Oregon Coast Aquarium 9/2

Tell us your tale of coming nose-to-nose with a 6 gill [--this big--], or about your vacation to turquoise warm waters. Share your adventures here!
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sarinae
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Oregon Coast Aquarium 9/2

Post by sarinae »

I won a silent auction for a Guest Diver program at the Oregon Coast Aquarium when I was at the Tacoma Dive and Travel Expo this spring. It took a while, but I finally found a buddy willing to go along on this fabulous experience. Scheduling was a bit of a challenge, I think there was a miscommunication regarding the contact person, but we got it sorted out. If all else fails, contact Eugene Skin Divers and they will help you find the right person.

The regular Guest Diver program offers a limited selection of dates, none of which would remotely work with our insane family schedule. I made arrangements for an upgrade to the Deluxe dive for two people---an extra $350 on top of my auction bid, but it all goes to support wonderful programs so I can't complain. Before registration was complete both buddies had to complete a short survey about experience level and comfort. We had to bring all gear except tanks and weights, or we could rent, but bringing our own was easier.

We arrived on Labor Day morning and were met by Taylor, the liason for ESD and the OCA. He works part time for the Aquarium and part time for the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Spending time with him was a wonderful experience, he really knows his local critters and offered us a ton of insight. We loaded gear to the holding area then proceeded to a private tour of the OCA from inside the guest areas before guests arrived. It was pretty interesting to see the aquariums without screaming kids beating on the glass and scaring the fish. The natural behavior of the fish was more apparent early in the morning. We talked about our dive plan, what to expect, and what to do in emergencies. He verified our valid certifications before we suited up.

Upstairs, at the top of the aquariums, we suited up and geared up. Again, we walked through the plan to be sure that all three of us were clear. We all entered the Halibut Flats area in the 54F water and from the moment we entered it was the most awesome local diving experience ever! Super clear visibility and packed with some of the more interesting species of rock fish, sturgeon, halibut, and more! All of those cool things that we hope to see on a dive, all jammed into one dive, but with the most amazing visibility ever. We cruised around, waved to the family in the tube, got pictures, posed for pictures, and visited a bit with the curious Aquarium visitors. Then, Taylor retrieved the specialty food to hand feed some of the more timid species. When food is distributed, the aggressive halibut often gobble up everyone's share so many of the more timid rays and sturgeon must be hand fed to maintain their health. Taylor handed us bites packed with vitamins to feed as the critters cruised by. It was a once in a lifetime experience to have a sturgeon eat from your hand. The rockfish were very curious about this activity and came right up to look in our masks and see what we were up to. The sturgeon, with their poor eyesight, often bumped into us. The crazy halibut were like hungry dogs, begging and trying to snatch food from your hand if you didn't watch out. It took us about 10 minutes to empty the bag and make sure that everyone who needed to eat was fed before we cruised to the exit point. Dive time was 33 minutes, 24ft average, 54 F water.

A short surface interval and tank fill, we prepared for our second dive in the shark reef tank. Entering the 65F water felt almost tropical in our cold water gear, but was very pleasant. We entered in the med tank, swam through a gate door, and observed the sharks to ensure that we didn't disrupt their normal swimming behavior. We descended along the wall and took a knee to observe the swimming behavior. The school of mackerel was amazing to watch in its undulations and patterns. Occasionally, a shark would swim in the middle of the school and split it, but the fish always returned to swim together again. We took a few stops in corners of the aquarium to watch from different vantage points, along the way watching for shark teeth on the bottom. We were lucky to find a few of these awesome souveniers to return home with. Taylor maintained a watch for cruising sharks and kept control of the boundary pole to ensure that the sharks avoided getting too close. We felt entirely safe and it was unforgettable to swim with such amazing creatures in such proximity.
33 minutes went by far too quickly, but it was time to resurface. We ascended along the wall and returned through the door to the med tank.

Taylor helped us rinse gear and we all put everything away. After returning gear to our truck, he helped us to reenter the aquarium and meet up with family or watch critters. To see the same animals from inside and outside of the tanks was truly an awesome experience. If you get a chance to dive the Aquarium or volunteer with the OCA, snag it! We had a fabulous time and cannot praise their program highly enough.

If you want to see pictures and video, holler! It was pretty cool!
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thefeve
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Re: Oregon Coast Aquarium 9/2

Post by thefeve »

Post pics! Sounds amazing!
I think you've figured out the root cause of your problems. Even sea lions get annoyed by splitfin divers silting out their dive sites. Switch back to your jets and you'll be safe from the sea lion silt prevention patrol from now on. - NWbrewer
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McGlencoe
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Re: Oregon Coast Aquarium 9/2

Post by McGlencoe »

Wow, sounds like a fantastic trip!
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Gdog
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Re: Oregon Coast Aquarium 9/2

Post by Gdog »

No pictures, it didnt happen! Post some!
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sarinae
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Re: Oregon Coast Aquarium 9/2

Post by sarinae »

wave
wave
Posing for pictures
Posing for pictures
Handfeeding
Handfeeding
Swimming by
Swimming by
Cruising around
Cruising around
Dive buddy getting ready
Dive buddy getting ready
http://www.facebook.com/sarina.elliott has more pictures and video of the shark tank dives. They should be public.

Tried to upload them here but I think the files were too big.

Sarina
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coulterboy
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Re: Oregon Coast Aquarium 9/2

Post by coulterboy »

Very nice report Sarina.
When was the last time you did something for the first time?
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Gdog
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Re: Oregon Coast Aquarium 9/2

Post by Gdog »

Awesome! Thanks for posting them!
LowDrag
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Re: Oregon Coast Aquarium 9/2

Post by LowDrag »

I have always wanted to dive the OCA. It sounds like a blast to do at least once. Thanks for posting. I am going to go your Facebook page and check out your videos.
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Tom Nic
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Re: Oregon Coast Aquarium 9/2

Post by Tom Nic »

Wonderful!
More Pics Than You Have Time To Look AT
"Anyone who thinks this place is over moderated is bat-crazy anarchist." -Ben, Airsix
"Warning: No dive masters are going to be there, Just a bunch of old fat guys taking pictures of fish." -Bassman
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