Has anyone participated in the "Dive with the Gentle Giants" program at GA?

[rmediver2002]

I had the opportunity to dive with them while demonstrating the Gorski G2000SS for the aquariums divers.

Great team of divers working there and a great dive. I would spend $300 to do it again, especially with my kids.

Jeff

 

[goldenbear01]

The food in case you want to know is RESTAURANT quality..that we we can eat it as well....

let me get this straight, you're feeding the whale sharks people food? or are you serving plankton in the restaurant?

 

[Flightlead]

It just doesn't seem right to me. The GA Aquarium needs to learn how to better care for them
before they let the masses in to swim/dive with them.

maybe they should just put them back where they belong

 

[BKP]

maybe they should just put them back where they belong

The GA could have left them where they got them... although, in case you didn't know, they were on the menu...

Taiwan has since banned the harvesting and sale of whale shark meat, beginning in 2008...

 

[mike_s]

The Montery Aquarium has recently (in past months) put back it's Great White it had.....

apparently Great Whites are hard to keep in captivity and none have ever survived long term.

 

[Gregordo]

Ralph and Norton were about to be cut up and sold to restaurants. Gasper the beluga was living under a roller coaster in Mexico City. The GA moved in and saved them.
If they went out and captured the animals just for the exhibit I'd have a problem.
I know one woman who spent fourteen hours in 55' water with Gasper trying to keep him moving.
In a perfect world we wouldn't need Aquariums, but we wouldn't have shark finning and coral bleaching either.

 

[twashowich]

Yep ignorance is everywhere when it concerns the Georgia Aquarium. All who chastise them I bet have never been there or understand the philosophy of the GAI...

We can only try and teach the ignorant and help them understand them mission. Ralph and Norton were seen by 3 MILLION people!! They were ambassadors for the species... maybe someone out of that 3 million will step up as a great leader or something else to haelp save the species because of what they got to see up close...they most likely never would have seen a whale shark in real life otherwise, same for belugas, and they other species there.

Trixie, Alice, Yushan, and Taroko are doing fine and well and growing and are the new ambassadors for whale shark conservation now.

Thank God for place like the Georgia Aquarium.!!

 

[ajagor92]

Actually, my dad writes their insurance, so I got the chance to do a "test" dive with a few friends. I found it to be an awesome experience, and I highly recommend it.

 

[dbartco]

I did the dive a few weeks ago. I personally thought it was worth the $300. BUT, if I were to do over again, I would do the "swim" and not the "dive". Here is my reasoning -

The divers are encouraged by the divemasters to stay towards the bottom of the tank, and the whales mostly stayed in the top 1/3 or towads the surface. I looked up at a white belly most of the time. They one time I cheated up, the DM was getting on her tank banger calling me down.

I watched the "swimmers" there with their faces inthe water the whole time, sharks passing a few feet below. The got better views of the dorsal and tails, and the patterns from above.

Don't get me wrong, I had a good time. But think the "swim with" instead of the "dive with" might be a better deal (and cheaper)

 

[sra12574]

How about the other sea life in the tank . From the looks of the webcams it looks like theres plenty to keep you occupied . I'm planning on going in January and doing the dive as well .

For those of you who are volunteers I can appreciate what you do a little . I was a volunteer aquarist at the Adventure Aquarium . A lot of care and concer goes into these animals . Thanks for all you do for them . Aquariums give people a chance to see things that they may never see and in many cases people dont care about what they dont see.
You guys have a a great aquarium and I cant wait to see it .