Or maybe you'd rather have him or her swim with them?

Either -- or any of the National Aquarium in Baltimore's other Immersion Programs -- are fine gifts, although let it be noted right here that the only one in which literal immersion occurs is the Guest Diver program for already-certified scuba divers.

No, there's no swimming with the dolphins here. These tours immerse visitors in the sense of taking them behind the scenes for an insider's perspective. But in the Dolphin Encounter, lucky folks such as surprised birthday girl Veronica Koch, 11, of Columbia, and first-wedding-anniversary observer Emily Vernon, of Allentown, Pa., were able to get up close and personal with two of the aquarium's pod of eight Atlantic bottlenose dolphins (which, if all goes well, should be increased by two more this summer, when both Shiloh and Chesapeake celebrate blessed events).

"Every morning when I wake up, I say, 'Yea!' It was the awesomest! It was amazing and a great lifetime experience, the best birthday present I've ever had," proclaims Veronica, who got to meet and greet the dolphin of her choice, the matrilineal pod's alpha-female Nani.

Talk about enthusiasm. It was second time around in the year-old program for 8-year-old Yana Kelley of Knoxville, Tenn., one of four 18-and-unders in the group, all female and all of whom expressed an interest in working with animals or even becoming trainers someday.

Participants variously described these friendly-seeming animals as feeling like rubber or 'very soft.' Veronica should know; she was able to shake and hold 'hands' with Nani, pet her and feel her tail, play catch and 'talk' via the animal's high-pitched barking (caused, like all dolphin vocalizations, by forcing air through the blowhole).

"Our dolphins are trained to do these encounters, but you have to remember that they are still wild animals and any wild animal can bite," presenter Linda Meakes advised. So can our dogs and cats, but we love them dearly nonetheless.

Cue ominous music

Just as mesmerizing to those so inclined was the Shark Encounter, which drew shark aficionado 10-year-old twins Camille and Joe Estrin, of Silver Spring; Ann Schultz and Kevin Maleski, from Erie, Pa., ("Animal Planet people" doing recon for future trips with their children) and Aaron Smith-Walter of Harrisonburg, Va., who said he's terrified of the creatures but came with girlfriend Lindsay Snider to get over it.

The nearest they got was walking a portion of the catwalk below which a number of nurse, sand tiger and sandbar sharks cruised mere inches below.

Despite all the assurances guide Al Schulley could muster -- for instance, last year their were only 15 shark attacks worldwide -- Smith-Walter afterwards reported no reduction in fear level, even without a close encounter with those creepy staring eyes and "knife and fork" teeth.

But scary as they were, these guys were mere minnows compared to the great white and bus-sized, 45 million-year-old Megalodon sharks whose teeth Schulley displayed. We were surprised to learn that most of the aquarium's shark denizens (as well as crocs and caimans) are actually trained to feed on individual targets to eliminate feeding frenzies.

Up in the food prep areas, participants would have been happy to stroke or hand-feed the baby Southern sting rays, cousins to sharks, but appealing as they were in pushing themselves right out of the water to beg for food, we were told not to touch, even though their barbs had been removed. Schulley acknowledged their cuteness, but alas, "We don't want to make them pets."

Home visits

Neither did Guest Diver program participants feed the rays, small sharks, tarpon or Calypso, the three-flippered green sea turtle. Instead, after a short course in the tanks they'd be exploring and tropical fish identification, and specific advice to avoid Oscar, the green moray eel (who had been quite gregarious the past few days), the group divided in two and went their separate ways to the "Wings in the Water" exhibit and the Atlantic coral reef tank, switching places after half an hour.

Once in the water, via controlled, seated entry ("We do not do giant-stride entries," instructor Bill Zobel emphasized), they cruised gracefully around, making friends with some residents, taking pictures and attracting gawking landlubber visitors as much as did the fish, especially Brenda Noel, of Vienna, Va., in her jewel-toned dive suit.

What would be the interest in diving here for a dozen muscular, healthy-looking adults who have submerged in spots like the Florida Keys, Belize and Tahiti? Well, for one thing, it's considered a "PADI distinctive dive" and thus is part of the qualification for Master Diver certification.

John Ravell and new dad Ben Wood, both of Washington, got their dive time as, respectively, birthday and Fathers' Day gifts. And Beth Bland, involved in a sea turtle program where she vacations in North Carolina, got this birthday gift dive as an opportunity to meet Calypso, who she learned loves to have her shell scratched and once settled her 250-pounds right on top of a diver.

Karen Abrams of St. Mary's County had visited the Aquarium many times and thought it would be great to dive in. Then she learned that she could.

And how did it go? Fun, although at 75 degrees, "It's a lot colder than the Bahamas," reported Terry Miller, part of a multi-state school of guest divers including her daughter, brother, his friend and the latter's wife, who assembled from as far as New York.

As for sleeping with the fishes, however, visitors can indeed choose a sleep-over in the Rain Forest, Wild Extremes (Australia) or with the sharks (next to them, that is, in the underwater viewing area).Other special visits are Breakfast with the Dolphins (plus a look at their day, including medical check-ups, training sessions and playtime) and Gallery Tours, which take visitors through exhibits, crowd-free, and some back-stage areas before the facility opens to the public. And the new 4-D Immersion Theater has added sensory special effects to the documentary "Planet Earth."

The National Aquarium in Baltimore is at 501 E. Pratt St. on Inner Harbor piers 3 and 4. For hours, admission prices and more information about exhibits and special programs, call 410-576-3800 or go to www.aqua.org.

user comments (2)

user h2oguy75 says...

the Atlantic Edge Dive Center. If you want to dive in the tank you should get scuba certified. Atlantic Edge also offers weekend scuba classes that are fun.

Posted 4:05 PM, 07.03.08

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user h2oguy75 says...

looks like that comment didn't come out....

the dive program at the Aquarium is run by Atlantic Edge Dive Center. You can read about it on their site www.atlanticedge.com. I did these dives, they are a lot of fun!

Posted 10:04 AM, 07.09.08

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