switchboard at 518-455-4100 and ask for your Assembly member.
2) Call Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver at 518-455-3791 and leave the following message:
"I'm a registered voter from (your locality) calling to urge that prescriber prevails protections are included in the Assembly budget proposal: my health depends on it!"


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Malcolm wrote:viniketa wrote:Malcolm wrote:Buddha was a Vedic Indian.
We often see it written that Guatama Buddha 'rejected the Vedas' or 'rejected the authority of the Vedas', while it is my understanding that he rejected the authority of certain groups of Brahmin priests. See Stephen Knapp: http://www.stephen-knapp.com/buddhism_a ... ctions.htm
He rejected the idea that the Vedas were shruti, uncreated and eternal. Of course, such ideas are key in Dzogchen where we find the Dzogchen tantras are uncreated and eternal in the same sense the Vedas were held to be.
could you please elaborate on this notion that Dzogchen tantras are considered uncreated and eternal? This sounds fascinating. Why are they considered as such?
If this is the case, then Dzogchen seems to be much closer to Sanatana Dharma than to other vehicles of Buddhadharma, since Vedas are merely being substituted with Dzogchen Tantras.
As stated Buddha did not believe in the apaurusheyatva of the Vedas. Would he do so in the case of Dzogchen Tantras and if so why? What would make the Dzogchen tantras uncreated and eternal, while the same is being denied to the Vedas?
Thank you in advance for the answers.
Ailurus Fulgens


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