31 Days of Smiles from Sea TREK #SeaTREKsmiles

For the month of August we shared some really great reviews and images on our Sea TREK facebook page. We shared 1 photo and 1 review for every day in August. This is a compilation of our #SeaTREKsmiles campaign. Enjoy!

“My wife, eleven year old daughter, and myself did this and absolutely loved it. We did this to introduce diving to our daughter whose smile could barely fit in the helmet the entire dive…” —Melkoj, Carnival Cruise Line passenger, Sea Trek and Snuba Cayman

“… This is good for anyone who wears glasses, or can't scuba dive, because there is room in the helmet for glasses, and it is filled with air; you can even reach in and scratch your nose without having any water get in…” —Deb0519, Carnival Cruise Line passenger, Sea TREK St. Maarten‪#‎SeaTREKSmiles‬

“…I've never done anything like it and honestly I was scared…but they made me feel so comfy and before you know it I was walking the OCEAN FLOOR!!!! Can we say AMAZING!” — MAmommy, Carnival Cruise Line passenger, Sea TREK Cozumel ‪#‎SeaTREKsmiles‬

“See the ocean as never before. I’m not a diver, my wife is. This is as close as I’ll ever get. Loads of fun…” — LivingLarge, Carnival Cruise Line passenger, Sea TREK at Coral World Ocean Park in St. Thomas‪#‎SeaTREKsmiles‬

“…es una sensación de estar en la luna (sin gravedad) con movimientos lentos y pausados…y como no, ver los peces y los fondos de una forma tan cómoda, respirando con normalidad... Me encanto. Totalmente recommendable.” — Yari G., Trip Advisor review, Sea TREK Spain‪#‎SeaTREKsmiles‬ ‪#‎SeaTREK‬

"I had no idea what to expect and spent at least 24 hours worrying. What a waste of 24 hours. Thanks to close attention, guidance and patience from Trekkerman and the team I had the best time in water that I've ever had. Would I do it again? In a heartbeat." — Robogk, Trip Advisor review, Sea Trek St Lucia ‪#‎SeaTREKsmiles‬ ‪#‎SeaTREK‬

“…my mom has NEVER had her head underwater in her life! But she promised to experience new things…It was a bonding experience for our group, everyone loved it and we were so thrilled with our Sea Trek expedition! A great family experience to see the fish and sea life together under the sea!” —Masmile, Trip Advisor review, Seaquarius AdventuresBelize ‪#‎SeaTREKsmiles‬ ‪#‎SeaTREK‬

“I thoroughly enjoyed my Sea TREK at Manchester…As a non-swimmer every care was taken to make sure you felt safe…I would recommend a Sea TREK to anyone who wants to try something different, and it's not just for youngsters we did it for our 70th birthdays!!" —Dawn S., Trip Advisor review, SEA LIFE Manchester ‪#‎SeaTREKsmiles‬ ‪#‎SeaTREK‬

“Most amazing thing I have done…The guides were very good and the experience was like you are in a huge aquarium…The fish and creatures were amazing. I would highly recommend.” —Gfilkin, CruiseCritic.comreview, Sea Trek and Snuba Cayman ‪#‎SeaTREKsmiles‬ ‪#‎SeaTREK‬

“I took the kids and let me tell you — these kids came out with a smile ear to ear — this will be the highlight of your vacation…”  —handyeddie, Trip Advisor review, Aqua Adventure PR ‪#‎SeaTREK‬ Puerto Rico ‪#‎SeaTREKsmiles‬

“Walk with sharks is a must do. The staff was very friendly and made you feel safe and secure. Sharks swam right up to you — within a few feet. It was an awesome experience…” —Lori R, Trip Advisor review, Atlantis Resort Bahamas ‪#‎SeaTREKsmiles‬ ‪#‎SeaTREK‬

“Une expérience inoubliable! Que de sensations! …A recommander absolument et pour tout le monde. C'est un moyen original de nous faire prendre conscience de la beauté des fonds marins et des efforts à faire pour les conserver.” —Audrey D, Trip Advisor review, Aquatique AventureGuadeloupe ‪#‎SeaTREKsmiles‬ ‪#‎SeaTREK‬

