Journey with Gentle Giants...Whale Sharks!

Swimming with the "Gentle Giants", the four Whale Sharks at Georgia Aquarium—as well as thousands more animals in the same habitat—is one of those top-ranking life experiences that I will never, ever forget.

And a lifetime of gratitude to my best friend Barry for gifting the experience to me. Our Swim was a few weeks ago and I'm still in awe of just how close we were to the Whale Sharks and Manta Rays...and many others. "Incredible" just doesn't begin to describe how awesome an experience this was!

Swim with Gentle Giants, Whale Sharks, Georgia Aquarium

I've done some pretty cool things. Right up there with skydiving, a helicopter tour of the Grand Canyon, attending a live satellite launch at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, and meeting Leonard Nimoy, the Swim with Whale Sharks experience at Georgia Aquarium is one that I'll cherish forever and always. It was that awesome!

In anticipation, we arrived early to explore the Aquarium, specifically to see the current special exhibition Sea Monsters Revealed: Aquatic Bodies, and of course we had to pop in to see the Whale Sharks...the ones we would momentarily be swimming with. 

We reserved spots on the 4:30 p.m. Swim on a Friday, and they ask that swimmers check-in a half hour early, which we did. One of the super nice things about this swim is that there are a maximum of eight (8) swimmers, which makes for an intimate experience.

Swim with Gentle Giants, Whale Sharks, Georgia Aquarium

The above photo is the top of the Ocean Voyager habitat, where the four Whale Sharks and various other residents had just made our acquaintance.

Everything you need for the Swim is included. A wet suit, locker rooms to change in, breathing apparatuses...and your ticket gives you access to see the dolphin show, Deepo's show, special exhibitions, all the main galleries, as well as a souvenir photograph, a t-shirt, and the option to purchase a DVD of your Swim (check out ours on YouTube). 

You won't soon forget the experience, but the mementos are nice to have.

Swim with Gentle Giants, Whale Sharks, Georgia Aquarium

Once we were checked-in there was an orientation. A very important orientation. The thing that sticks out most in my mind was the "don't touch" rule. The Whale Sharks get really, really, really close, but no touching! Most importantly, it could spook them and eventually make them leery of swimmers, meaning the end of such an incredible experience...for anyone!

The Georgia Aquarium Dive Team and other staff were incredibly helpful and put everyone at ease. I never once felt unattended. In fact, they were so amazing that I felt like a total VIP...during the entirety of the experience!

The Ocean Voyager habitat has two distinct areas. One is 20-feet deep and the other is 30-feet deep, with the acrylic viewing tunnel being the delineation between the two. 

You'll see in our video that you have the opportunity to wave at tourists in the tunnel, which is a great place for family and/or friends to view your experience if they're not themselves swimming.

Swim with Gentle Giants, Rays, Georgia Aquarium

"Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming...swimming...swimming..."...should that little ditty pop into your mind, just try not to laugh. But how can you not laugh at Ellen Degeneres' humor?! 

While swimming you can see inside the acrylic tube perfectly, but you can't see the other side of the gigantic acrylic wall...apparently the angle of the wall doesn't work for swimmers, but of course the divers can see those visitors just fine.

The Georgia Aquarium Swim Team let on that it would be super cool to be grazed by one of the Whale Sharks, which is the only contact you get because of the "no touch" rule. Well, as close as I got, I had no contact, but was still blown away! 

BUT, Barry had the great fortune to experience a "snag and drag"—that's what I coined it anyway. The tail fin of one of the Whale Sharks snagged him and pulled him a few feet. Not alarming at all...they swim so slowly.

The Swim Team had told us a story about something similar happening to another swimmer, but he'd been pulled a while longer. When "rescued", he said something to the effect of, "Let's do that again!"

Swim with Gentle Giants, Sharks, Georgia Aquarium

As a former Sailor in the United States Navy, water feels very natural to me and I love the ocean...I was born in St. Peterburg, Florida, so water is in my blood. However, I never took my eyes off the 'other' sharks. And, only half jokingly, I confirmed with our guide Jodi that our put-in point was NOT near the feeding station. 

Wouldn't want to confuse any of the carnivorous animals, right?! Speaking of which, some of my friends asked about the Whale Sharks...they're huge! Their throats are only the size of a walnut...so they're not going to swallow you, even if they tried, which they're not.

