The festive season becomes the fish-tive season at aquarium

Christmas is for everyone this weekend – including our underwater friends!

Aberdeenshire’s Macduff Marine Aquarium celebrated its 20th anniversary this year and has under gone a major refurbishment of the central kelp reef exhibit.

The aquarium was closed for the summer while the work was carried out and the grand reopening and birthday celebration was a huge success with record breaking visitor numbers in October.

Santa will be visiting the Macduff Aquarium this weekend

Now as the chill sets in Santa will be beginning his travels south. He visits the aquarium on Saturday and Sunday, 16 and 17 December, to give the fish their Christmas dinner and see how they are settling into their newly redecorated home.

Santa will don his scuba gear for his annual dive in the aquarium’s kelp tank with the usual twinkle in his eye.

He has been keeping a list of the fish and knows which ones have been naughty or nice this year – Jemima the halibut will especially have to watch out as she is well known to be cheeky with the divers – she’ll need to be on her best behaviour if she’s to get her treat from Santa! The aquarium’s newest shark, the starry smooth hound, is bound to get very special treats though!

Over the weekend, visitors can enjoy the sea life of the Moray Firth, take part in the Twelve Days of Fishmas Trail, sing along with the community Christmas carollers, hear a Fishmas story and make some fishy Christmas crafts for those last minute gifts from the heart – festive fishy fun for all!

The aquarium is open 11am to 4pm, Santa dives at 2pm on Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 December. Entry costs are £7.25 for adults and £4.10 for children.

Fun events have been lined up for children in early 2018

Meanwhile, a variety of events have been lined up for next year. Tiddlers’ Fun Time 2018 is a series of fun-filled sessions running on select Mondays from January to March.

Scheduled are:

January 15 – Colour my Ocean. Explore all the vibrant colours found in the ocean and learn why the sea is blue in an interactive workshop! Take part in chromatography crafts and follow the ‘I Spy’ trail as visitors wander around the aquarium.

29 January – What’s that Sound? How is it made? Do fish make sounds? Discover the answers to all these questions through an interactive workshop, a fun trail and exciting craft activities.

5 February – Commotion in the Ocean. Through songs, dance and storytelling, visitors will explore the diversity of ocean life found in the Moray Firth and beyond. As always there will be an exciting trail to follow and a make and take craft activity too.

26 February – The Sea by Numbers. In this fun interactive counting session, visitors will explore numbers in terms of all things marine; there will be counting songs, rhymes, stories and a fun counting trail. As they move around the aquarium, youngsters can also explore size and scale through the animals and their environments.

5 March – Sharks and Rays. Explore the diversity of sharks and rays, hear sharky stories and see baby sharks and rays still in their egg cases as visitors follow the lifecycle of the lesser spotted dogfish. Take part in identifying types of sharks and rays, and make a hungry shark to take home.

19 March – Pirates. Yo ho, me hearties! There be a pirate trail to follow, cannons to make and a mighty exciting workshop to do with floating and sinking- Argggh! Come in fancy dress or as yourself; aquarium staff won’t make you walk the plank, they promise!

These Curriculum for Excellence linked sessions have been developed especially for under-fives and provide the opportunity for children to discover life under the waves through themed activities, stories, crafts and games.

The day will include a scheduled interactive workshop or storytime, scheduled touch pool sessions with a Marine Master and drop in craft activities.

Normal entry prices apply: Adult £7.25, Child (3-5 years) £2.90, under-threes, free.