Shark! There was no question about it... I’d know that shape anywhere – the ridged nose, crescent mouth, gill slits and, of course, that tell-tale fin. And I wasn’t alone.

As two shark keepers for a day, Eddie, 10, and Danny, eight, hooted approval as they lowered chopped fish over the side of the tank on long feeding poles.

In the world of marine creatures, this smooth, torpedo-like killer is king – and getting close to one is still the highlight of a day spent behind the scenes at England’s first Sea Life centre.

Close to the shore, on the edge of the Dorset seaside resort of Weymouth, the Sea Life Adventure Park has been pulling in tens of thousands of budding marine biologists and their families since 1983, and this year celebrates its 30th birthday.

“Everyone loves the sharks,” says senior aquarist Sarah Everett. “They are beautiful creatures and very intelligent, but also endangered.”

Which, is where the centre comes in. “We are about fun, but so much more,” she adds. “We also fulfil an important role in conservation.”

An example can be found swooping and diving among the sharks and shoaling fish: green turtles. Five of the creatures were brought over from Florida after being rescued by fisherman, all having being hit by boats.

Their injuries left them unable to dive – rendering them unable to feed and seek refuge.

“We fitted them with weights,” says Sarah. “That means they can dive once again. They are so curious and playful. We love them and are proud of our efforts to rescue and rehabilitate them.”

They certainly seem happy enough – and can also be fed by signing up as a VIP visitor.

Also waiting to be fed is the colony of playful Humboldt penguins, which feast on freshly-chopped herring – not from the aquariums, you’ll be pleased to hear, but brought in daily, and in vast quantities, from the local fish market.

Perhaps it’s the park’s location, a shell’s throw from the beach, which gives the attraction, with its more than 1,000 creatures in 14 displays, play areas, splash pool, rides and pirate-themed mini-golf course, an authentic marine feel.

You just don’t get that in the middle of London or Birmingham. Not that the contents of its geographically-themed tanks bear much resemblance to the local sea life. Lurid tropical fish and gummy piranha drift past porthole like windows; fragile jellyfish pulsate, filigree-like tendrils trailing behind them; and squid, octopus and seahorses look gawping visitors straight in the eye – as apparently curious of us as we are of them.

Fish, and endangered species like the penguins and ‘weedy’ seahorses, are bred, meaning species are not removed from the wild.

Weymouth is proud of its pioneering marine attraction, and the reverse is also true. Staff are great ambassadors for the resort, encouraging visitors to linger in one of the country’s loveliest holiday spots.

“We have been at the heart of the town for 30 years, and have an emotional attachment to it – as it does to us,” says the park’s spokesman Craig Dunkerley. “A lot of people who came here as kids now bring their own children. It’s the main tourist attraction here, but the rest of the town is great too. It’s a classic seaside resort with a quaint harbour and is the gateway to a beautiful area.”

Underwater creatures, aside, Weymouth’s main selling point is, of course, its broad beach. Its fine white sand is of such quality that it is a mecca for sandcastle makers whose elaborate creations go on show throughout the summer.

A charmingly old-fashioned place, Weymouth has always projected an air of faded glamour, having escaped the ravages of tacky redevelopment which have marred so many of our coastal towns.

It is, however, significantly less faded than it was, getting a well-earned spruce-up for its moment in the global spotlight as the venue for London 2012’s Olympic sailing. Among the best view points for the action, which was actually centred around the bay in neighbouring Portland, was Nothe Fort. This Victorian defensive structure-turned Second World War gun emplacement dominates the town, standing sentinel over its marina and a salty fishing harbour which would not look out of place in Cornwall – and with all the cottages, low-beamed pubs and fish restaurants you’d expect.

The best place to take it all in is the most recent addition to the skyline, the Sealife Tower, which sits on the quayside, and is linked to the adventure park by land train.

Visitors board a capsule for a 174ft-high ‘flight’ affording 360-degree views of the town, the sweeping arc of its beach and along the Jurassic Coast – Britain’s only natural UNESCO World Heritage Site. The views are stupendous, extending from the stark bulk of quirky Portland to Lulworth Cove and the iconic Durdle Door sea arch.

It’s impressive indeed, but it is the marine life which is the big draw here – and nowhere more so than in the park’s ocean tunnel – where rays, turtles and those graceful sharks glide over the heads of wide-eyed visitors. To get close is a privilege; to feed them is a once-in-a lifetime experience.

Who knew the British seaside could be so exciting?

  • Weymouth Sea Life Adventre Park continues its 30th birthday celebrations with CBeebies’ Octonauts. Young fans can meet their heroes from the show and join a programme of events until September 29.
  • The park is in Lodmoor Country Park and open daily from 10am. Tickets can be bought at a discounted rate of £15.50 per person from sealifeweymouth.com
  • VIP feeding sessions with penguins, turtles and sharks are £15 each and are suitable for anyone over eight years-old. Proceeds support the park’s marine conservation and charity efforts. They tend to sell out in advance so should be booked on 01305 761070.