When you relax on the sea, all thoughts are somehow connected with the water element. I would like to know more about its inhabitants. And if the sea is stormy, and the weather is inappropriate for visiting the water park, it's time to go to the oceanarium. In Yeysk - a Russian resort on the shores of Azov, it is also available. It is called temptingly - "Shark Reef." Is this a marketing move, or can you really see the bloodthirsty fish of the ocean there? After all, the Sea of Azov, although rich in fish, but, alas, these species are not distinguished by the diversity of coloring or size. It is unlikely that someone will pay money to look at the gobies or flounder.
So, before visiting the Aquarium in Yeysk in reality, let's take a short virtual tour of this establishment. Below you will find photos that will liven up our story.
Where is the aquarium? Opening hours. Ticket prices
"Shark Reef" is located at: Yeysk city, Schmidt street, 16/2. It should be said that the aquarium is part of the whole complex, which also includes the dolphinarium and the water park "Nemo". It is located in the resort area of Yeysk, on the Taganrog embankment, at the intersection of Primorsky Boulevard and Rostovskaya Street. This is the area of Kamenka beach.
It's pretty easy to recognize the Aquarium in Yeysk. Photos of the facade of the building (it is stylized as a coral reef) are placed on billboards throughout the city. And on the Web, vacationers actively publish these pictures, because not far from the entrance there is a 7-meter dummy of a huge shark. It is with this “catch” that visitors to the aquarium like to take pictures. This museum of the underwater world operates from 10:00 to 22:00 from April to October without days off. An entrance ticket in the summer of 2017 costs 500 rubles for children and 700 for adults. Toddlers under three years old can attend free of charge.
Shark Reef Oceanarium in Yeysk
This museum and attraction under one roof was opened in the summer of 2009. Inside, the stylization of the facade under the coral reef is quite justified. Here indeed in one of the large pools recreated underwater life of the Red Sea. There are twelve aquariums in the museum with a total displacement of 260 tons. All of them are thematic. In addition to the coral reef of the Red Sea, you can see the inhabitants of the Caribbean, including gluttonous piranha fish from the Amazon River. It contains the inhabitants of the lakes of Tanganyika and Malawi. The ichthyofauna of the Sea of Azov is placed in a separate aquarium. In addition to fish, the museum contains marine mammals, turtles, mollusks, and invertebrates.
The oceanarium is a rather large museum. Its area is seven hundred square meters. There is a convenient parking lot at the aquarium, a gift shop is located.
Excursions
Having paid for the entrance to the aquarium in Yeysk, the visitor has the right to familiarize himself with the exposition thoroughly. And this means that they launch into the museum in small groups with a guide. First, a short film about the life of the oceans is shown. It lasts twelve minutes. Then the guide guides visitors along all the aquariums, interestingly talking about their inhabitants. With any luck, you can witness the feeding of sharks and piranhas. This is done by the workers of the aquarium right in the water, being among the toothy predators.
Starfish live in one of the pools. Young visitors are allowed to pick up one of them. This feeling of involvement in underwater life is very exciting. Also, the magnificent shark swimming, even behind the glass, will not leave anyone indifferent. And the soaring slopes, slowly flapping their "wings", are simply a bewitching sight. In general, the tour lasts about an hour.
Past and Future of the Aquarium
It should be said that this museum is quite new. It was completed at the water park and dolphinarium complex. The project turned out to be very costly, because the organizers wanted to create not just a “zoo for marine inhabitants”, where fish and other animals would suffer and die quickly in cramped aquariums, but a human-sea communication center. Therefore, when you are in the aquarium in Yeysk, you seem to hear the sound of the surf and feel the power of the wave. The effect of immersion in the depths of the sea is maximally complete.
In order for the fish not to feel stress, having fallen into captivity, fry were purchased. Visitors from 2009-10 were a little disappointed: sharks in aquariums barely exceeded a meter in length. But now these predators are quite grown up with a dummy hanging at the entrance. Only five specialists work at Shark Reef. They vigilantly ensure that their wards are comfortable in their aquariums. Photographing the inhabitants of the museum is possible, but only without a flash, so as not to scare them.
Reviews about the Aquarium in Yeysk
In the early years of the museum, the price of an entrance ticket was quite low - two hundred rubles for an adult. In the future, the cost of visiting increased, but this is not a whim of the administration. The museum is constantly evolving. A cinema room with a large screen and stereo sound is equipped. Additional movie clips about the various inhabitants of the aquariums have been released. A lot of money goes to the latest water purification system. The program of excursions now includes not just acquaintance with the exposition, but all kinds of shows.
Reviews say that the oceanarium is very popular with children. In "Shark Reef" are all the characters of the movie "The Adventures of Nemo Fish" with the main character, inclusive. But for adults, a visit to the aquarium will be very informative and interesting.