大谷翔平の試合を観るためロサンゼルスへ③：青空の楽園サンディエゴの休日（続）/ Traveling to Los Angeles to Watch Shohei Ohtani③: A Getaway Under San Diego’s Blue Skies (Continued)
Enjoying the Ocean and Wildlife in San Diego: SeaWorld San Diego
San Diego is a coastal city on the Pacific Ocean, home to many famous surfing spots. As I mentioned earlier, I chose to stay in Ocean Beach, a neighborhood well known among locals for its excellent surf breaks and laid-back beach atmosphere.
(English text continues to tha latter half of the page)
San Diegoで海と動物を味わう：San Diego Sea World
San Diegoは太平洋に面した街で、有名なサーフスポットも多い。先に書いたように宿泊に選んだのも、地元ではサーフスポットとして有名なオーシャンビーチだ。
写真は浜辺で金属探知機を使うおじさんと、海岸沿いの奇景、名勝
San Diegoと聞いてまず思い出すのがSan Diego Sea Worldと言う向きは、かなりの水族館好きだろう。日本では千葉県鴨川に鴨川シーワールドがあるが、この施設はもともとSan Diego Sea Worldをリスペクトして開設された体験型水族館で、本家とは特に資本関係などもないらしいがシャチなど大型海獣の飼育などで協働研究もしているらしい。ちなみにシーワールドは宿泊しているオーシャンビーチから車で数分の距離にある。
前にも書いたが（資本主義の終末局面）、この施設への入場料が約２万円（一人、平日ネット予約）、駐車料金が6,300円、これ以外に下の写真のようにシャチやベルーガ、ペンギンへの接近遭遇などの特別メニューが提供されている。
これらのオプションプログラムも家族で申し込めば十万円単位の予算になるけど、どうもこれら以外のさらに高額なオプションプランも用意されているようだ。下の動画は園内の水槽を撮ったものだが、10人ほどがスキューバ装備をつけて水槽の中に潜っており、彼らは決して施設の従業員には見えなかった。スキューバ設備まですべて貸し出すわけだから、このオプションプログラムは千ドル単位の料金になるだろう。表からは見えないところに、富裕層向けのオファーがあるのだろう。
ただ余計なことを考えなければ、San Diego Sea Worldは実に楽しいところだった。子供の時から鴨川シーワールドに憧れていただけに、元祖のシーワールドは終日歩き回りたくなるような魅力にあふれていた。特にシーワールドの売り物、シャチのショーには「さすがは本場」と唸るものがあった。何も考えずに楽しむ一日も尊い。
園内ではエリアごとに特徴のあるサウンドで自ずと興奮が高まるような効果音を流している。地味な工夫のように見えて、大きな効果を生んでいる。
野生のアシカが遊ぶダルビッシュ有も住む高級住宅地La Jolla（ラホーヤ）
サンディエゴの北東の海岸沿いに広がるのが街きっての高級住宅地La Jolla（ラホーヤ）だ。サンディエゴパドレスのダルビッシュ有も住むこの高級住宅地は、同時に海岸には多くの野生のアシカやアザラシが集まり、海岸沿いの崖には地リスの群れが巣を形成している。高級ブティックやレストランが並ぶ高級リゾートであるとともに、手つかずの自然が併存する地区でもある。
庭に滝を設えたお屋敷
この海岸には崖の上から海面まで縦穴状となったSunny Jim‘s Sea Caveと呼ばれる海食洞も存在する。有史以前から存在する洞穴らしいが、現在はその上にギフトショップが建てられている。その名も「The Cave Store」。いったいどんな経緯でこの地権を手に入れたのかは知らないが、ここで$14を払えば店内の入り口から洞穴の中に入って145段の階段を使って海面レベルまで降りていける。ちなみにこのギフトショップではオリジナルのTシャツを販売しており、そのデザインは海岸に集まっているアシカ。
のんびり過ごさせてもらったSan Diegoはこれで最後。明朝からは大谷翔平の待つロサンゼルスに向かいます。
Enjoying the Ocean and Wildlife in San Diego: SeaWorld San Diego
San Diego is a coastal city on the Pacific Ocean, home to many famous surfing spots. As I mentioned earlier, I chose to stay in Ocean Beach, a neighborhood well known among locals for its excellent surf breaks and laid-back beach atmosphere.
