Marine Mammal Stranding Center

      Tuesday, August 24, 2021: On the date above, I did the first of my daytrips in Atlantic County, New Jersey. Because Atlantic County was close to where I grew up in Camden County, NJ, I have been to a few different places in this county through the years. (I also wanted to prove that there is more to Atlantic County than Atlantic City.) Therefore, I entered the Sea Life Museum at the Marine Mammal Stranding Center, 3625 Atlantic Brigantine Boulevard, Brigantine (609-266-0538). In this small museum/gift shop, one of the volunteers pointed out the displays on the ceiling, walls, and elsewhere of models of different fish, mammals, and turtles that live off the coast of NJ. She also mentioned the work that this center did in rescuing and rehabilitation of seals. (While this center also rescues turtles, they later send them to a place in East Orange, NJ, for rehabilitation.) Meanwhile, I saw, via closed-circuit cameras, the two areas where the staff kept the rescued seals until they were well and then later released back into the ocean. Other displays included bones from different sea mammals & fish and turtle shells. Other areas showed pictures and texts of marine mammals, fish, and turtles as well as a special area about ecology. Since this has been a non-profit place, items bought in the gift shop or donations have been appreciated. Outside, I noticed a “bone and shell” garden and a nearby pool containing spider crabs, hermit crabs, and fish. While this museum was small, it was unique, and the work that the staff has done has been very important!