Diving with sharks in an aquarium is dramatically different than diving with sharks in open water. I’ve done both and I must confess that this landlocked aquarium dive turned out to be one of my favorite dives.
Sitting quietly underwater, my back against a wall in the Sunken Shipwreck pool at the Denver Downtown Aquarium, the 10-foot sand tigers, zebra and brown sharks were swimming towards me so slowly I could count their teeth. For almost an hour, the divemaster, another diver, and myself, we moved slowly along a three-foot trench, with our backs to the wall, watching the sharks swim towards us and pass us, often closing in on just a few meters away.
And then when we least expected it, a sawfish sleeping in the sand woke up and slithered lazily towards us. As the five-foot-long sawblade snout approached, I sank below the top of the trench. Sometimes, as I gazed at all the underwater activity with googley eyes, a sleek, silver barracuda swiftly passed by, moving at twice the speed of sharks. Near the top of the pool, a 400-pound green turtle patrolled its territory.
Why is an aquarium dive with sharks fun?
I’ve known the Dive With The Fish and Dive With The Sharks program in Denver for years, but I never thought it could be as interesting, or as fun, as an open water dive. I was wrong. Aquariums need to be kept at certain temperatures and kept clean, so visibility is excellent. With no current to push them, spikes and other smaller curious fish float five inches from your face for minutes at a time, providing an incredibly difficult experience to replicate in the wild.
Get certified for diving in an aquarium
The most common route to becoming a certified diver in Colorado is to learn the basics in a pool and head to warm water locations for final open water certification dives. A-1 Scuba, which runs the dive program at Downtown Aquarium, offers several options. If you want to learn to dive or need a refresher course. The company offers a PADI Scuba Diver certification, a “Test Dive” experience and a refresher dive course.
Dive with fish, dive with sharks, learn underwater photography
A-1 Scuba has the Swim With The Fish, Dive With The Fish, and Dive With The Sharks programs, plus a PADI Adventure Diver program that includes three dives and an underwater photography scuba class. The owner, Scott Taylor, is a trained instructor for the Disability Diving Association and has special equipment to submerge people with disabilities in the water for snorkeling or diving.
Reserve shark diving, fish diving or other programs
To make reservations for Dive With The Sharks or other dive programs at the Downtown Aquarium or for additional information about the program, call the A-1 Scuba & Travel Center at 303-789-2450, or visit A1 Scuba.com. Fish diving programs start at 11:30 am on Saturdays and Sundays. Dive With Sharks programs are offered on Saturdays and Sundays starting at 1:00 PM. You must be certified to participate in the Dive With The Sharks experience.
While you can bring your own scuba mask (especially if you have prescription lenses), you cannot bring your own wetsuit. Due to contamination and animal safety issues, the rest of the equipment is provided.
Snorkel With The Fish
If you don’t dive but want a similar experience, anyone ages 6 and up can swim with the fish at the Under The Sea exhibit. Half the fun of this snorkeling experience is greeting the people watching from the other side from the aquarium glass.
Dive or snorkel with fish in aquariums across the country
Several other aquariums across the country offer programs where you can snorkel or dive with fish. You’ll find a list in Aquarium Diving and Snorkeling.
If you think diving can be fun, visit Getting Started Diving. If you already like scuba diving and are looking for special places to explore underwater, visit the best diving spots on the coast. If you want to snorkel or swim with whales and sharks during open water dives, visit Snorkel With Whales and Sharks.