“… experience of a lifetime interacting with gentle bottlenose dolphins in their natural habitat…Dolphin Trek is exceptionally unique…You get to hold a dolphin, be kissed by the dolphin and play with them….It was a day of memories you’ll never forget.” —Audrey F, Trip Advisor review, Dolphin Cove Jamaica ‪#‎SeaTREKsmiles‬ ‪#‎SeaTREK‬ ‪#‎DolphinTREK‬

“What an adventure! … Felt like the vintage bell diver of old. The technology is, of course, a far cry from those days, but a real sense of what it was like… A real pleasure if you are not a scuba diver but want some of the same sense of a dive. Great fun.” —Anonymous, Norwegian Cruise Line review, Coral World Ocean Park ‪#‎SeaTREKsmiles‬ ‪#‎SeaTREK‬

“This was by far the best experience and excursion we have done! It was so much fun and we saw so many cool fish and crabs….I would 1,000% do it again. This experience has made me want to get certified as a diver.” —Tiffany E., Trip Advisor review, Sea Trek St Lucia ‪#‎SeaTREKsmiles‬‪#‎SeaTREK‬

“We did the SeaTrek… it was the most exquisite experience ever especially with my boyfriends mum watching us from inside the tunnel, we were with the animals and kids waved at us! … Great experience…highly recommend it! ☺” —Queen_Tanya13, Trip Advisor review, UnderWater World Guam‪#‎SeaTREKsmiles‬ ‪#‎SeaTREK‬

“As I dived into the water, two large dolphins greeted me. I felt the surface of their bodies with my palms. It was as smooth as silk... It was a surreal experience to interact with the animal and having its eyes meet mine…” — Wi Seong-Wook, Blog Post Hancinema, 거제씨월드 - Geoje Sea World
‪#‎SeaTREKsmiles‬ ‪#‎SeaTREK‬

“To have a manta ray glide over your head, and a leopard shark sweep past you is absolutely amazing. It is like diving but safer, and the marine animals are very comfortable with you, swimming very close by…I would highly recommend the Sea TREK adventure to anyone.” —luggagecase, Trip Advisor review, Resorts World at Sentosa ‪#‎SeaTREKsmiles‬‪#‎SeaTREK‬

“Of all the excursions I've done in my time of cruising, this is THE ONE I would recommend above any other… I am truly amazed in the sheer beauty and wonder of an entire different life beneath our seas! God is truly an amazing Creator! I went down with my kids (22-25) and I'm so thankful I got to experience this with them!...” — Geylene67, Carnival Cruise Line review, Sea Trek and Snuba Cayman ‪#‎SeaTREKsmiles‬ ‪#‎SeaTREK‬

“Sea Trek…was SO worth the money we paid!! You get up close and personal with lots of fish! It was great. My teenagers were very impressed.” — Kitty34, Cruise Critic review, Xcaret Park
‪#‎SeaTREKsmiles‬ ‪#‎SeaTREK‬

“What an incredible experience! The science alone is amazing, but then being amongst all of the beautiful fish, turtles... Unbelievable. SO WORTH THE MONEY!” —ProfesoraK, EFTours review, Seaquarius Adventures ‪#‎SeaTREKsmiles‬ ‪#‎SeaTREK‬

“By nature, I’m terrified of everything! The staff was fantastic and was very patient with me. Didn’t make me feel like I was a burden. Once I got down to the walk-way, the experience was one that I’ll never forget. Fish everywhere and the scenery was fantastic! This is my 5th cruise and this was the best excursion that I’ve done so far. I would recommend it to anyone! Worth the money!” —Luv2TravelMT, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line review, Seatrek Sint Maarten NV ‪#‎SeaTREKsmiles‬ ‪#‎SeaTREK‬

“I absolutely loved the Sea TREK and would go again tomorrow if I could.” — Heather, BuryFamilyBlog, SEA LIFE Manchester ‪#‎SeaTREKsmiles‬ ‪#‎SeaTREK‬

