My first shark bite!!

[Onecabernetnut]

Bikinibottom,
I see you're from South Carolina. Did the shark bite occur at the South Carolina Aquarium in Charleston? We were there last weekend as my high school senior daughter is thinking of attending the College of Charleston to pursue a marine biology degree. We were there to check out the campus and really liked the area. We of course visited the Aquarium while we were there.

 

[SnakeRiverPirate]

Shark bite scars win ya bragging rights over everybody else. LOL

 

[D_B]

What a great story, well told !

 

[robertarak]

Great post! Thanks for sharing.

 

[bikinibottom]

Thanks for all of the replies on this post. Since my original posting, I've gotten used to the little nips here and tugs there that the sharks give on a regular basis. Actually, I've been tracking when the sharks get a little "rambunctious" and it seems to follow the full moon? Interesting. Nowadays my arch nemisis is our puffer...he's ABSOLUTELY adorable and has such a cool personality, but if you don't give him special attention while in the tank he will throw a hissy fit and nip at you. Spoiled rotten brat!

Just out of curiosity, you have less than 25 logged dives and you have a job at an aquarium? I checked the local Denver aquarium and they wanted no less than 100 logged dives, and a waiting list on top of that. I think you are way cool too, btw! I'd love to do that sort of gig....

*Yep, I've actually only been diving in the TRUE sense of the sport for my certification class. Thus, I've logged a whopping 4 dives. :14: Not by choice, mind you. Just every time I try to get wet outside of work, something (weather, kids, life) goes awry. I work as an Aquarist at a very small zoo and our "big tank" is a 55,000 gallon Indo-Pacific Reef tank (12 feet deep). I have 4 dives/week and spend about 8 hours underwater each week. So basically it's me in a wetsuit, with a weight system and a hooka. Job requirements: Diver Certification, BS in Biology or other applicable specialty, loads of experience caring for aquaria, and the desire to reek of fish and sweat every day, all day. Because our "big tank" is so shallow, diving techniques such as buoyancy control are not of issue as they would be in a facility that had a big, big, big tank (ie Georgia Aquarium - dream job for me, BTW). One day I'll get back in the water the "right" way...

 

[sea nmf]

Well told story. I felt like I was there.

A friend of mine was in charge of an aquarium here and swears that he loses fish from his sharks on a full moon.

 

[D_B]

Love your sig, Bikini

I save ones like yours ... not to use, but to have and reread and share with others

 

[AdTravels]

Wicked.....Well written. Glad you're ok

 

[Chocoholic]

sounds like a cool job, but ya gotta love it to do it. Keep the stories coming.

 

[dyyys1]

Because our "big tank" is so shallow, diving techniques such as buoyancy control are not of issue as they would be in a facility that had a big, big, big tank (ie Georgia Aquarium - dream job for me, BTW).

I actually live within walking distance of the Georgia Aquarium. It really is an amazing facility. On one visit I actually asked one of the employees about what it would take to get a job diving there. He said that you have to be at least a divemaster. Then you have to volunteer in the aquarium for a really long time and then they might think about paying you to dive there. I guess I'll never be working there.