Photos: A man searching the beach with a metal detector, and the dramatic rock formations along the coastline.
For many people, the first thing that comes to mind when they hear “San Diego” is SeaWorld San Diego—especially if they are aquarium enthusiasts. Japan also has Kamogawa Sea World in Chiba Prefecture. Although it has no capital or ownership relationship with SeaWorld San Diego, it was originally inspired by the famous American marine park when it opened as an interactive aquarium. The two facilities have reportedly collaborated on research involving the care and breeding of large marine mammals, including orcas.
Coincidentally, SeaWorld San Diego is located just a few minutes’ drive from Ocean Beach, where I was staying, making it an easy and convenient destination to visit.
As I mentioned in an earlier post (Terminal phase of Capitalism)admission to SeaWorld San Diego cost nearly ¥20,000 per person (weekday online reservation), while parking was another ¥6,300. In addition to the admission fee, the park offers a variety of premium experiences, such as close encounters with orcas, beluga whales, and penguins, as shown in the photos below. These special programs require separate fees and are priced at a premium.
These optional programs can easily push the total cost into the hundreds of thousands of yen for a family. From what I could tell, however, SeaWorld also offers even more exclusive—and considerably more expensive—experiences.
In the video below, you can see one of the park’s large aquarium tanks. Around ten people were inside the tank wearing full scuba gear, and they certainly did not appear to be SeaWorld employees. Since the program would include not only access to the aquarium but also the rental of complete scuba equipment, I imagine the price is likely measured in thousands of dollars rather than hundreds. It gave me the impression that, beyond the attractions visible to ordinary visitors, there are premium experiences quietly designed for affluent guests who are willing to pay for truly exclusive access.
Putting those thoughts aside, SeaWorld San Diego was simply a wonderful place to visit. Ever since I was a child, I had admired Kamogawa Sea World in Japan, so finally experiencing the original SeaWorld was something I had looked forward to for many years. The park was full of attractions that made me want to keep exploring from morning until evening.
The highlight, of course, was the famous orca show. Watching it, I couldn’t help but think, “This really is the original.” The scale, the presentation, and the bond between the trainers and the whales were truly impressive.
Sometimes it is worth setting aside deeper thoughts and analyses for a day. Simply enjoying the experience for what it is can be rewarding in its own right.
Throughout the park, each themed area has its own distinctive soundtrack and ambient sound effects, subtly building excitement as you move from one section to another. It may seem like a small detail, but it is remarkably effective. The carefully designed audio creates an immersive atmosphere and adds a great deal to the overall experience.
La Jolla: An Upscale Coastal Community Where Wild Sea Lions Play—and Home to Yu Darvish
Stretching along the coastline north of downtown San Diego, La Jolla is the city’s most prestigious residential neighborhood. Home to many affluent residents—including Japanese Major League pitcher Yu Darvish—La Jolla is also renowned for its remarkable natural environment. Its shoreline is a gathering place for large numbers of wild sea lions and harbor seals, while colonies of California ground squirrels inhabit the coastal bluffs overlooking the Pacific. It is a rare destination where luxury boutiques, fine restaurants, and elegant resorts coexist with unspoiled wildlife and spectacular coastal scenery.
La Jolla’s unique combination of natural beauty and upscale living makes it one of Southern California’s most distinctive seaside communities.
A mansion with a private waterfall in its garden
This stretch of coastline is also home to Sunny Jim’s Sea Cave, a sea cave formed by wave erosion that extends vertically from the clifftop down to the ocean. Believed to have existed since prehistoric times, the cave is now topped by a small gift shop appropriately named The Cave Store. I have no idea how the owners originally acquired the rights to such a unique piece of land, but by paying an admission fee of about $14, visitors can enter the cave through the shop and descend 145 steps to sea level inside the cavern.
The Cave Store also sells its own original souvenirs, including T-shirts featuring one of La Jolla’s most iconic residents—the wild sea lions that gather along the nearby shoreline.