Sea TREK®— an accessible activity that tops bucket lists

If you don’t know what Sea TREK is we encourage you to check out our website — (and maybe some of our locations’ websites) to see pictures and read about the experience — but the basic description is: walk and breathe underwater on a helmet diving tour. Every Sea TREK Location is different and each location offers some pretty amazing experiences including the Dolphin TREK program, where you walk underwater while dolphins swim around you, or Sea TREK in an aquarium with thousands of fish, rays and turtles. If you can imagine what this might be like, you will probably want to add Sea TREK to your bucket list! Along with your sky diving fantasy and your down under walkabout, your bucket list may have a lot of things that you dream about, but you may be limited to what you can actually check off. For example: you may need specialized training, specific skills, or you may be restricted by age or health. What sets Sea TREK apart is its exceptional accessibility. This experience of a lifetime is enjoyed by participants of nearly any age (8 to 93+) who have no specialized skills (just walking and breathing).

A story from Dive Chronicles (a niche dive magazine) is displayed prominently on our corporate headquarters office walls. The article is called, “The Day My Daughter Became a Fish” and it is written by J. Keefe. The article holds a special place for us because it is what Sub Sea Systems is all about — sharing a memorable life experience. The article regales the tale of a very curious eight year old with a passion for the sea. She was too young to learn to scuba dive and too frustrated by snorkeling, as it did not allow her to stay with her fish friends long enough. She watched videos and learned all about different species of fish, but remained too far above them to make friends. That is when her family discovered Sea TREK. Sea TREK allowed the little girl to make friends with a lot of colorful fish, and her family was able to experience it right alongside her, sharing in the little girl’s elation as she walked side-by-side with her new fishy friends.  Eight years old and already fulfilling dreams, made possible by Sea TREK.

Young and old alike have checked Sea TREK off their bucket lists. Our oldest participant to date is 93 ½  (when you’re a kid the half-year counts, and then when you are in your 90’s it counts again!). While on a Caribbean cruise, Mr. Anderson elected to don a Sea TREK helmet for his first walk underwater.  After his stroll under the sea, surrounded by beautiful ocean creatures, he was exuberant and raved about his experience to the captain of the cruise ship. He shared that it’s not often you find something that you’ve never before experienced in over 90 years!

In addition to welcoming guests of all ages, Sea TREK can also accommodate a variety of other special circumstances. For example, one very common problem is the high number of guests who wear prescription glasses or contact lenses (Studies show that an estimated 75% of people in the United States wear glasses or contacts). These individuals cannot wear glasses with a mask, and usually cannot wear contacts in the water– therefore their visibility and overall enjoyment of the incredibly beautiful underwater world is extremely impaired. The solutions for divers and snorkelers who wear glasses are not ideal and can be very costly. Sea TREK, however, is completely prescription eyewear friendly. Your face and hair remain dry throughout the entire tour, and there is plenty of room in the helmet for you to comfortably wear your prescription glasses or sunglasses. Sea TREK truly lets you see the beauty of the sea.

Still not convinced about the accessibility of Sea TREK? Perhaps several highlights from TREKKERS around the world would be a more compelling testament. These amazing stories have been shared with us over the years from guests and Sea TREK operators worldwide. 

Miami Seaquarium generously offers monthly Sea TREK tours to veterans from the Miami VA Recreational Therapy program. Both the vets and the staff look forward to this program every month (we think the staff actually looks forward to it more than the vets!). One veteran (and loyal Sea TREKKER) shares, “my experience with Sea TREK was remarkable. As a disabled veteran with PTSD, this made me feel normal and excited again. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt excited over anything.” Another veteran says, “it was an amazing healing feeling of utter peacefulness and beauty underwater…”

Also at Miami Seaquarium a man and woman — who are both, blind, and do not walk well on land— did Sea TREK, and both exclaimed that walking underwater was much easier! Furthermore, an ex scuba diver and diagnosed narcoleptic who hadn’t been able to dive in over 3 years, was able to participate in Sea TREK thanks to the attentive staff and safety divers at Miami Seaquarium.

Troy, a Sea TREK business associate from Guam, did Dolphin TREK at Xel-Ha in Mexico. He was nervous like many people are when they try new things, but he was even more nervous because he removed his prosthetic leg to participate. He said he felt very stable, and he enjoyed the experience immensely. The dolphins had fun, too!

Sea TREK has helped a lot of people fulfill their dreams and add a couple more check marks to their bucket lists. The Sea TREK experience is a memory that will last a lifetime. To do something so profound and understand its value at that moment is what we love to see and hear about. If you haven’t added Sea TREK to your bucket list, then add it now! It will be an experience of a lifetime, and you CAN check this one off!

For more inspiration, check out our Bucket List board on Pinterest!

Follow Sea TREK® Helmet Diving's board Bucket List! on Pinterest.