Nausicaa, Boulogne

During our second time in Bolougne we spent the morning before our sailing out to England in the ‘Nausicaa’ sea-life centre. We had a whale of a time! (Sorry, couldn't resist!) Seriously though, we did, and not just the kids. In fact, we were slightly worried that the kids, age 1 and 2, might be too small. Their eyes were huge with awe and excitement! It was a fantastic day out.

The exhibition started with the different kinds of sea-life, their function, survival skills, how they move, eat, etc. Basically, everything about all known fish in the sea! They showed well-known creatures like plankton, to fish scientists were surprised to find where they did. Animal communities surviving in really hot waters (350 degrees) at the bottom of the sea so without any sunlight. It’s amazing to see how some fish survive. Some feed on bacteria, others find shelter in the sea plants by being the same colour!

The exhibit works its way around the world, showing sea-life particular to different areas. This way, you really get an idea who grows where and why.

My favourite bit was in the tropical area. They set a scene of a beach where you could see in the sea. Beautiful tropical fish, tiny ones with all the colours you can imagine, next to the pool with huge sharks. They don’t just show fish there, also animals you might find near the water. In that area, there were stairs to the underneath of the pool. You were surrounded by all those creatures. You were in the middle of the sea!

The next section, and all through the exhibits there were warnings and tips on how to look after our planet. The effects of fishing, tourism and many other things that potentially could destroy some creatures. It made me think, first they show us all the beauty of the sea and then how mankind has taken it for granted.

It was so much fun. It took us about 2 hours to walk around and take everything in. Practically, even walking around with a buggy was easy. A clearly marked route made sure you’d see everything whilst at the same time being able to make use of lifts. Definitely worth while!