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Blind Children Soak Up the Seaquarium

Touching and feeding the dolphins turned out to be a lot of fun for them

By Diana Gonzalez

| Friday, Jul 8, 2011 | Updated 6:02 PM EDT

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Forty children from the Star Summer Program at Miami Lighthouse for the Blind visit the Miami Seaquarium.

A Day With Dolphins

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Forty children from the Star Summer Program at Miami Lighthouse for the Blind had close encounter with some dolphins Friday the Miami Seaquarium.

"The seaquarium has given them the opportunity to experience sea life in a very unique way for children who are blind or visually impaired" said Isabel Chica, program director.

Many of the children needed help with the steps to get down to the platforms at the edge of the water tanks.

Deandre Incera, 6, was a little nervous at first, and asked: "Is it going to eat you?"

Touching and feeding the dolphins turned out to be a lot of fun for them.

Incera describes the sensation as “slimy and slippery."

Daniella Ghunain, 12, said "it was like silky- kind of like an egg without a shell."

Silvio Plata, 7, might be unable to see the dolphins, but his other senses soaked up the experience.

"I feed the dolphin with some fish and then I smell my hand and it smells fishy," he said.

He was also able to perfectly imitate the sound the dolphins make.

After the dolphins, the children moved on to the tropical wings exhibit, where they got up close and personal with an iguana, some stingrays and a baby sea turtle.

The Star Summer Program is funded by private donations and the Children's Trust. The Miami Seaquarium treated the kids and their counselors to this special day.