Swim with Gentle Giants, Grouper, Georgia Aquarium

The Grouper, from what I perceived in conversation, are some of the the more worrisome of the animals in the habitat, BUT the support staff have "tools" to dissuade the Grouper. I've never felt safer in the water...these guys and gals know what they're doing!

The above photo doesn't show you just how humongous the Grouper...they're HUGE! Really HUGE! You can see it—in person—through the gigantic acrylic viewing window. I LOVE that window! 

Swim with Gentle Giants, Rays, Georgia Aquarium

When you're swimming, the Whale Sharks, as well as the Manta Rays, will sneak up on you...not trying to scare you, of course, because they've invited you into their home. But seriously...you're swimming along and "Pow!"...there's a gigantic creature a mere feet away from you.  

Just remember not to touch them and know that you have several of the Georgia Aquarium Swim Team there to help, just in case.

Swim with Gentle Giants, Operating Room, Georgia Aquarium

I mentioned that we'd arrived early to breeze though Sea Monsters. Breezing through is impossible...wonderfully surprising, it's a substantial exhibition! And we were invited to an unofficial pre-swim surprise tour where we got to see the Aquarium's operating room.

 Read more about our visit to Sea Monsters here.

Speaking of staying healthy, a quick word of advice...if you deal with blood sugar issues, like I do, arrive early to eat at the cafe, or dine before you arrive—there are some fantastic restaurants in the area!

On numerous occasions over the years, I've headed to Cafe Aquaria to discover that it was already closed. In this particular case, I'd brought a protein bar with me and that held me over until we were finished, around 7:30 p.m., when we headed to Max's nearby for a fantastic pizza dinner!

Swim with Gentle Giants, Behind the Scenes Tour, Georgia Aquarium

After we'd finished our Swim and had been 'debriefed', one of the volunteers, Mim, treated us to a little more of the behind-the-scenes of the Aquarium, including the roof of the "recreation of a tropical Pacific coral reef, complete with an overhead crashing wave" in the Tropical Diver gallery. We got to see the mechanics of what creates that wave...beyond impressive!

I know I haven't shut up, but I feel like I'm robbing you of so much of the enthusiasm that this experience deserves. Seriously...this is one of the most wonderful things I've ever done, ever experienced!

Swim with Gentle Giants, Sharks, Georgia Aquarium

That's Barry in the above photo during our Swim preview. We were so excited that we were almost late, but ended up having plenty of time between check-in and the start of the program. But don't push it...you don't want to miss any part of this experience!

I didn't expect to have so much to "say" about this experience...and there's so much more to say! And there's so much that I can only feel...that there are no words for. If you find yourself wanting and able to Journey with Gentle Giants, then do! It was such an incredible experience.

Of course we opted for the video of our Swim. This version includes some of the Aquarium's 'glamour shots', which you don't want to miss, and then there's our Swim...

Sea Monsters

On a recent visit to Georgia Aquarium, I was expecting a modest exhibit of imaginary or mythical creatures. Instead, Sea Monsters Revealed: Aquatic Bodies is a remarkably brilliant and substantial exhibition of mysterious, ferocious, and fascinating sea animals...and a few cases of mistaken identity.

Sea Monsters, Georgia Aquarium

You'll get to see nearly 20 full-body sea creatures and more than 150 individual organs and smaller sea creatures...that's a substantial exhibit!

The exhibition leads with a masterfully appointed room that displays artifacts of 18th Century scientific study of aquatic animals, highlighting the creation of taxonomy—the classification system of grouping different and similar organisms all the way down to species. Occasionally, animals are re-classified because modern science has given us a greater understanding of certain animals—those cases of mistaken identity I mentioned.

The exhibition also bring a great deal of fun. It shares the fact that scientist can and do indeed have a sense of humor. Traditionally, the scientist who discovers a new genus or species gets to name it. A biologist at Duke University named an entire genus of fern 'Gaga germanotta'. It was named after Lady Gaga! 

Sea Monsters, Georgia Aquarium

I don't recall ever seeing an Ocean Sunfish, the heaviest bony fish in the world, which can weigh up to 5,070 pounds! I think if I'd seen one that I would remember.

