Shhhshhhshhsh-shharrr-shhshaarr-SHARK!

This is post is long overdue. Long, long, long overdue. I am sure you all know that I had the absolute pleasure to have some of my favorite people visit a couple weeks ago. Mom and Christine. This is a little favorite thing that happened while they were visiting on our day trip to Santa Barbara.

We pet sharks!!!

Not this kind.

We were lucky enough to pet Swell Sharks, they are delightful little imps. Nothing like JAWs or the notorious Bull Shark that was the true culprit behind the grotesque attacks that inspired that masterpiece.

Exhibit A:  Swell Shark

In my opinion, which is simply based on my sight and poor memory, I think the Swell Shark (See Exhibit A) looks like an adorable miniature of the Jaguar Shark (Exhibit B), that was responsible for Esteban Du Planier's death in the Life Aquatic, and a Nurse Shark (Exhibit C). 

Exhibit B: Jaguar Shark

Exhibit C: Nurse Shark

So yes, cute. Very cute.

Exhibit D: Swell Shark Egg Casing (active)

Exhibit D (see above) are baby Swell Sharks in their egg casing, they stay in there and feast on the round protein pellet that they share their quarters with until it's gone then they bust out and really start living in the open ocean. (There may be a video that I will be sharing as soon as I can unlock the mystery of uploading a video to this blog without getting an error.)

Exhibit E: Shark Egg Casing

There was a big bowl of the discarded egg casings they kind of look like the exoskeletons of beetles. The ones that look like they have pinchers are from our buddies the Swell Sharks and the spiral ones are from Horn Sharks.

It's official Christine likes it!

Now on to the action!

 Enter the Sharks

Cue the petting (my first go round) 

Mom gets right in there.

Christine is getting it done.

I can't even stand it. Amazing.

We actually pet the sharks several times, we made a couple of trips back to them and even got to rub their little bellies! 

Some other seeing with our hands whilst in Santa Barbara.

Star fish

Another Star fish.

Sea Urchin

Decorator Crabs

Christine was the one who touched the decorator crab, I took a pass on this one. They are scary and have these weird white pinchers. Also, we touched a sea cucumber, it was great. Sadly we don't have a picture of that, it would have been a great addition to this entry. But I will tell you that they are very soft and we would be too if we were 98% water. Also, when they get stressed out they fold up in to the shape of a football. I suppose that would be the equivalent to our fetal position, in appearance alone.