The Gulf Specimen Marine Lab Sea Mobile, a self-sustained aquarium complete with a state-of-the-art filtration system, houses a variety of live marine life.
And it is bringing the ocean to the Crestview Public Library on Saturday, Sept. 19!
Come any time between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. This family event, open to all ages, does not require enrollment.
The Sea Mobile holds 750 gallons of saltwater aquariums, including five touch tanks with safe-to-handle species such as: starfish, sea urchins, conchs, crabs, sponges and other colorful sea life from the Gulf of Mexico.
In addition, seven acrylic aquariums are filled with animals to view including: stingrays, seahorses, sea anemones, octopus, stone crabs, file fish, gorgonians, shrimp and a variety of fish and invertebrates from the Gulf of Mexico.
The Sea Mobile also has two light microscopes with video camera adapters hooked to two LCD 46-inch flat-screen televisions that allow visitors to see intricate details of a sponge or tiny creatures such as amphipods swimming across the screen. Two Blu-ray players hooked to televisions play informational videos.
Please visit www.gulfspecimen.org for a sneak preview. Call me at 682-4432 with questions (about the event, not the sea!).
Heather Nitzel is the Crestview Public Library's youth services librarian.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview library to host sea mobile