With a relatively slender body, the Ocean Sunfish can reach 14 feet tall by 10 feet long. It hardly 'looks' like it can even swim, but from what I've read, it does so clumsily. Harmless to humans, they're quite curious and will approach divers, which has to be a little unnerving. A fish twice as tall as I am, coming toward me not-in-a-straight-line...I'm sure my adrenaline would surge!

Its large eyes remind me of the Star Wars humanoid-fish character Admiral Gial Ackbar. The Ocean Sunfish may not be a "Rebel", but it's certainly a fascinating creature. 

Sea Monsters, Georgia Aquarium

There are a number of fun creatures. The better-known aquatic animals, such as the Blow Fish, are also on display—which takes my mind immediately to Hootie and the Blowfish. You'll recognize other well-known creatures and some of them will seem like they're from another planet!

More and more—as a lifelong fan of science fiction and of science—I'm thinking that cinema creature creators look to botany and the animal kingdom for inspiration. No matter how bizarre an alien or monster looks in movies, I'd venture to stay that you can find a similar looking species somewhere on Earth. Seriously!

Sea Monsters, Georgia Aquarium

Did you know that you can get a college degree in Museum Exhibition Design? I only learned this in recent years, and it totally makes sense. I've seen some wonderfully remarkable exhibitions and this one falls into that category. 

It's not only remarkable, the corridors and display rooms are drenched in color and some in black light (above)...great fun! Note that the dramatic lighting make some of the creatures look a color that they're not in their natural habitats (see the pink octopus further below).

Sea Monsters, Georgia Aquarium

And yes, there were a few shudder-inducing artifacts, particularly these shark's teeth (above). If you're of the Jaws generation, you know what I mean. 

That aside, the exhibition is wonderfully educational. And shark teeth aren't exactly something we've not seen before. But this time, instead of a rack in a beachfront novelty shop, they're displayed tastefully, elegantly, and with purpose. Oh...and the shark teeth are in a case, out-of-reach of curious fingers.

Sea Monsters, Georgia Aquarium

Also in the exhibition—and the subject of much of the exhibition's marketing material—is a 15-foot long Mako Shark. There's not one on display in any of the Aquarium galleries, so this was a unique experience, as are many experiences at Georgia Aquarium.

Sea Monsters, Georgia Aquarium

The squid and octopus on display are amazing...and there are a lot of them! I've long found both to be fascinating, especially octopuses. Later in the day we got to see the octopus on display in the Aquarium's Cold Water Quest gallery and it was quite active...we got to see its chameleon properties in the act!

Sea Monsters, Georgia Aquarium

This bad boy (above) is a Grouper! They're one of the larger fish you'll see in the Ocean Voyager exhibit in the Aquarium. And just for the record, all the creatures in Sea Monsters "were carefully recovered in accordance with the highest animal protection standards."

There are many aspects of this exhibit that remind me of, also fascinating, Bodies: The Exhibition, which I saw when it was in DC, and it's on display at Atlantic Station.

I'm sure you've been wondering if the animals in this exhibition are real. They indeed are real. According to the Aquarium's website, this exhibition uses "the revolutionary polymer preservation technique commonly known as plastination to bring real sea animals onto dry land for an up-close look at these mysterious and compelling sea creatures."

Georgia Aquarium

When we were at the end of the exhibition, we got to chatting with one of the staff and it turned out that she and Barry share lots of interest, specifically marine biology. Next thing we knew, we were behind-the-scenes to see some world-class and rather amazing operations, including the animal operating room. Fortunately, it's quite rare that the Aquarium's animals require surgery, and seldom do they become sick. But when and if it happens, they're at the ready to respond.

There's a LOT more to explore and learn, but one thing that fascinated me was the number of times water tests are conducted on a weekly basis—that being 5,000-7,000 times! The number is so high partly because so many of the water habitats are independent, which greatly reduces or totally mitigate any animal health issues that might occur. 

Sea Monsters, Georgia Aquarium

The whole reason we were at Georgia Aquarium was to Swim with the Whale Sharks, one of their animal interaction programs. It'd been planned for more than four months, so it was pretty cool that Sea Monsters included a specimen of a Whale Shark, which we would be swimming with momentarily. 

Now, head over to Georgia Aquarium and get your tickets. I don't know how long the exhibition will be there—it opened last September—but Sea Monsters Revealed: Aquatic Bodies is included in your 'Total Ticket' purchase. 

Have fun!