Indoor Oceans: Diving with Whale Sharks at Georgia Aquarium (VIDEO)

Who would like to be in the water with whale sharks — the biggest fish in the sea? Me! Me! Me! At the Georgia Aquarium (the world’s largest), located in downtown Atlanta adjacent to the World of Coca-Cola and Centennial Olympic Park, you can do just that as part of its Journey with Gentle Giants program. If there was ever an Indoor Ocean to behold, it is here…

The Georgia Aquarium is the world’s largest “indoor ocean! The Ocean Voyager habitat is the only place in the world where you are guaranteed to swim or SCUBA dive with the world’s largest fish, the whale shark, as well as other aquatic animals found throughout three oceans at one time — the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans.

Only one other aquarium, the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium in Japan, maintains an exhibit with whale sharks but does not offer a swim/dive program.

Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta is truly the largest “indoor ocean” in the world. (Photo: Georgia Aquarium)

While its four whale sharks are the star attraction, the 6.3 million gallon underwater habitat is also home to four manta rays, schools of jacks, stingrays, giant grouper, a humphead wrasse, a large green sea turtle and other unusual species, including the critically endangered longcomb sawfish (also known as a carpenter shark, part of the ray family), the bottom-dwelling spotted wobbegong shark, and the bowmouth guitarfish (sometimes called a shark ray). SLIDESHOW

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When I found out I was going to be traveling to the Atlanta area with my husband for a family event, I immediately began making plans to visit the Georgia Aquarium and also to sign up for one of the whale shark dives.

Ocean Voyager visitors walk through a 100-ft tunnel to view sea life overhead and surrounding them. (Photo: Georgia Aquarium)

Several years ago,I was able to swim with whale sharks in Isla Mujeres, Mexico, and my time in the water with them was exciting but very brief. You can read about my experience in the article I wrote for AAA Home & Away magazine’s March/April 2016 issue, “Swimming with Giants.”

This is a brief video of the whale shark I swam beside (briefly!) in Mexico on August 18, 2015.

And here’s a short video I took while we were in the main observation gallery of the Ocean Voyagers habitat:

Whale sharks and thousands of other creatures inhabit the 6.3 million gallon Ocean Voyager habitat at Georgia Aquarium. (Photo: Debbra Dunning Brouillette)

I signed up online for the Diving with Whale Sharks Program. The cost, which does not include general admission, is $333.95 plus tax for Nonmembers and $279.95 plus tax for members. Yes,   it’s a splurge, but it’s worth it!

A portion of the proceeds supports the Aquarium’s conservation efforts, as well as drives knowledge and appreciation for this amazing species.

Program price includes all equipment, certificate of participation, exclusive t-shirt, and souvenir photo. I was sent an email confirmation with forms to sign and more information about what to bring with me the day of the dive.

Three of the four whale sharks in the Ocean Voyager exhibit are pictured. (Photo: Debbra Dunning Brouillette)

A maximum of eight divers can participate in the daily 3 p.m. dives. An additional dive is scheduled at 11 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Our divers group, Journey with Gentle Giants, Georgia Aquarium, 3-26-2018

Allot around 2.5 hours to participate in the Journey with the Gentle Giants dive program, which begins with a behind-the-scenes look at the top of the habitat, where we were shown the system for the Ocean Voyager habitat that filters all 6.3 million gallons in approximately one hour.

Whale sharks being fed at Georgia Aquarium at the top of the Ocean Voyager habitat. (Photo: Debbra Dunning Brouillette)

We watched the four whale sharks being fed by animal care specialists stationed in boats. They ladle a mixture of krill, tiny shrimp and nutrients into the water while the whale sharks swim to the surface alongside the boats.

Whale sharks like this one in Georgia Aquarium’s Ocean Voyager habitat can measure up to 40 feet long. (Photo: Debbra Dunning Brouillette)

Dive staff: Adam (videographer), Scott (safety), and Amanda (lead diver).

A brief classroom orientation to the experience followed before we were shown to the locker rooms to change into our wetsuits, booties, and gloves. After posing for a photo on the dock with our fellow divers, we sat on the edge of the dock to put on our equipment and slipped into the water via a forward seated entry. We descended to the bottom for a quick photo opportunity before beginning to follow the guide throughout the habitat. We stayed in buddy teams, following the guide close to the bottom.

The guided dive throughout the habitat lasts a minimum of 30 minutes (ours lasted quite a bit longer, according to the start/end times we were given following the dive) and ends in the shallower area of the habitat where scores of baby stingrays lie on the bottom — a stingray nursery of sorts.

Here is a short video clip my husband captured of our dive:

No touching of the animals is allowed and cameras are not permitted. We stayed toward the bottom of the habitat, which ranges from 20 to 30 feet deep, as the larger creatures — whale sharks and manta rays — swim above us. A videographer was in the water with us to document our special time in the water with these amazing creatures. A few times throughout the dive, we settled to the bottom in a semi-circle for a “photo-op.”

The Official VIDEO — A video of the experience (about 6 minutes highlighting our dive) was available for purchase after the dive for $49.95 (plus tax). I, of course, had to have it! You can view it below:

I have been a PADI certified Open Water Diver since 1992 and have dived throughout the Caribbean and in the South Pacific, most recently on a Tahiti-Tuamotus cruise, where I saw my first manta rays on a dive in Fakarava. As mentioned above, I also previously swam with whale sharks in Mexico, but this Journey with Gentle Giants dive at the Georgia Aquarium was one of the best ever! Where else could I dive with such a diverse array of creatures in one dive?

Not a SCUBA diver? A Swim Program is also offered that allows participants to snorkel at the surface with a life vest.

Beluga whales enthrall visitors, young and old alike. (Photo: Debbra Dunning Brouillette)

Other Animal Encounters available at the Georgia Aquarium include interaction with beluga whales, dolphins, penguins, sea otters and seals.

Behind the Seas tours (45 minutes) are also available for $15.00 Nonmembers; $13.50 for Members, which give visitors a backstage look at several of the aquarium’s most popular exhibits.

Go to this link for more info: General information about the George Aquarium.

Whale Shark Facts

• Whale sharks are not whales although their size is comparable to whales. The average length of an adult is about the same as a school bus! They are also “filter feeders” like whales.
• Whale Sharks are an enormous type of shark. They’re actually both the biggest shark and fish in the world!
• Whale sharks are called “gentle giants” because they pose virtually no threat to humans. The number one injury to humans is getting hit with the huge tail fin.
• The unique pattern of spots on a whale shark around the gill area are similar to human fingerprints, which help researchers identify individual sharks.
• The conservation status of whale sharks has been updated from “vulnerable” to “endangered” due to ongoing human impacts, including the demand for shark products: fins, liver oil (used to waterproof wooden boats), skin, and meat, bycatch in fishing nets, and boat strikes.

All photos © Debbra Dunning Brouillette unless otherwise credited

Other “Indoor Oceans” posts:

Indoor Oceans: The Aquarium at Moody Gardens, Galveston Island, Texas

Indoor Oceans: North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores

Coming soon: Indoor Oceans: Georgia Aquarium – Largest in the World