Wait a second… FISH POND? I thought the boys were off to Senegal!
Apparently not. They were all set to go, but as they headed down the coast, they were won over to the idea of a quiet day at the seaside. Then…
“Hey, what’s that weird-looking building in among the rocks?”
Once again, the Beasties’ curious natures get the better of them and they have to at least go a little closer! Fortunately, the next thing they stumble upon is this sign, which tells them everything they need to know.
Sold! As we know, the boys can’t resist an aquarium… And how often do you get to visit a famous fish pond?
Especially if it also looks like a castle…
Let’s go inside!
Aha! Nice one, Plunkett… You’ve found the fish pond!
This pool started as a natural inlet from the sea, but it was enlarged by the local laird (landowner) between 1788-1800, with the help of a few French prisoners of war. Look, the date of completion is right here on the rocks!
What did he want a pool for? Well, in the dark days before the fridge-freezer, a “fish larder” like this one meant that the family could keep sea fish handy and fresh all year round!
These days, it’s enjoying a new role as a marine life centre. Paddy can’t wait to make more fishy friends! But wait, what lies at the end of this rather spooky tunnel?
“Smugglers! It has to be smugglers!”
“Not quite, Paddy. It’s a nursery!”
In here, fish are raised from teeny fry to adult size… Then they can move to the main pool.
Back outside, it’s time to get up close and personal with the grownups!
Wow, they’re friendly! They must love the camera… Or could it be that they know when John the guide is coming around with his bucket of fish food?
After the fish have had their lunch, the boys explore a little further afield. Just around the corner, Paddy sees this.
Is it the perfect Beastie-sized house? Not quite.
“Plunkett, look! It’s the old bathing hut!”
“What’s that?”
“It’s where people used to change before going in for a swim!”
Plunkett takes a moment to read the signpost.
“Um, Paddy? It says this was for women only, so maybe we should…”
Too late!
Luckily, the days of segregated sea bathing here are long gone, and Paddy can enjoy a view of the shallow pool without outraging anyone’s delicate sensibilities. He almost looks like he’d like to go for a dip himself!
Look! There’s even a fireplace inside, so getting dried off afterwards wouldn’t be a problem!
Plunkett likes it too, despite his initial reservations.
“Maybe we should stay here for the winter. I reckon they’d like a pair of resident Beasties!”
What’s this? Are the intrepid twosome considering a retirement from the adventuring life? You’ll have to wait a couple of weeks to find out, because there’s a new Beastie waiting in the wings to meet you next Tuesday!
See you then!
The Menai Strait is the narrow stretch of water that separates the island of Anglesey from the Welsh mainland. It looks calm enough here, doesn’t it? But strong and ever-changing tidal currents make it highly unpredictable and tricky to cross. In the past, this served the locals well – Anglesey was one of the last refuges of the Druids, at a time when they were being displaced all over Britain by the arrival of the Romans.
The Lobster Hatchery is one of several conservation projects based here in Anglesey Sea Zoo. Overfishing in the 1980s meant that local wild lobster populations took a huge hit, so the Hatchery is here to help them get back on their spiny little feet. The main focus of their work is a captive breeding programme, but research and education are also important aspects of what they do.
Well, moon jellies, if you’re going to be particular about it… But they do have an otherworldly look to them, don’t they? He could have watched them for hours – which is unusual for Paddy!
And although Paddy was momentarily distracted by the starfish that was taking a stroll across the front of the tank…
… It wasn’t long before he found a new way to pass the time – playing hide and seek with the fish!
But what’s that stirring in the hidden depths of the aquarium? Uh-oh!
Will the boys be able to wriggle free and swim to safety? Or will they remain imprisoned in the darkest depths of Davy Jones’ locker? You’ll have to tune in next week to find out!