Living Coast
(formerly the Chula Vista Nature Center)
Chula Vista
January 15, 2017
At the suggestion of one of Meredith’s rowing teammates, we drove down to Chula Vista to explore the revamped nature center, now called Living Coast. We took advantage of our Birch Aquarium membership; the two institutions are offering reciprocal admission in January.
Living Coast is part of the national wildlife refuge area in the South Bay. The parking lot is at the foot of E Street, just off Interstate 5. From there a shuttle bus runs to the nature center.
Just outside the main building is turtle exhibit, the Turtle Lagoon, which unfortunately was closed for maintenance the day we visited. Within the main building we saw a number of very interesting displays. There are tanks with local fish and many other marine animals. We were particularly struck by the large octopus. In addition to the marine creatures, there are also terrariums with lizards, snakes, and tortoises.
Just behind the main building is a shark and ray encounter area. There are two tanks in it. The first tank is shallower and open; visitors can touch the rays in it. The deeper tank also contains sharks and rays, and a large turtle. She is a rescue animal, with paralyzed hind legs. She was injured and partially paralyzed by a boat collision in Florida and has found a new home here. A docent was on duty, answering visitors’ questions.
Also in the area behind the main building are a series of small avian enclosures. We walked into the largest of them, housing a couple of rare clapper rails. We then walked on past a number of raptor enclosures, seeing eagles, hawks, owls, a kestrel, and an osprey.
After touring the exhibits, both interior and exterior, we headed across from the main entrance of the building, to trails that thread through the protected lands to the bay. We meandered around the trails, down to the bay and back again. Along the way we saw one of Bob’s former students, who is working at Living Coast as an intern, and stopped to chat with her.
Handicapped access seems generally good. There are ramps where needed, such as to the observation deck and the shark and ray exhibit. The shuttle bus from the parking lot is a kneeling bus which has wheelchair tiedowns. The walking trails are broad and flat and well compacted. Both the parking and the shuttle bus are free. Adult admission to the center is $16, and children are $11. Memberships are a good value: $40 for an individual, $60 for a dual membership, and $96 for a household.