Each week, I sit at my desk at Sub Sea Systems’ headquarters and write about all things Sub Sea, Sea TREK, or travel-related – from crazy, cool sea life, to our staff’s adventures, to how to save money on your own vacation!
Last week, I had the opportunity to take my first TREK! I visited the incredible and somewhat overwhelming Atlantis Resort, Paradise Island, Bahamas. My husband Michael and I could not pass up an amazing deal (thank you, Total Rewards) to stay at Atlantis and visit Aquaventure, the resort’s water park.
Aquaventure boasts 141 acres of water activities, including 11 glamorous pools, 2 “lazy” rivers, and 8 different water slides, one of which rushes participants right through the center of a shark tank! We walked (a lot) around the park, taking it all in.
And, speaking of that shark tank, it happens to be the locale of Shark Adventures, a Sea TREK experience that takes place inside that very same shark tank. Shark Adventures is located inside the park at the Mayan Temple replica. We spotted Shark Adventures the moment we entered the park. At the themed check-in area, we met with the boisterous and super fun staff of Shark Adventures. Even though we were headed into a tank with the intimidating creatures, we felt comfortable right away.
After filling in some short paperwork, we were then fitted with wetsuits. As we put on the suits, we could see the ominous-looking sharks swimming around the massive aquarium. We watched as people whooshed through a big tube, gliding through a water slide right in the middle of the aquarium, past the nurse and sand sharks.
The staff conducted a briefing and we were taught several hand signals so that we could communicate with our guides underwater. Then, we followed our guides up a staircase to the water entry. The gleaming-white Sea TREK helmets were waiting for us! Our guides assisted us as we entered the tank via a ladder. They placed the Self-Contained Backpack with an air cylinder on our shoulders, and I was surprised at how lightweight everything felt.
Every step of the way, our guides asked us how we were feeling, if we were comfortable, or if we had questions. I knew we were in incredibly capable hands, and didn’t even hesitate as we entered the tank. When our shoulders hit the water, the helmets were placed over our heads. I could hear the air flowing into my helmet; it was a comforting sound as I continued the descent, knowing the entire time that I could breathe easily. We stopped on the ladder a few times to clear our ears by reaching up into the helmets. Not once did any water enter the helmet. It was more comfortable than I anticipated!
When we got to the bottom of the ladder, we hit soft sand, which was easy to walk on, even while wearing the helmets. I then noticed the weightlessness I felt while in the water. Our guides accompanied us as we started our walk through the huge tank. With a crystal-clear view, I could see the first shark, which glided over my head as if nothing new was going on - just another human walking around. I was absolutely astounded and mesmerized by this beautiful being, and then suddenly another zipped by, right in front of me. It was not anywhere near as interested in me as I was in it. I was secretly hoping one would get a little closer, and was not disappointed as a third shark swam by at about shoulder level.
The guides meandered with us through the exhibit, showing us a few other critters that call the tank home. They brought us a giant starfish to “pet” and pointed out some of the smaller fish residents. We walked around the impressive staging that resembled Mayan ruins, which are utilized as artificial reefs, providing additional homes for the aquarium’s residents. All the while, sharks swam above us and in front of us, never once threatening or scary.
We encountered several more sharks and fishy residents before we approached the ladder to return to the surface. Our TREK was over, but the memories of our “human fish” experience will never fade.
We want to thank Nathan Jones and his phenomenal staff for making our adventure worry-free and incredibly fun! If you want to take a TREK with sharks, check out: https://www.atlantisbahamas.com/thingstodo/wateradventures/sharkadventures
Did you know? Every Atlantis Adventure supports the Atlantis Blue Project Foundation, creating and promoting solutions for a wide range of marine conservation challenges from coral reef degradation to marine species in decline.
Terrie Carrozzella is the Web Designer & Social Media Manager for Sub Sea Systems, Inc.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thank you for your comment!