Mall of America (MoA) shark dive

[SIR VEYOR]

Hi All,
I was wondering if anyone here has done the shark dive at the mall of america. Searching here has turned up very little, other than opinions on the cost.

I'm a little more interested in the entire procedure, and what the experience is like.

Some nice hotels nearby (especially with a big tub) would be nice to know about as well. I've only done the layovers at the airport to date with one quick trip over to MOA.

For example, at the West Edmonton Mall (bigger than MOA), you change in the pirate ship, but wind up carrying your stuff through the mall and mostly diving while the mall is open. If visiting in the area, may as well stay at the Fantasyland Hotel in the mall, big tubs, and always running a bit of a special to be about the same price as anyone else.

Thanks in advance,
Sir Veyor

 

[ScubaAl]

If you go to Mnscuba.com you might be able to get your questions answered.
Al

 

[SIR VEYOR]

If you go to Mnscuba.com you might be able to get your questions answered. Al

Thanks, that helped a little with the setup for the actual diving. As we're only two people, we might have to look for an extra couple of buddies.

 

[ScubaAl]

I'm guessing you have already found this, but I went to the MOA site and figured I'd still pass it along. Underwater Adventures Aquarium

 

[klavdivs]

I dove Mall of America just three weeks ago. For those who cannot afford a trip somewhere warm or aren't really into ice diving, it is a great way to get in the water.

The first dive is freshwater. The sturgeon are used to being fed by the divers and they like to suck on your head and hands. Go heavy with dive weight, as you're trying to work an uneven bottom in 15 feet of water. There are a lot of branches and an overhang for the fishes that prefer to live under ledges, so this is a challenging yet safe environment for practicing buoyance control. The sturgeon live on the worms you feed them, but you need to wear a hood because the pike and bass are only too happy to try your ears if you give them the chance. The shark tank is also a lot of fun, but I actually enjoyed this dive the best.

The second dive is in the shark tank. They let you collect shark teeth off of the bottom. The sharks lose these regularly during eating and they are everywhere on the bottom. There are nurse sharks, white tips, black tips, wobbegongs, sawteeth, sand tigers, guitar fish, rays, and turtles. The divemasters leading the tour of the tank form a bubble around the group and move you strategically through it. They gently redirect, with a PVC stick, the sand tigers and select others, so the more dangerous varieties stay more than 5 ft away from you. Less hazardous sharks, rays, etc. are allowed to pierce the bubble and interact more closely with the group. It is a great opportunity to view sharks up close -- without the risks and isolation of open water. If your a freshwater diver worried about sharks, the experience will definitely go a long way to desensitize you.

In addition to the "Dive with the Sharks" program there is a "Sleep with the Fishes" that about a dozen of us participated in. They let you sleep in the tubes that run through the aquariums. Waking up at two in the morning with a sand tiger or an alligator gar (freshwater) is a spooky experience, but the only late night squeal was from one of (our) adults and not the girl scouts in the other tube. Bring your own cushions if you prefer a soft bed, as it it mats on the floor and cots are not allowed. Before bedding down, they provide a tour of the facility, including their shark research. One gets to feed the fish, including the sharks (very important if your doing the shark dive in the morning) and learn about their diets. There is also an optional shark autopsy one can attend. Apparently, they regularly get dead sharks shipped to them from one of their warm water partners in the Caribbean. This program is mostly geared for an adolescent crowd, but it offers much to adults as well -- especially the kind that get dive happy, like me, when the ice keeps them out of the water too long.

Some pictures from the trip can be seen on the Madison Scuba Dive site.