Seahorses and Special Clams

The Monterey Aquarium is a “don't miss” on any trip to Northern California and this last week was no exception. Our good friend, Marianne, took us to see the very special seahorse exhibit that is being featured now. I used to see tiny seahorses when snorkeling in crystal waters at Christmas Cove in the Virgin Islands. This exhibit had some of those little guys, but also included some large and unusual species. My favorites were the ones that look like lacy green plants moving gracefully in the water. They looked like exotic swimming lettuce leaves. I learned something else, too – that male seahorses carry the babies and actually give birth. Amazing.

On our drive up Highway 1 the day before visiting the Aquarium, Gary and I had to find a topic of conversation that would keep us from arguing, so we somehow got into the origins of slang words that describe certain male and female body parts. We were talking about the National Spelling Bee, which had just ended, and the etymology of words when I passed a car with a license plate that included the word, “BEAVER.” Our conversation went straight downhill from there as we began trying to figure out the etymology of slang words like “beaver,” “schlong,” and “bearded clam” – but at least we were laughing hysterically instead of screaming at each other!

After that uproarious and somewhat scatological session on the foggy coastline, it was fitting that Gary would be seeking to find some bearded clams at the Aquarium, especially after learning about those poor male seahorses. The other two photos above depict the results of his pursuit.