Marineland's History Is Her Project

by Greg May
(Graphics by Jamie Richies)

When people have a passion for something, they want to share it with the world. And what better place to do that than on the Internet!

Take Romain Christmann, for example.

The lead vocalist and guitarist for the French punk/rock band NEOPHYTE owns and maintains the only website about the movie, JAWS 3D. Visit www.jaws3-d.com. to see Romain's passion for the now cult-film favorite.

So when this writer discovered the Internet, I found a way to display my passion for the world's original marine attraction - Marineland of Florida.

It was through my articles and stories about Marineland that I met Emma Pulley.

The attractive, 20-year old Britney Spears look-alike is a junior at Flagler College in St. Augustine and was preparing to do her Oral History Project on Marineland.

"I remembered my visit (to Marineland) as a child, and wondered how the park had evolved since I had been there," Emma blogged on The New Marineland - Nothing Like The Original blogsite.

Since I had made 100 visits to Marineland since 1965, Emma asked if I would assist her. This gave me a reason to visit Marineland once more and to see their new Dolphin Conservation Center.

I had mixed emotions about viewing the "new" Marineland as I approached the main entrance to meet Emma. Gone were the huge tanks - the world's first oceanariums - the Porpoise Stadium and those iconic arches that were a Florida landmark for so many years.


But the dolphins that made Marineland famous were still there - including 'Nellie' - the oldest living dolphin in captivity. 'Nellie' was born in Marineland's dolphin community tank in 1952 and will turn 58 in February 2011! No other marine life park can boast a longevity record for their dolphins as can Marineland.

Following a tour of Marineland's new Dolphin Conservation Center (see "Return to Marineland" on this website) it was time to get down to business. As we sat down in the comfortable lounge area of Marineland's Gift Shop, Emma pulled out her tape recorder and began to 'pick my brain' about Marineland's past, present and future.

Marineland's history as the world's first oceanarium and one of Florida's premier tourist attractions is well known. But what caused the attendance figures to decline beginning in the late 70's was a combination of changing traffic patterns and the attraction's inability to compete with the mega-theme parks in Orlando. And Hurricane Floyd didn't help matters when it roared up the East Coast of Florida doing considerable damage to Marineland's Porpoise Stadium roof.

"But what does the future hold for Marineland?" Emma asked. As I pondered this question, I had to remind myself that if it weren't for the present owners, we would not be sitting here.

Thanks to them, Marineland is still open and 'Nellie' and her fellow cetacean cohorts have a beautiful, spacious habitat today.