SMS students dive at Georgia Aquarium

 

Harriett (Hattie) Train – Undergraduate marine science student, expected graduation 2019
Colby Johns – Recent B.S. marine science graduate, 2015
Elisabeth Maxwell – Recent M.S. marine biology & marine policy graduate, 2017

Three SMS students recently (February 23, 2018) traveled to the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, Georgia, to dive in the Ocean Voyager exhibit. Accompanying them on their dive were four whale sharks, four manta rays, two bowmouth guitar sharks, two wobbegongs, a sawshark, several reef sharks, and numerous other fish.

Each of these three women are trained as American Academy of Underwater Sciences (AAUS) scientific divers and are affiliated with the University of Maine’s Scientific Diving program. Colby earned her scientific diving certification from UMaine in 2015 and is currently serving as the Scientific Diving Assistant for the UMaine program. She is a qualified PADI Divemaster along with a number of other certifications. Elisabeth earned her scientific diving certification in 2016 and served as an Intern for the UMaine program in 2017 in order to earn her Divemaster certification. Hattie is the current dive program Intern and studied at the Darling Marine Center with Semester By the Sea, fall of 2017 where she completed her scientific diving certification. She will spend the next year assisting with the program and working towards her Divemaster.

The Georgia Aquarium provides a unique diving opportunity to any individual (over 12 years old) who holds an Open Water SCUBA certification. This is the only dive experience in the world that guarantees a face-to-face experience with whale sharks. The Ocean Voyager exhibit contains over 6 million gallons of salt water, making it one of the largest single exhibits in the world.

The University of Maine scientific diving program provides training to new and experienced divers for the purpose of conducting research underwater. The UMaine dive program is an AAUS member and adheres to AAUS diving and training standards. While the UMaine diving program is housed at the Darling Marine Center in Walpole, Maine, UMaine scientific divers conduct research all over the globe.

Colby, Elisabeth, and Hattie would like to say a special thank you to: the Georgia Aquarium, the AAUS Board of Directors, and Christopher Rigaud (UMaine Diving Operations Manager), and Heather Allbright (AAUS) for facilitating this amazing opportunity.

Web Links
Youtube Video Link of The Dive
UMaine Scientific Diving Program
UMaine Semester By the Sea
Georgia Aquarium, Dive Experience