“Trop genial ! Moi qui suit chlostrophobe... Et bien nickel ! Que du bonheur ! Un accueil super sympa, deux plongeurs adorables... Ce sera l'un de. Mes plus beau souvenir de guadeloupe. Merci beaucoup” — Audrey Pineau, Facebook, Aquatique Aventure ‪#‎SeaTREKsmiles‬ ‪#‎SeaTREK‬

“… the overall Dolphin TREK experience was excellent… and despite being new to the Sea TREK equipment, we felt safe at all times… we learned a lot more about the dolphins through this interaction and it was quite an unforgettable experience getting up close with the dolphins.” — Zhiqiang & Tingyi, PassPortChop Blog Post, Resorts World at Sentosa ‪#‎SeaTREKsmiles‬ ‪#‎SeaTREK‬

“Something you will never forget… some of the best animal interaction you will get…by far the coolest thing I have ever done holding lobster, star fish... Such a wonderful experience.” —Kellie S., Yelp, Discovery Cove Orlando ‪#‎SeaTREKsmiles‬ ‪#‎SeaTREK‬

“…one of kind unique experience - we loved everything about it! The staff was wonderful, the facilities were clean, and the actual diving was so much fun! We got the chance to feed sting rays and an array of fish, pet an eel, and see a seaturtle! Something you can't so easily do in a natural habitat diving experience. I highly recommend this experience to anyone!” — Yani C., Yelp, Miami Seaquarium ‪#‎SeaTREKsmiles‬ ‪#‎SeaTREK‬

“I've avoided dolpinarium on previous holidays finding them morally dubious however upon reading about DolphinTrek I felt this would be a more natural experience and it proved to be just that... this trip is one I will never forget… I was grinning like a cheshire cat, such was the joy I got from this experience. The trainers all love their animals deeply and in turn the dolphins themselves seem truly happy. I was just gutted that it had to end, however the memory will live with me forever. — BrightonBoxer, Trip Advisor review, Xel-Ha ‪#‎SeaTREKsmiles‬ ‪#‎DolphinTREK‬ ‪#‎SeaTREK‬

“这个超好玩的，水也很清，比潜水好玩” — anonymous, Taobao, WuZhiZhou, China ‪#‎SeaTREKsmiles‬ ‪#‎SeaTREK‬

“It was epic…First time ever doing something like this...Being so close to the Rays made me feel alive. I was like a kid when I got out, could not stop talking about it.” —YouTube, uShaka Marine World ‪#‎SeaTREKsmiles‬‪#‎SeaTREK‬

“I am not a fan of underwater activities …However, the Trek was perfect. The helmet enabled me to wear my glasses, and breathing was a breeze….Guide was fabulous. My 14-year old son loved it…Having a staring contest with a fish 4 inches from my face was amazing. Highly recommended!!” —BlotDallas, Trip Advisor review, Catalina ScubaLuv‪#‎SeaTREKsmiles‬ ‪#‎SeaTREK‬

For your convenience we have also created a Pinterest board called #SeaTREKSmiles!

Follow Sea TREK® Helmet Diving's board #SeaTREKsmiles on Pinterest.

To learn more about Sea TREK and our locations around the world, visit http://www.sea-trek.com

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An Interactive Tour of Clear Lounge Underwater Oxygen Bar

Enjoy our fun, interactive content, and get an idea what it would be like to visit Clear Lounge underwater oxygen bar. If you have photos and videos you would like to share please post them in the comments below or email them to andrea@subseasystems.com. We encourage you to share, like and tweet this fun, interactive and informative site.

*Please note — Currently this interaction is optimized for Desktop and Laptop use. Look for Mobile and Tablet friendly versions coming soon!

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A Bio of Marine Biologist and Marine Mammal Behaviorist Eric Bogden

Sub Sea Systems has been collaborating with Eric Bogden — a respected marine biologist and marine mammal behaviorist — since 2007. Sub Sea Systems and Eric Bogden established SHARKS! Interactive, LLC, a hands-on program designed to entertain, educate and dispel misconceptions about sharks. SHARKS! is an informational and captivating encounter with the mysterious and feared shark. Thousands of people have pet, fed, held, and swam with trained nurse sharks at SHARKS! programs around the world.

