Journeys›Photograph

Sunsets and SeaWorld: A Holiday Trip in 2007

·San Diego, California·#winter#sunset#holiday#San Diego#seaworld
Bright sunset over the ocean with distinct sun rays forming an X, silhouetted buildings visible below the horizon.

We spent the week between Christmas and New Year's down in San Diego back in 2007. What I remember most vividly from that trip are the sunsets. Every single evening, the sun would just drop right over the Pacific, silhouetting the city and the coastline. The light was incredible, creating these really intense, starburst lens flares.

Of course, the main reason for the trip was a day at SeaWorld. I hadn't been to a place like that since I was a little kid. We saw the dolphin show first, with trainers in wetsuits guiding them through coordinated jumps in a huge, crowded amphitheater.

The orca show was the main event. The sheer size of the killer whales is hard to comprehend until you see them up close. During the performance, one launched itself completely out of the water right in front of us. They'd also swim by the edge and send a massive wave of water over the first ten rows—hence the sea of people in blue plastic ponchos. It was an impressive and very strange spectacle, watching these giant creatures perform on command.

A bright sun sets over a calm ocean, silhouetting buildings and trees along the horizon.A sunset with a large sunburst over the ocean, a dark coastal landscape with buildings and palm trees.A vibrant orange and purple sunset over the ocean, with a bright sun illuminating the dark coastal city skyline.A dolphin jumps from the water holding a flag, while two people in wetsuits wave from a platform at SeaWorld.A SeaWorld show features several dolphins jumping from a pool, with trainers, a large audience, and park buildings.An orca jumps out of a large pool in an outdoor stadium with a stage and a crowded audience.An orca jumps high from blue water, making a large splash, in front of stadium seating filled with people.A large orca with a person leaning on its dorsal fin, and an audience in blue ponchos behind railings.

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