In 1947, Hermosa Beach opened what was considered one of the largest and most state-of -the art marine aquariums during this time. The aquarium was built south of the Pier; with round construction and glass- tanks so visitors could easily walk in a circle around the building. This local mini- Sea World was a big draw for tourism and drew over 1.5 million visitors. The Ocean Aquarium was home to hundreds of marine life including seals, fish, and its most infamous house guests … sharks. The Ocean Aquarium was a staple of this quaint little beach town and greatly contributed to the history of Hermosa Beach.
Seals are a common part of life in Hermosa as they were during the time of the Ocean Aquarium. Residents reminisce purchasing 3 sardines for a nickel to participate in seal feeding times. But it wasn’t only the feeding times the residents enjoyed. The Ocean Aquarium Seal Lion Shows were a huge hit and included tricks such as “Saying their Prayers” as well as “Hurling the Baton” depicted in the pictures above. Pierre Cillion, the World-Famous Sea Lion, was treated as a local celebrity around town. Pierre the Sea Lion is known for wearing funny hats, smoking cigarettes and “limping” on one fin. In 1949, Pierre even swam the English Channel for the Truth or Consequences Radio Program.
Another celebrity from 1952, was Winnie the Whale “with the detachable tail” who was hit by a ship and embalmed for display at the Ocean Aquarium. Winnie the Whale was a prized attraction and said to have wreaked of formaldehyde. He was eventually purchased by Les Bacon Ford and displayed inside the dealership. Rumor has it, Winnie the Whale was destroyed when someone threw a cigarette butt inside his mouth, lighting the prized attraction up in flames.
In 1959 Delores Eleanor Fisher, a local South Bay resident spent 55 hours and 39 minutes underwater in a 10 Foot porpoise tank, breaking the then World’s Record for time spent underwater. Deo Fisher, as she was known, was a pioneer for women in her time. With both a love and passion for scuba and aquatics, Deo would not only break the World Record, but also train over 65,000 people to scuba dive. Following her World Record at the Ocean Aquarium in Hermosa Beach, Deo Fisher and her husband Mel, moved their family to Florida where they began hunting for treasure in what is known as the Treasure Coast. Deo & Mel's legacy are known as the World’s Greatest Treasure Hunters and you can still join them in treasure hunting today.
