Sea-Arama

Do you remember Sea-Arama Marineworld? 

It was one of the first parks anywhere to feature trained seals, dolphins and whales.

Located across the boulevard from the Galveston seawall, it was the island’s most popular tourist attraction for about twenty years from the time it opened in 1965.  It fell on hard times in the late 80s, and after the opening of Sea World in San Antonio, it could no longer compete.  Though Sea-Arama entertained more than 6 million people in its lifetime, only 300 turned out for what would be its final performance.

Animal activists were glad to see it go, citing the eleven dolphins and two orcas that died there before it closed forever in 1990.

Here’s a true Sea-Arama story that you’ve probably never heard. 

Back when the park opened, one of my best friends was living with a woman who worked there briefly.  “Jimmie” was a statuesque blonde who made a very good living as a model.  She was hired as one of the mermaids – bikini clad girls who swam with the dolphins.

I don’t suppose the possibility had occurred to anyone until it happened - this was, after all, one of the first parks of its kind – but she went into the tank on the wrong day of the month and was assaulted by an amorous male bottle-nose dolphin. 

She almost drowned, sustained numerous bruises and abrasions, and she never got into the tank again. 

I doubt if the dolphin cared one way or the other, but none of the humans involved wanted the story to go public, so the incident never made the news. She did get a very healthy out-of-court settlement from the park.