These constant changes were all mysterious, and mostly arbitrary, to any kid. They may remember it with different names - Marine World Theme Park, Africa USA, Discovery Kingdom, Six Flags - or in different locations, as it moved from the Peninsula to Vallejo in the 1980s. Generations of Bay Area children have memories of Marine World. “Unlike a zoo, where animals are simply animals,” the Napa Register once wrote, “Marine World has humans and animals romping together.” Spock swam back to Ray, and met his proffered hand with a flipper high-five. Spock took a few laps around the tank, satisfying his handlers that he was feeling spry once again. "With 2:30 lapsed, Clifford yelled, 'I've got it!’” the San Francisco Examiner reported, “and his arm came back out of Dr. Ray felt around the soft folds of the dolphin’s stomach, gently probing for hard metal. Spock’s breathing would become dangerously inhibited. A vet from UC Davis was put on speakerphone to talk Ray through the procedure. When Ray arrived at Marine World, his fingernails were trimmed and his right arm was thoroughly lubricated. He boasted an incredible reach of nearly 4 feet, and he said he was ready and willing to help the ailing dolphin. Ray was supposed to be boarding a plane for a Warriors road trip, but since he was injured, he wasn’t expected to play. Why not ask the tallest humans he knew: the Golden State Warriors.Īn urgent call was made to the team’s 6-foot-9 center Clifford Ray. It was then that park CEO Mike Demetrios had an idea. Despairing, the Marine World staff contemplated what to do next. If you have not looked at the physiology of a 12-foot bottlenose dolphin lately, perhaps a photo will remind you this is not a task for normal-sized human arms. Spock’s neck and fish out the bolt with their fingers. The best thing would be if someone could stick their arm down Dr. Veterinarians and doctors for humans were rushed to the theme park to inspect the beloved mammal. Alas, those confirmed the metal bolt was indeed deep in his innards. Spock’s mouth to make sure the bolt wasn’t just hiding below his girthy tongue, and X-rays were ordered up. The staff at Marine World went into action. Spock dove down and, to the horror of everyone watching, swallowed the bolt in one sharp gulp. But while unscrewing a large bolt, it slipped from his grasp. The diver was careful not to leave any tools within reach of the curious dolphin. Spock was watching when a diver entered his tank to make repairs on a late February day in 1978. But once, it was the strangest, boldest and most controversial animal attraction the Bay Area had ever seen.Ī dolphin named Dr. Now stripped of its aquatic name and rebranded Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, Marine World feels like any other California theme park. Over the years, memories of the animals blurred with memories of the roller coasters.
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