RIP Nyac

Nyac was made famous by being rescued from the Exon Valdez oil spill in 1989, giving birth at the aquarium and of course for the YouTube video of her and Milo rafting.

When Brent and I got memberships to the Vancouver Aquarium for a year we immediately fell in love with the otters. They are so adorable and I think what I like about them the most is that they do things that are so "human-like" in their little furry cute way! Sometimes for fun (go ahead and laugh), we pretend to 'raft'!

Unfortunately, Nyac was already sick and was being monitored behind the scenes so we never got to see her. Brent surprised me one day with an "Animal Encounter" with the otters where we went behind the scenes and learned more about them, prepared the gucky seafood gut meal, and fed Milo. I just loved how he held his food in his little hands and ate off his chest! Brent's favourite are the Sea Lions. Their barks sound "burpy".

Brent's concerned rant over Milo:

"Poor Milo! What is he going to do? He is going to be so lonely now with no one to raft with. He can't go in with the other two otters because he doesn't get along well with other males. They need to find another Nyac for Milo! He is still young... so that would be a lot of time alone without her."

This part was kind of poignant as there is a little parallel between Milo and I. Nyac was sick and away from Milo for most of the summer and on September 23, she passed away. Tonight, (because it is a weekend night) some girlfriends and I are doing our annual (and goofy) 'tribute' in an undisclosed body of water at an undisclosed time doing one thing by which every man (and otter) wishes he were remembered. This one is for you two!