Aquarium Shark Dive

[ScubaPilot]

I just returned from Maui, Hawaii and on the last day there, looking for land things to do below a certain altitude, we visited the Aquarium. While I was there I discovered they offer an opportunity to dive in their shark aquarium.

If it hadn't of been the morning of our flight back, I'd have jumped at the chance to do this.

Has anyone else heard of aquariums offering this opportunity? I think it would be a wonderful opportunity to help dispell the hollywood myths about sharks.

I was wondering if I was being a little too over cautious, could I have dived in the 20ft max aquarium for an hour and gotten on a commercial plane 6 hours later? I'm sure there are thousands of threads on that here.

Let me know if you guys know of any other opportunity like that, other than cages.

 

[ReefGuy]

There's three that I know of in Florida. One at Epcot, one at Seaworld (both in Orlando), and there's the Florida Aquarium in Tampa. The one in Tampa is the best, I think, because they don't make you stay in the cage.

 

[diversteve]

I just returned from Maui, Hawaii and on the last day there, looking for land things to do below a certain altitude, we visited the Aquarium. While I was there I discovered they offer an opportunity to dive in their shark aquarium.

If it hadn't of been the morning of our flight back, I'd have jumped at the chance to do this.

Has anyone else heard of aquariums offering this opportunity? I think it would be a wonderful opportunity to help dispell the hollywood myths about sharks.

I was wondering if I was being a little too over cautious, could I have dived in the 20ft max aquarium for an hour and gotten on a commercial plane 6 hours later? I'm sure there are thousands of threads on that here.

Let me know if you guys know of any other opportunity like that, other than cages.

There's also the Aquarium on Oahu but it might be Snuba only. The Charleston Aquarium offers dives in their big tank, but I think you either have to win a contest or be a big donor. No cage at Epcot, but as of a few years ago there was only one big shark in the tank.

 

[archman]

Many (if not most) large public aquariums have a volunteer diver program. Zoos with big aquariums are the same way. I'm hard pressed to think of a place that DOESN'T have such programs for divers. Here in Texas we have well over half a dozen places to dive with big fish in tanks.

 

[maractwin]

I've dived at Epcot in the Living Seas exhibit. There are a few sharks there. Any certified diver can do it, though you need reservations and it fills up weeks in advance. Disney keeps a very tight control of everything; they won't even let you bring your own gear.

The New England Aquarium in Boston occasionally allows divers in their Giant Ocean Tank, though the dives aren't easy to get. Join their dive club and they have a drawing every month for a chance to dive there. They have a couple of sharks in the tank. I got to dive that tank for a check out dive before going on a fish collecting expedition for the aquarium. It was very odd doing skills tests with an audience watching.

My experience in both those tanks is that there is more variety of fish in a small area than you will ever see in the wild. But their behavior is not natural because they are crowded in a confined space. It's also fun to tease the people watching through the windows.

 

[*Jenn*]

My experience in both those tanks is that there is more variety of fish in a small area than you will ever see in the wild. But their behavior is not natural because they are crowded in a confined space. It's also fun to tease the people watching through the windows.

I have to admit that was fun, we did an aquarium dive at Mooloolaba on the Sunshine Coast in QLD Australia. Anyone can do it, we had 2 non-divers with us. They got a very good briefing an hour before they got in the water then they had to go into a tank before hand and do aome basic skills, mask clearing and the like.

They loved it. I was watching their faces almost as much as the greynurse sharks and the rays. I have some photo's somewhere...

I would say if you have the chance to do it then go for it..