A couple of weeks after Hurricane Sally tore through the area, the Dauphin Island Sea Lab was working to reopen after sustaining extensive storm damage — and the good news was that its animals were safe and the aquarium itself had come through relatively unscathed.
The lab set a target of reopening the Estuarium aquarium on Monday, October 12, with hours from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and tickets available online. Masks were required for everyone over the age of 2. The Discovery Hall K-12 education programs were expected to resume the weekend prior.
The damage elsewhere on campus was significant. Beyond downed trees, the graduate school building lost part of its roof, leaving many dorm rooms filled with debris. A storage building also took roof damage, and the Marine Science Hall — which houses much of the lab’s research facilities — had offices destroyed, with daylight visible through the roof and ceiling and insulation scattered throughout.
Executive Director Dr. John Valentine said the aquarium saw only minimal damage and that all of the animals were unharmed, allowing the Sea Lab to focus on rebuilding and getting back open as quickly as possible.