In 2008, Sub Sea Systems and Eric Bogden came together again to create the world's 1st Sea TREK dolphin interaction — Dolphin TREK. This unique experience allows people ages 8 and up to connect with dolphins in their own environment. Through the use of Sea TREK helmet diving technology, people who do not even know how to swim have been able to meet dolphins under the sea.

Our programs provide connections to ocean creatures, inspiring ocean conservancy and awareness. Education through entertainment is a key way to create an emotional association that will motivate people to act.

We are proud to work with Eric Bogden and would like you to know more about this educated, creative and inspiring marine biologist.

Eric Bogden has actively been involved in marine mammal training since 1986. He began his career at Sea World San Diego after earning a Behavioral Science degree from San Diego State University.

While at Sea World, he worked with a variety of marine mammals including California sea lions, bottlenose dolphins, Killer whales, Pilot whales, Pacific white-sided dolphins, Commerson’s dolphins, false killer whales (psudorca crassisdens), walrus, and otters. Mr. Bogden’s abilities advanced him to the level of supervisor of many of the show stadiums, and he was frequently called on to troubleshoot problem areas.

By 1994, Mr. Bogden had become a catalyst in creating new behavior and show concepts within the marine mammal community. He created a presentation entitled New Behavior At Sea World Inc., which won top honors at the International Marine Animal Trainers Association Conference in Washington State.

Mr. Bogden was promoted to Manager of Entertainment at Sea World as a result of his extensive

behavioral understanding of marine mammals and his ability to create and produce show concepts. As the manager of all show productions, Mr. Bogden worked with Busch Entertainment’s Corporate New Products Division in designing and creating new shows, entertainment concepts and attractions for Sea World and Busch Gardens theme parks.

Mr. Bogden was an integral part of Ocean World, a world-class marine mammal park in the Dominican Republic, which has broken new ground in animal interactive attractions. He came on

board at the conceptual design stage and was instrumental in the business plan development. Mr. Bogden has been a key player in the facility design and worked closely with the architecture and construction teams to ensure animal care and safety design criteria were met. He was responsible for animal acquisition, training, animal care, design/implementation of animal interactions and shows, as well as animal care.

Eric Bogden is currently Corporate Director of Marine Animals for Dolphin Cove Ocho Rios

Jamaica. He oversees all zoological and park operations for three facilities in Jamaica as well as a fourth dolphinarium in the Cayman Islands.

He is a founder and President of Sharks! Interactive LLC. Sharks! Interactive specializes in creating hands-on shark encounters with specially trained sharks. Mr. Bogden’s Sharks! Program can be seen at Xcaret in Mexico, Dolphin Cove Jamaica, and Bavaro, Dominican Republic.

Mr. Bogden is committed to providing exceptional quality in his creative development, training of

both animals and staff as well as his productions. Mr. Bogden’s hands-on animal behavior knowledge, production skills, creative flair and extensive experience ensure a level of quality, safety, and education that is incomparable.

To learn more about SHARKS! Interactive please visit http://www.sharksinteractive.com

To learn more about Dolphin TREK visit http://www.dolphin-trek.com

To learn more about Sub Sea Systems please visit http://www.subseasystems.com

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Vacation Planning — Online Tools, Tips & Tricks

Summer is almost over — but not quite. Use these bright summer days and hot summer nights to travel. Visit relatives, go camping in a national forest, go on a cruise, fly to an exotic location, or take a road trip across the US. Whether your preference is balmy air, nighttime crickets, ice cold drinks and good company, or adventure filled experiences, incredible scenery, exotic animals, and cultural events — vacation is waiting. So dream big, pack small, and head for the horizon. Our favorite online travel tools and some simple tips and tricks will have you on your way in no time at all.

Vacation starts with the destination. While we all know it is really about the journey, there has to be a starting (well… landing) point to begin the planning. Choosing a place might be easy for you, but there are a lot of places in this world. We have found that Pinterest is a very helpful tool that lets you visually seek out a destination (and much more). Whether fertile tropics or majestic glaciers, Pinterest can help you dream big and visualize your summer holiday. In addition to finding a place, Pinterest is great for finding delicious restaurants, inspired experiences, alluring adventures, and much more. We suggest you create a vacation board today! If you need a place to start, please take a look at our summer vacation board.

