Mandalay Bay’s Shark Dive at Las Vegas

Las Vegas has many oxymorons…but scuba diving in sin city may take the cake. Mandalay Bay’s Shark Reef Aquarium scuba program opened June 2009, to certified divers for a down under experience like no other.

In the 1.3 million gallon salt-water aquarium you can enjoy a private dive with 30 + sharks, green sea turtles, green sawfish, rays, and reef fish. Many of the sharks are large, over 6 feet long.

Diving with these sharks is a bit of shark therapy. You will learn the behavior of sharks while in a safe surrounding. Not only is the environment safe but extra safety features including chain maille, a high-tech metal suit that sharks are unable to bite through, helps to ease the mind. Also, there are 2 dive instructors swimming with you, watching and guiding you through the tank. Prior to the dive there is an extensive briefing, for an educational overview and proper protocol while swimming in the aquarium...[Link]

Tales from the tank

Jill Reeves and Skylar Whitney knew that when they applied to work at the Albuquerque Aquarium, they would swim alongside 17 sharks, along with various fish, turtles and stingrays, every day.

An Albuquerque native, Whitney said he never pictured himself swimming in a display tank to feed and clean the animals.

"They were looking for help and needed an aquariamist position filled, and they were having a hard time finding someone," Whitney said. "I never thought I would be working with sharks. It's completely different than what I thought it would be, but I love it."

Whitney said that when he gets into the tank, he feeds the animals and cleans the exhibit.

"We don't touch them, not unless they're getting a little too close for comfort, and then we'll just shove a food bucket at them and get them away," Whitney said.

The largest shark in the tank is almost seven feet long, Whitney said.

Reeves said she has been diving since 2005 and has explored the waters while studying abroad.

"Part of my study abroad took place just north of Boston, and then three months were in Tahiti, and then three months were in California," Reeves said. "I was doing a lot of research when I was abroad, because we were studying the three ecosystems."

Reeves said she has swum with sharks but that they have all been ocean dives...[DailyLobo]