THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 3, 1995 TAG: 9508010093
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Scott McCaskey
LENGTH: Medium: 80 lines
I had missed the boat since it first arrived more than a year ago.
For me, like many other Norfolk natives, Nauticus surfaced without eliciting much more than a curious gaze from Waterside Drive.
But I recently took the plunge and found the experience more to my liking than expected. Don't let the odd, dull-gray exterior fool you. Inside is a sophisticated nautical circus.
Busy with a sea of ship gadgets and artifacts, interactive computer games, cyber rides, movies, gift shops and cafeterias, the place looks and feels like a mall to honor the ocean. Despite a somewhat visible staff of guides, there is so much to see, do and learn in the 120,000-square-foot site that it's almost like being lost at sea without a compass.
But help is coming.
Beginning in mid-October, a crew of new volunteers will be on board to assist visitors in finding their way.
``Nauticus can be overwhelming,'' said Sara Lowe, a public relations consultant for the maritime center. ``The volunteers will help those who might be intimidated.''
The size and space is really not the problem. It's the volume of attractions and particularly the maze of computer games. The second floor is like a high-tech, educational arcade. Those most overwhelmed, however, seem to be adults, yours truly included. Many of the kids have no problem mastering the Sonar Intercept or the Flight Simulator. I quickly relinquished my joystick to an elementary schooler when we both realized I didn't have a clue. When the volunteers come on, possibly as many as 300, hopefully they will set up assistance booths next to the more sophisticated toys so the computer-challenged can play, too.
Until then, there are a lot of user-friendly activities. Topping the list is ``The Living Sea'' giant-screen movie. Commissioned especially for Nauticus, this 25-minute, international award-winning short is cinematic bliss. The above- and below-water footage of remote South Pacific isles is incredible. Time-lapse photography of 50-foot tidal changes in the Bay of Fundy is another highlight. The film ends with a special local twist.
Of all that the center offers, the two most hyped attractions are the AEGIS Theater and Virtual Adventures. The AEGIS show is a little overly theatrical at the onset, and definitely family and youth-oriented, but it comes through in the end. The armchair war games, with thundering sound and visual effects, put the audience on the front line of a modern battle at sea.
Virtual Adventures is an interactive submersible dive to battle the demons of Scotland's Loch Ness. The world's first group virtual reality attraction, each crew member, pilot to commander, plays a part. This game takes a few dives to get a handle on and is best enjoyed with family or friends.
Other Nauticus notables include the naval museum, the actual bridge of the Navy destroyer USS Preble, the shark-petting tank and a number of aquariums.
As most people are well aware, the center's visitor volume and revenues did not meet expectations in its first year. Although the numbers are not being released for 1995, attendance doesn't seem to be lacking. There was a waiting line for Virtual Adventures on a Tuesday. Morning or evening hours are the best times to beat the crowds.
But there is so much going on in Nauticus that it borders on being a sensory overload. While a stamp allows people to leave and return later in the day, the best way to enjoy the facility is probably with several visits. The volunteer program hopefully will make this king-sized serving of the sea a little easier to swallow. ILLUSTRATION: NAUTICUS NOTES
Hours: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily through Sept. 30. 10 a.m. to 5
p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, Oct. 1 through April 30, 1996. Closed
Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
Costs: General admission, $7.50 for adults; $6.50 for seniors 60
and over, AAA members, military and students 13-17 (ID required); $5
for children 6-12; free for children 5 and under. ``The Living
Sea,'' AEGIS Theater and Virtual Adventures are an additional $2.50
for all adults and $1.50 for children 6-12. The all-inclusive
Explorer Package is $14 for adults; $13 for seniors, AAA members,
military and students; $8.50 for children.
by CNB