Follow Sea TREK® Helmet Diving's board Summer Vacation on Pinterest.

Another great online travel tool is Trip Advisor. Not only can you discover places to visit at your selected destination(s), but you can also read reviews by travelers just like you. From descriptions of experiences to recommendations for nighttime hotspots you can be sure that you will find opinions on Trip Advisor. Additionally, Trip Advisor is rolling out a new feature that allows you to compare prices and book hotels right from the website. Hopefully soon you’ll be able to schedule tours and reservations, too!

Travelocity is an all-encompassing travel site. You can book flights, cruises, hotels and activities right from the site. If you like to have everything in one convenient place this is the site for you! There is also a tab for inspiration and a mobile app. Pretty convenient.

Once you begin to stitch together your dream summer vacation you will be keeping organized (hopefully) to make sure you know your dates, times, schedules, and reservations, as well as cultivating lists of everything you need to bring. What is in your carry-on? Did you remember sunscreen? What about a plug adaptor for your charger? Pocket Lists is our favorite organization app. You can create lists for each category of your trip (with sub categories), check things off as you finish them, sync your lists across devices and add dates and times to your calendar with customizable reminders (you can even set them to alert you when you arrive or leave a location). The app will add reminders automatically as you type dates into your lists. You can even take photos of lists and Pocket Lists will create a checklist for you!

Lonely Planet is a really beautifully designed travel website. It is visually based with short descriptive content. It provides information, inspiration, prices and links to booking sites. I highly recommend looking through this website (even if it is just for eye candy — the photos are spectacular).

Tips and Tricks

It is always nice to have advice when you travel. We are sharing some of our favorite tips and tricks, and even a printable packing checklist.

Tip #1

If you are flying to your destination, don’t forget to check in online. Most airlines allow you to check in on the web (or via an app) 23 hours, 59 minutes and 59 seconds before your flight. You can print out your boarding pass and then be one of the first people on the plane (well at least group 2 (or B)).

Tip #2

Use social media to your advantage. You know you have friends who have traveled. Ask for advice. Where is the best place to have breakfast at the Sacramento airport? Where is the best shopping in Rome? You’d be surprised what you can find out…. But, be safe when you’re posting. Never post that you’re going out-of-town, leaving your house vacant. You never know who is checking out your profile. Be social media smart!

Tip #3

Use Skype or WhatsApp for communication with home. Get the app and video chat with your friends and family for free! Skype WhatsApp

Tip #4

Carry cash. You never know what will happen: ATMs could go down and/or, credit cards could stop working. Cash is the best way to ensure everything will go smoothly. Be sure to protect your cash by carrying it on your body. There are pockets that clip to your under garments, jackets with hidden pockets, and money belts. If you choose to carry a purse keep it tight under your arm or cross the strap over your body. If you carry a wallet keep it in your front pocket. Other suggestions are hotel safes, locked luggage, and the infamous fanny pack.

Tip #5

Enjoy the culture. Whether you travel to Mexico, Italy, or to a beachside U.S. town you will get great enjoyment hanging out at local joints. Absorb the vibe of the people. Make new friends. Share a story and a bottle of wine. You will remember these encounters best of all.

Packing Checklist

We hope this information is helpful in your planning. And while planning is important, be sure to allow yourself to be spontaneous. You never know what you will discover.

Have any tips, tricks or online tool suggestions? Please share them in the comments below.

For more information about our favorite vacation activities & experiences, check out: www.sea-trek.com, www.clear-lounge.com, or www.subseasystems.com

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Edible Sea Glass and Sand Pudding — A Fun Summer Dessert Recipe

Trying to think of a simple, delicious and fun summer dessert? We have a couple of really tasty recipes that we tried out. Not only were they a success with our employees, but they also came out really cute. Read on for easy instructions and photos.

