9-1-04: My family visited in another rainy season, and so we decided to spend this day at the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium. The otters looked very determined as they charged in circles around their pen.

9-1-04: The beluga whale coming up for a breath.

9-1-04: The walrus seemed to be making a series of slow circuits around his tank. He would always cruise this section upside-down, although the reason remains a mystery to me.

9-1-04: He did finally come by for a close look at me.

9-1-04: A puffin taking a bath.

9-1-04: I've always liked sea horses. A cluster of them hangs onto the sea grass wih a shrimp in the background.

9-1-04: The only thing better than sea horses are leafy sea draongs. This is a head-on view.

9-1-04: If this one is representative, they hardly move at all, but instead sort of float, faintly waving their fronds every now and again. The waves of its back do look like the kinks of the sea weed as it branches.

9-1-04: Ace, deep into vine moss.

9-1-04: I don't know what this plant is called. It grows a single, glossy blue berry off of a central stem. The berry is hard and looks more like a gumball than something you'd expect to find in nature.