Spring Break brought a fair amount of attention that brought in people from all angles. The colony that got the most attention was Skull Island or Dinotopia Aquatica. Off the eastern coast of Florida and near some of the good swimming locations, it made for a sort of attraction that would go beyond just the Animalians and helped them integrate with the local economy in a way that had them working with the outside world. This at times did cause some trouble, particularly given some of the outside games that had happened in the previous two years with the Covid pandemic.
With tourism being a major part of the local region and a fixture of Dinotopia Aquatica's economy, this raised the risk of Covid coming to the colony in a way that many of the other colonies didn't have. This led to the Dolichorhynchops "Dinotopian," Molly, becoming the first Animalian to catch the disease after rescuing a swimmer that had seemed a bit drunk from passing out in the water. The one plus of this was that Molly's exposure and survival of the disease was able to allow Horizon to then develop a Covid Vaccine for Dinotopians, which would become important as the tourist season started up again. The one thing that the vaccine couldn't solve though, was some of the odd things that came from college students who came to the island more hoping to see a naked Animalian than the attractions that were there to be educational.
"Come on, it is pretty warm out!" one male college student said to Nessa, Daniele, and Miki who were presently manning the stand for the displays that were there regarding the old pirate base that "Skull Island" used to be.
"Laddie, this may be Florida and it may be warm," Nessa answered, "but a lot of the business here that we all take turns working with is still to be professional. Running around in a tiny bikini might be an attraction to you, but it would turn off families distract from the points regarding the history of the island..."
"Or... the... science... connected... to... the... type... of... Animalian... we... are," Daniele added.
"But it'd be cool," the college student answered.
"You mean it'd be hot," another countered, earning a groan from somewhere else in crowd, indicating that this gaggle of college students weren't the only ones in the crowd.
"This isn't a strip club," Miki said sternly.
"But there's all the stories of Animalians falling for guests and visitors," the first pointed out.
"Laddie," Nessa commented, lowering her head, "those cases are also overblown. We aren't going to suddenly be interested just because you've arrived here."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Other aspects of Spring Break had other adventures that related providing safety and help regarding those that went swimming in the waters off of Florida. For much of the year outside of the main tourist season, this left many of Dino City's residents the time to enjoy some fishing and to cooperate with scientific expeditions in the region. During the main tourist season, it was shifts of lifeguard duty to prevent someone from drowning or respond to shark attacks. For Tyson that often meant even patrolling various areas to serve as an active defense and drive sharks either toward areas where there were no beaches or drive them out to sea. But as an Animalian, Tyson wasn't tied to the sea as the Cretaceous Mosasaur, Tylosaurus, he was based on was... and there were things other than sharks that could be dangerous in the ocean.
"No sharks?" a female lifeguard asked to Tyson as he came to the tower he was presently assigned to.
The beach wasn't too far from Dinotopia Aquatica, which enabled Tyson and Dinotopia Aquatica residents to perform the work needed for its protection, but also required cooperation with the Human lifeguards as well. Things were relatively stable in this, though it also meant compromises and agreements that politics of any kind was not to be discussed among the lifeguards. Tyson didn't mind that as it let him place things like food and drinking water, and that was what he'd come in for a moment.
"Not at present," Tyson answered, "merely coming in for a drink and a little bit of rest. Any trouble in our sector?"
"None that I've seen..." the female lifeguard answered when a sudden scream from the beach rose up.
They turned to see a woman thrashing out in the water. It didn't look like she was being dragged out to see and there were a few people in the area that were backing away. There was some splashing, but nothing that would indicate a shark attack, but the panic from it was pretty clear and Tyson made his way out to make sure, as the woman was more hoping up and down in place. The only odd thing was that at times she seemed to be trying to reach behind her. A group of friends around her, seemed to gather around and then seemed to panic and point at something on the woman's back.
Tyson was quick to make his way out, just in case it was a shark. Some of the gathered crowd, mostly college students parted ways as he made his way out into the water. The group that was panicking noticed him and responded as he arrived.
"It's a jellyfish!" one screamed, pointing to the thrashing girl's back.
The girl finally turned, and Tyson was able to see the Portuguese Man O War clinging to the college girl's back as she screamed in pain that it hurt. Tyson was careful but managed to pull the invertebrate from the young woman's back and then threw it out deeper into the ocean and ignoring the stinging pain that he ended up taking in doing so. The young woman's back was a sea of red welts and scars from where she'd been stung, and she rapidly moved to lean into Tyson's chest.
"You saved my life," the college student declared.
Tyson looked out and noted no other signs of Portuguese Man O War in the area beyond the one that he'd thrown and then said to her, "unless you're allergic... I'd doubt you're in real danger. Man O War venom isn't that toxic. Though... it may be a good idea to come into shore."
The girl agreed, but did not let go of Tyson's chest, leading him to have to slowly walk back with her clutching at him. The other lifeguard was waiting as he arrived on the shore and had been clearing part of the area.
"A shark?" she asked.
"A Portuguese Man O War," Tyson answered, "there only seems to be one... and it wasn't a big one... but it did seem to get this one's back pretty good."
"I don't feel good," the young woman spoke and then almost as if on cue, threw up over Tyson's chest as the nauseating effects of the venom overcame her.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
But Florida wasn't the only spot that college students went for Spring Break. A fair number from western US states also went to Mieni with much of the same sorts of passes that were made at Dinotopia Aquatica/Skull Island and with the same potential risks as off the coast of Florida. Though, here, the ones running the facilities and running the lifeguard duty were based more on modern animals rather than on prehistoric marine reptiles or even older armored fish. And some of these interactions had their own sense of humor.
"I'm glad you've enjoyed your week here," Angelyn said to the male college student that was paying for his small group as they prepared to pay at the end of the week.
The student blushed but looked down as he passed the check over the counter to Angelyn. The Yellowfin Tuna Animalian had a good hint at what he was looking at.
"My eyes are up here, young one," Angelyn said firmly.
"Ah don't mind Maxi," a friend said to Angelyn and elbowed the student that was paying for their stay, "he's not used to seeing so many beautiful women."
"Animalia's been around for awhile," Angelyn commented rather playfully, "I'm sure you've all seen an Animalian before."
"Only from a computer screen," the college student, Max, said, "and many of the girls we know haven't been that into it as others..."
"Possibly because you boys have been naughty," Angelyn answered with a small smirk and retaining a rather playful tone of voice. This group hadn't been too bad, but it was fairly obvious to her that most of those that flew into Mieni for Spring Break came for the hopes of seeing naked or near naked Animalian females.
"Sorry," was all Max managed while his friends almost burst out loud laughing.
"Don't be sorry," Angelyn answered and retained her smile, "Just be in control. You'll never know when you'll find someone beautiful that might even see something good in you. Being in control of yourself is then what you'll want."
"Yeah... but the other girls at our college aren't stacked," the one friend commented, "and I doubt they'll want to become Animalians to become stacked."
"A shame for them," Angelyn mused, raising one webbed hand up to her mouth, "but then maybe a shame for you if that is ALL you want in a woman."