Sand Pudding

We found this delicious recipe on fromabcstoacts.com

1st Make the Pudding

You will need:

6 cups of Milk (we used 2%)

2 Jello Instant Vanilla Pudding Mixes
1 tub Cool Whip

A large bowl

A wire whisk

Follow the directions on the Jello Pudding mix to make your vanilla pudding.
Let the pudding set in the refrigerator (5-10 minutes).
Fold in the tub of Cool Whip.
Keep cool.

 

2nd Make the "Sand"

You will need:

1 box of Nice! vanilla wafer cookies

4 Oreo cookies

A food processor

Place cookies in food processor (save a few whole vanilla wafers for an additional decoration), and Chop and Grind until you get a sandy consistency. For lighter sand don't use as many Oreos.

Set aside crumbs.

Edible Sea Glass

We found this delicious recipe on makelifelovely.com

3rd Make Edible Sea Glass

You will need:

2 cups sugar

1 cup water

1/2 cup light Karo syrup

1 teaspoon Mint extract

Blue and Green Food coloring (we used 6 drops blue and 3 drops green)

Powdered sugar

Pam spray

1 pot

1 wooden spoon

1 candy thermometer

1 cookie sheet

Spray cookie sheet with light coating of Pam.
Mix together sugar, water and Karo syrup over medium heat.

Continue Stirring and bring to a boil. Temperature must reach 300° F or it will not harden properly. This is called Hard Crack Stage. This took us about 45 minutes.

When 300° F is reached remove from heat.
Continue stirring for 2 minutes while adding in food dye and mint extract.
Be careful not to inhale the fumes.
Mix thoroughly.
Pour hot candy mixture onto cookie sheet, and let cool for about 1 hour.
Once hardened gently crack into sea glass size pieces.
Coat all pieces with powdered sugar.

 Rub powdered sugar into the 'sea glass'. Be careful edges are sharp! Use a wash cloth to smooth edges a little, and wipe away excess powdered sugar.

Set Aside.

4th Paint Cookies

You will need:

A small paintbrush
Food dye
Whole vanilla wafers

Paint a logo, initials, emojis — anything you would like to enhance your sand pudding.

 

5th Create Umbrellas (optional)

You will need:

An umbrella template

Colored paper
Scissors

Straws or toothpicks

A glue stick

Cut template from colored paper. Glue ends together. Mount onto straw (or toothpick).

6th Assemble Dessert

You will need:

Cute glass cups

Finished pudding

Finished "sand"

Finished "sea glass"

Finished painted cookies

Finished umbrellas (optional)

Spoons

Layer pudding and "sand" into clear glass cups (top layer should be sand).

Place a few peices of "sea glass" on the "sand"

Add a painted cookie

Place an umbrella (optional)

Repeat. Serve. Enjoy.

For more summer dessert inspiration check out our Summer Sweet Tooth Pinterest board. We hope you enjoy these delicious little summer treats! For more information about Sub Sea Systems please visit our website.

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Follow Sea TREK® Helmet Diving's board Summer Sweet Tooth on Pinterest.

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What is Clear Lounge?

Visit www.clear-lounge.com for more information. Call (530) 626-0100 for business opportunities. Share your #ClearLounge photos with us in the comments below.

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A Kid in an Aquarium

An 8 year old shares her Clear Lounge experience.

Written by Katie Scarlett Murphy.

A while ago I did Clear Lounge. I was scared at first, but then, after a few seconds, I was having fun! They have a lot of things to play with: the bubble guns, the sign thingys and Jenga. Daddy came in first. Me and Daddy played some games and shot bubbles.

Then Daddy got out and Mommy came in. I played more games and shot bubbles. Then I shot bubbles at Mom, and she shot some back at me. Then I got a prop for pictures. I chose the lips.

After we took pictures I put my hand up against the glass and Finn (my little brother) did the same thing, but on the opposite side.

 

Finn told me he wishes he could do Clear Lounge, but he is too little.

Clear Lounge felt weird, but it also felt kinda cool. I felt like I was a mermaid! I loved it! I had a ton of fun! It was awesome! I had a blast!

To learn more about Clear Lounge visit www.clear-lounge.com
Have an experience to share? Post it in the comments below.

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