Fans take the plunge, swim with sharks

Leon Stafford, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution 9 Jun 08;

Not everyone is pleased. Some animal researchers worry the new program could do more harm than good. They say the fish already have a small space in which to swim so why throw in a bunch of Jacques Cousteau wannabes.

Thirteen-year-old Evan Strawn now knows what a whale shark feels like.

Evan and 11 other regular folk were among the first to swim or dive with the "gentle giants" and thousands of other fish as part of a new program at the world's largest fish tank.

"One of the whale sharks touched me," Evan said in disbelief after the swim.

Divers and swimmers are not allowed to touch the fish, but whale sharks go where they want to and one of them brushed up against the boy. Three dive masters guided the swimmers around the tank and tried to keep them out of the way when the behemoth fish came by.

The swimmers wore wet suits and breathed compressed air as they snorkeled next to whale sharks Trixie and Alice as well as acrobatic mating cow-nosed rays.

The divers and swimmers emerged from the tank with the awe of children and used words like "incredible," "unbelievable" and "awesome."

"I remember being on the other side of the glass thinking 'wow.' I never want to be on the other side again," said Mike Strawn, who swam with his wife, two children and two friends.

Brothers Daren and Dale Newfield did the dive portion of the event.

"Did you see the hammerhead circle?" Daren said excitedly to his brother. In case you're wondering, all the fish were fed about an hour before the divers took the plunge.

The event has attracted tourists from outside Georgia. Marlene Gillrup traveled from Jacksonville for the dive.

"It's a lot of species in a very small area compared to when you dive in the open," Gillrup said smiling. "I'm running short of words."

The experience is a move that aquarium officials hope will educate visitors about marine animals and help the aquarium continue to attract big guest numbers.

"It's the only place where you are guaranteed to swim with whale sharks," says Dave Santucci, aquarium spokesman. "We want to engage people with animals and help them make a connection."

Not everyone is pleased. Some animal researchers worry the new program could do more harm than good. They say the fish already have a small space in which to swim so why throw in a bunch of Jacques Cousteau wannabes.

"I have numerous concerns with this," said Lori Marino, a senior lecturer in neuroscience and behavioral biology at Emory University. "The first is that they have lost two of them already. And secondly, we don't know a lot about whale sharks, so this just seems risky."

Ralph and Norton, two of the attraction's original whale sharks, died last year. Ralph died in January of complications from peritonitis.

Norton was euthanized in June 2007 after months of declining health. Aquarium officials suspected a pesticide used to treat the tank for parasites may have contributed to his demise.

"They are already confined in captivity and now you are adding people to the mix," she said. "I don't see what it has to do with teaching people about whale sharks. It seems more about entertainment."

So far, the program has proved popular.

Already, 1,500 people have signed on through 2008, Santucci said. Space

for the next three months is almost completely booked.

There will only be a maximum of six swimmers and six divers a day. Each will be allowed in the water for 30 minutes. The program is open to anyone 12 years old and older, but those under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. And divers must be certified. Videos of swim/dives are available for participants for $50.

"We really wanted to do something that would bring people in from all over the country and all over the world," Santucci said.

He said he understands concerns about protecting the animals' well-being, but thinks fish fans have nothing to worry about. The animals' health will be closely monitored and the swim/dives will be guided.

"Safety is our first priority," he said, noting that the facility has already invited V.I.P.s to swim without incident. "It's a guided tour. It's not a free for all. Touching the fish is not allowed."

And for those worried that the fish may bite, he shakes his head no.

"They don't eat anything bigger than a quarter," he said.

Chris Reinolds contributed to this article.