Monday, December 19th (continued) 
Once the welcome photos were taken of each small group within our larger group of 12, we moved onward to the first encounter of the tour: we were kicking things off in a super cool way with some one-on-one time with a pair of the most breathtakingly beautiful harbor seals
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Each time we were readying to make the acquaintance of another animal, the care staff would prepare the group by giving us specific instructions of what to do or not to do to ensure the safety of both the animals and the tour participants. They were very clear that if one of the animals chose not to participate for any reason, that the trainers would take their cue and allow them to leave the area on their own terms. The SeaWorld staffer also gave us tons of information about each animal: their specific behaviours, their natural habitats, their individual care needs, and their unique personalities. Questions were welcomed and encouraged throughout each portion of the tour.
I am pretty sure they told us that SeaWorld Orlando was the only place in the USA that you could experience a one-on-one encounter with harbor seals, and yes…..it was as amazing as it sounds. While the other animals on the tour were unbelievably amazing as well, these two were my absolute favourite part of the Wild Artic experience, and were the highlight of the day for me. One look at those faces and I was in love
.
They split us into two groups for the harbor seal encounter, and then halved our half-group again so that we had three people per seal. It allowed us to all get hands-on to pet and feed these incredible creatures. I could have spent all day in that spot and considered the day a huge win. Time went WAY too fast, even though they were very generous with time…..not rushing anyone through and giving us ample opportunity to soak up the moment. The moment, however, was so unbelievably cool, an hour (even two) would have seemed not enough.
Eventually we were rounded up by our guide and moved onward to visit the next animal on the tour: the stunning beluga whale.
For the whale encounter, we were split into those small groups of three and given the chance to touch and pet the beluga (they feel like wet balloons to me) before the trainer showed us just how smart they were.
By carrying out various hand signals under the direction of the trainer, we got to witness everything from a rise out of the water (to touch our hands) to a beautiful pirouette. Each small group highlighted a different beluga skill, so those watching from the sides witnessed the playful splashes and blowhole sprays too. As we waited our turns, it was fun to wonder which talent we’d get to see.
There was a second beluga in the pool, but she had not been feeling very social and had been choosing not to participate in recent tour encounters. While they hoped that she might choose to join our session, that wasn’t the case. No one was disappointed, though, as the time spent with “our” beluga was simply magical. Truly moments we would never forget.
We ended the tour in a BIG way…..both figuratively and literally!
It was hard not to fall head over heels for this big fella as he lumbered his way down the hallway to greet us. Let’s just say, as he burst around the corner, waddling that mammoth body remarkably quickly down a long hallway, that he definitely made the
grandest entrance of the day
.
Garfield was, in a word, MASSIVE
. If you think the size of the walruses are impressive when they are featured in Sea Lion High, their girth is even more awe-inspiring when you find yourself within touching distance: this big fella was a scale-topping 3000 pounds. It’s really quite humbling to stand among such incredible animals, really. One of those moments when you realize you may only have this experience once in your lifetime.
Garfield, like the adorable Big Chris at Pacific Point Preserve, suffers from cataracts…..and his poor, bulging eyes were hard to peel our own gaze from. In fact, Garfield had us all simply captivated: it was hard to tear our eyes away from ANY part of this enormous fellow. As far as his eyes go, the animal care staff assured us that he received the best of care…..from his eyes right down to his little flipper feet. We were assured we needn’t feel sorry for the large, lumbering lad: he was loved and adored by all who worked with him, and he was living a pretty comfy life at the Orlando park. Lucky, indeed
.
We all had the chance to get up close and personal with Garfield, feeding him fish and feeling very small next to his ample body. We learned a lot of cool little facts about their tusks, about their behaviours in the wild, and about Garfield’s own unique personality.
I was
incredibly proud of David, who was more than a little hesitant to approach such a large animal. With a little encouragement and reassurance from his mom, though, he impressed us all by being brave enough to conquer his original hesitation and get up close for his moment with Garfield, too. Way to go, David!!
The regular price of the Wild Arctic Tour is $59 per person, with a 10% discount extended to pass members. Even at full price, I think this tour would absolutely be worth every dime: the experiences are priceless, the guides and care staff were wonderfully informative, and the amount of time to spend with each animal was 'just right'. As a BOGO offer, it was a STEAL. This was the fourth tour/animal encounter at SeaWorld that we have been fortunate enough to enjoy (with the others being the VIP Tour, the Behind the Scenes Tour, and the Dolphin Encounter) and each one we do makes us want to do more. So well done, so educational, and SO FUN
.
I am pretty sure we returned to Mango Joe's after the tour for more food (I am virtually certain Steve and I shared a chicken tenders basket......we love the chicken tenders at SeaWorld's quick service locations) and then we bid Joanna adieu. It was so much fun to finally meet another Dis friend in person, and to have the chance to share such a memorable activity with her
. We must make another date to do something similar again on future trips!
Much more SeaWorld is still yet to come......including more up-close animal encounters 
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. You're officially unsupervised for a couple of days!
. It' a strange parallel.
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