The idea sounds terrifying at first: slip into a wetsuit, pull on a snorkel mask, and climb into a 550,000-gallon tank surrounded by dozens of sharks up super close.
No, this isn’t a Halloween attraction. Adventure Aquarium’s Shark & Ray In-Water Encounter in Camden is one of the most incredible things I’ve ever dared to do.
Joined by my sister and a friend, we were excited, scared, and excited to give it a try. Soon after we arrived, a staff biologist took us to the Shark Realm to tell us about the aquarium’s resident sharks. There are three lazy nurse sharks who don’t want to be bothered with anyone; two male and two female sandbar sharks that aren’t chasers and swim slowly; and then the more active sand tiger sharks – seven of them – which we were likely to see up close.
He explained that sharks are opportunistic feeders, meaning they tend to chase injured or sick fish to eat. They also have a slow metabolism and only eat when they’re hungry. Since the sharks at Adventure Aquarium are fed three times a week (including the day prior) they weren’t interested in us. That definitely put all of us at ease.
After changing into our wetsuits, our biggest concern was the water: 72 degrees sounded cold but the wetsuits kept us warm in the water. We walked along the “catwalk,” which is a ledge that surrounds the top of the shark tank, with the water not even reaching our waists. We were instructed to get into a pushup-like position, with our hands on the ledge, and one foot propped against the back wall, so that we could slightly lean over the wall to watch a variety of sharks and fish swim by. Although we all assumed we’d be swimming in the actual tank, that wasn’t the case. Instead, we were along a rock wall that gave us reassurance knowing we could stand up and move at any moment. Fun fact: We were told the sharks do swim on that catwalk when humans aren’t around.
The guides told us that in the morning, the sharks came nose-to-nose with the snorkelers (!), but for us in the afternoon group, they were a decent distance away. They swam in circular patterns around the perimeter of the tank, giving us a close-up view. The only two “aggressive” sharks were on a mating hunt – but they didn’t care about us. There were also beautiful yellow, blue and striped fish that came past, some swimming directly in front of us.
Not to worry: the biologist also serves as a lifeguard. There were also two staff members on the ledge with us who carried long poles to use in case the sharks got too close – not to touch the sharks, but to use as a boundary because sharks will swim around obstacles. Although we were instructed to stay calm and not flap around in the water, there was no need to do either. It was amazing to see these majestic creatures float by, really paying us no mind.
After 20 minutes – 10 minutes spent in two different spots so that we had different perspectives of the underwater exhibit – we stepped into the stingray tank. This was much more interactive (and less anxiety-inducing), since dozens of people-friendly rays (with their barbs trimmed) swam all around us.
Both the sharks and stingrays are fed restaurant-quality seafood from sustainable fisheries, such as mackerel, skate, bonito, herring and squid. We got to hand-feed the rays some mackerel. Holding the fish between your middle and ring finger, you wait until the stingray glides over your hand and basically suctions the food from its underbelly, where its mouth is. You can also pet the stingrays, too, and feel their soft and slimy backs.
Adding to the experience was the chance to look for stingray and shark teeth in the sand of the stingray tank. We dug for several artifacts to take home, which I knew my nephews would love.
Overall, the experience takes about 2 to 2-and-a-half hours, including the prep, changing into and out of your wetsuit (there is a locker room with showers), and 40 minutes in the water – 20 minutes with the sharks, 20 minutes with the stingrays.
The Shark & Ray In-Water Experience is open to anyone 12 and older. If your family wants to watch, they must have an admission ticket to the aquarium, and they can sit on benches overlooking the tank; or the general public can watch from a viewing window on the first floor of the exhibit.
You need to bring a bathing suit, water shoes and a towel.
There are 10 am and 1 pm time slots available every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Each group is limited to 6 people. The cost is $149.99 per person plus tax, with a discount for aquarium members, and specials offered throughout the year. A professional photographer captures the moments, but you have to purchase a photo package; personal cameras and phones are not allowed. You get to keep the snorkel and mask and parking ($10) is validated.
Adventure Aquarium is located at 1 Riverside Dr. in Camden. Other special activities include encounters with penguins, sea turtles, hippos, and the aquarium’s ambassador animals.
Right now, the Fintastic Pumpkin Glow is happening through November 2, and the new Kaleidoscope Cove is open with bioluminescent animals. Through October 26, you can register your preschooler for free admission for a year.
Check out the snorkeling experience via our Instagram page.
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