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Dive and Snorkel at the Oregon Coast Aquarium

(Newport, Oregon) - You could say it's a chance for visitors to the Oregon coast to dig really deep into their travel experience.

The Oregon Coast Aquarium is offering snorkelers and certified divers a weekend of swimming with the fish and learning about marine life. The Aquarium is partnering with Diving Unlimited International (DUI), a scuba diving equipment manufacturer, to host the annual Diver Rally and Demo Days, Friday through Sunday, August 18 - 20.

Participants may try out dive gear while swimming or snorkeling up close to fishes and invertebrates, learning about sharks, underwater digital photography and spending the night in the Passages of the Deep tunnel. “You don’t have to be a dive expert to enjoy this weekend’s activities,” said Cindy Hanson, Public Relations Manager for the aquarium. “This year a sleepover and a special day dedicated to shark education is being added, making it a special weekend full of fascinating activities. This is a great family event, as Friday is Family Day, with a special course for everyone age eight and up.”

Numerous weekend activities also dot the aquarium’s event landscape, with almost all on the same day.

Family Day happens Friday, August 18, offering a special course for snorkelers age eight and up. The course costs $50 and includes a three-hour educational program about marine life, safe snorkeling techniques, and a “keeper encounter” with an aquarist – all with Aquarium admission. Participants will be fitted with gear and snorkel in one of the Passages habitats to watch marine life up close. To register for a snorkel program, contact Vallorie Hodges at (541) 867-3474 ext 5302.

Also that day, there’s an Underwater Photography Course - an underwater digital photography course for advanced divers. This is an opportunity for underwater photographers to improve their skills learn basic underwater photography skills using a variety of digital cameras with industry professionals from Optiquatics. The course is $100 ($85 for Aquarium members).

Day of the Shark happens on August 18 as well, a special day dedicated to shark education. “The Day of the Shark” will feature information stations and a special shark dissection presented by Aquarium educators. This is free with admission.

On Saturday, August 19 and Sunday, August 20, it’s “Demo Dive.” Here, divers can try out dive gear and dry suits. Cost of a Demo Dive is $35 per person per dive and includes admission to the Aquarium. Participating snorkelers and divers receive a free DUI Test Diver Hat, barbecue lunch, and raffle prizes. A Saturday night dinner and program are available for an additional fee and must be booked in advance. Tickets available for courses and demo dives are limited. Divers may pre-register through the following DUI dealers: Steve’s Scuba, Portland: 503-652-8860, Hydrosports, Salem: 503-304-5383, Beneath the Waves, Vancouver, WA: 360-546-1494, Scuba Outfitters, Salem: 503-566-7400, Sunset Sports, North Bend: 541-756-dive.

On Saturday, August 19, it’s an Aquarium Sleepover. A Sleepover in the Aquarium’s Passages of the Deep tunnel has been added to this year’s event, offering a chance to sleep inside the tunnel and observe nocturnal behaviors. The package includes Sleepover, Demo Dive and Saturday night dinner and program plus continental breakfast Sunday morning for $105. Non-divers pay $70 (Aquarium members receive a $10 discount).

Snorkelers and divers participating in the weekend will immerse themselves in one of the Passages of the Deep locations, depending on their experience and interest. Halibut Flats will be the primary dive location. The 300,000-gallon ocean exhibit features halibut, yelloweye rockfish, starry flounder, cabezon, lingcod, longnose, starry, and big skates. Divers may also dive in Orford Reef, the Aquarium’s 200,000 gallon exhibit, and home to rockfish, wolf eels, striped perch, invertebrates and a forest of sea kelp. The Shark Observation Pool will be a third location for divers, and features juvenile sharks and other open sea marine life as well as an excellent view of the Open Sea exhibit with sharks, California bat rays, yellow tail jacks and salmon gliding by the observation area.

Oregon Coast Aquarium. 2820 SE Ferry Slip Road, Newport. (541) 867-3474. www.aquarium.org.

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