Good Nights

As security guards lock the doors to the Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific one Friday evening, a group of Girl Scouts and a pack of families--armed with sleeping bags and overnight gear--clamor to get in.

These folks aren’t trying to beat the morning crowd, nor are they misplaced campers. They are taking part in a sleepover designed to give a closer view of the underwater tribes of the Pacific Ocean.

And you thought the fish went to sleep when the aquarium closed.

“There are lots of different families in the ocean, and there are a variety of ways in which they take care of themselves,” said Susie Exner, public programs manager. The newly opened aquarium has 47 exhibits and 10,000 ocean animals that visitors can peruse during the day. And on Friday nights, the facility is opened to families (with children 5 and up) to go behind the scenes to see even more.

Two sleepover programs provide a slew of sea-life activities before the tropical reef and predator tanks. One program is aimed at youth organizations and schools, which must provide chaperons; the other is geared to families.

On a recent evening, Girl Scout Troop 260 from Long Beach took part in “From Sandy Shores to Sunken Ships,” investigating the ocean food chain by following a treasure map with clues to many of the tanks.

A pirate appears before them with the map and explains how his treasure has been shanghaied by Wet Willie, the evil pirate. He needs the fourth-graders to help him find it, and provides them with maps and some clues.

The first clue leads them to a tank full of fish that live deep in the amber kelp forest. The girls learn all about the animals that feed off the slimy vines before another clue leads them to plankton.

The treasure hunt takes the girls to a tank of tropical fish and the coral reef, and to exhibits where they learn about cuttlefish, sharks and the symbiotic relationship between little and big fish. In the end, they find the treasure--a chest of shiny jewels and gold chocolate coins to eat on a snack break.

“Finding the clues was my favorite,” said Judy Craig, 9. “ I like it because there was always another clue.”

Meanwhile, a group of families whose daughters attend Laurel Crest School for Girls in Rossmoor learn about the lives of fish under the sea through “Fishy Families.”

On the outdoor deck, they visit seals and sea lions and learn about their habitats and food choices. They learn about bat rays and stingrays at a touching pool where they stroke the slippery animals, then move on to the turtles.

The educators inform the girls about the life stages of the turtle before taking them inside to play Turtle Hurdle, a game of tag in which they try to maneuver around participants who pretend to be developers and predators. Each time they are caught, they must give up 10 turtle eggs.

Next, families learn about puffins and sea otters. They tour the massive kitchen, where food for the aquarium’s inhabitants is prepared, and glimpse the sharks from above the tank where they are fed by trainers.

Later, the families sleep near the families they have studied.

“This is fun ‘cause you get to sleep with the fish,” said Molly Atkins, 6, who was accompanied by her parents, Greg and Becci. “We might see them fall asleep.”

And the kids aren’t the only ones having a blast.

“It appeals to everyone,” said Gary DeLong, who attended Fishy Families with his 6-year-old daughter, Betsy. “The adults are having as much fun as the kids.”

BE THERE

Sleepovers at the Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific, 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach. “Fishy Families,” 6:30 p.m. Friday to 8:30 a.m. Saturday. Cost: $50 per person, includes breakfast. “From Sandy Shores to Sunken Ships,” 6:30 p.m. Friday to 8:30 a.m. Saturday. $45 per student; $25 per chaperon. (562) 590-3100.