My Journey with the Gentle Giants

Hey everyone, it’s Alberto. Hope everyone is having a great summer; I know I am!

On this day, August 3^rd, I had the experience of a lifetime. I went to Georgia Aquarium to dive with the world’s largest fish…the whale shark!!! In addition, I also signed up for the Whale Shark Specialty program. It was an amazing experience!

First I went to a class room where I filled out some forms (the boring part).

Then I got to take a behind-the-scenes tour of the aquarium. I saw where they examine water samples from the Ocean Voyager tank. I got to see how the whale sharks are fed (they are "target fed" from boats). I got to see where all the water pumps are, as well the chemicals that are added to make artificial ocean water. I even saw where the animals are lifted into the Ocean Voyager exhibit.

I then met up with the other divers in my group. We went over some basic guidelines and tips for the dive, and then we changed into our wetsuits, geared up, and went in the water.

We were led all around the Ocean Voyager tank, and we got to see various fish species, including the humongous whale sharks and manta rays. At some point, a manta ray came super close to us and swam around us (I had to shield my face for a few seconds to prevent being slapped :D).

I also had moments where I was just within arm’s length of the whale sharks (I would be just a few feet below them; close enough so that I could see their eyes). On occasion, I would wave to the passing whale sharks, as well as other fishes in the exhibit.

Hi Mr. Whale Shark!!!

We also swam over the tunnel where we exchanged waves with fellow guests (and our families). We even stopped by the large glass window (it’s way thicker than it looks, so we had to put our hands out to prevent bashing our faces into it; would’ve made a great entry for America’s Funniest Home Videos though).

On occasion, I would put air in my buoyancy compensator to help with neutral buoyancy, but after a few seconds, I’d start rising because of the expanding air, so I’d have to let it out again (didn’t want to get “the bends”).

While we were swimming, one of the dive leaders gave us some ray plates as souvenirs.

These are basically a ray's teeth.

After a while, the other divers went to the surface, and I stayed under for my extended dive (as part of the specialty dive). I got to spend some extra time watching the sharks, rays, and the many fishes.

Finally, I surfaced with a dive leader, and reunited with my group. We showered, got dressed, and then went back to the classroom where we reunited with our families. We saw the DVD of our adventure (I bought a copy). I also got a photo with my group. Then we got our dive logs signed, and went back to the "aquarium" area.

I had such an incredible adventure. I got to be in the water with the largest fish in the world, and I owe it all to Georgia Aquarium. I have also posted a new video on YouTube for all to see (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiXbI4RbF4M). I encourage all divers and shark and ray lovers to take on this once in a lifetime opportunity. It’s an experience that you will NEVER forget!!!

Happy New Year, and Summer Savings

Hello everyone, it's Alberto

I hope you all had a wonderful new year's celebration. I know I did; lighting fireworks, being with family, and watching the New York celebration (I would love to attend that one day).

(Photo from www.timessquarenyc.org)

 



2013 was a great year full of wonderful moments, and now let's see what awaits us in 2014. I'll go ahead and share some of my favorite moments of 2013:

I saw Man of Steel, Iron Man 3, Thor 2, and The Hobbit 2.

In January, I began a SCUBA class. On February, I became SCUBA Certified, bringing me closer to my dream as an animal trainer.

I met new people on Facebook, Twitter, and in real life too.

In August, I celebrated my 22nd birthday. One of my gifts was Nike+ Kinect Training, which brought my fitness routine to a whole new level.

On the same month, I went to DolphinLab at the Dolphin Research Center in Florida, and I had a great time there.

In the fall, I went to my cousin’s wedding.

In late October, I got a job at The Home Depot. I currently work there as an associate in the Lumber and Building Materials departments.

I began a business of bronze necklaces and earrings, and I even sold some. I also launched a website to advertise and sell them all over the internet.

In December, I participated in an art show and made some great money.

My resolution for 2014 is to keep working to make my dream job at SeaWorld a reality!!!

As of late Fall 2013, I have officially begun saving up for my Summer.

I hope to spend a week at SeaWorld Orlando, including a day at Discovery Cove doing "Trainer for a Day," and maybe even a day at Aquatica.

After that week, I will hopefully spend the next two weeks doing not one...but two DolphinLabs at the Dolphin Research Center down in the Keys. They are "Marine Mammal Care and Basic Training," and "Advanced Marine Mammal Training and Enrichment."

Finally, although it may or may not happen on the same trip, I would love to dive with the whale sharks at Georgia Aquarium. It would be AMAZING to swim with these gentle giants.

I am really excited for this coming summer. I know it's all gonna be really expensive, but with the money coming from my job, my jewelry sales (www.aloceans.com), and my T-shirt sales (www.zazzle.com/alstees), I should be able to pull it off!!! :)

To sum this post up, 2013 was a great year, and I look forward to what 2014 will bring. I especially can't wait for the summer. It'll be fin-tastic!!!

No Seismic Airgun Testing

Hello everyone, it's Alberto. I am currently taking part in the fight to protect the Atlantic Ocean from seismic airgun testing.

During the year 2012, a plan was proposed to allow seismic air gun testing in the Atlantic Ocean prior to drilling for oil and gas. The planned area extends from the waters of Delaware to the waters of Florida. The plan has been awaiting approval since the day it was proposed. There should be no seismic airgun testing in the Atlantic (an area that has been protected for about 30 years). It is important to know what seismic airgun testing is, its potential impact on the ocean environment, and what must be done to protect the ocean.

Seismic air gun testing is a method that oil and gas companies use to scan the ocean floor to find ideal areas for offshore drilling. A boat drags a seismic air gun across the ocean. A loud explosion of air is fired from this air gun into the ocean floor. The sound is then reflected off the ocean floor, and detected by receivers. This allows people to know the conditions of the earth’s subsurface below the ocean floor, as well as the amounts of oil and gas deposits that are there.


(http://www.pgecurrents.com/2012/09/07/san-luis-obispo-county-pge-taking-extensive-measures-to-protect-marine-life-in-seismic-testing/)

Seismic airgun testing can have a serious impact on the ocean. The blasts from a seismic airgun are much more intense than the sound of a jet engine.

(http://marinesciencetoday.com/2013/06/07/top-10-reasons-not-to-turn-the-atlantic-ocean-into-a-blast-zone/)


This can be harmful to many animals. Cetaceans, for example, rely on sound as their primary sense. The loud air blasts can disrupt a cetacean’s hearing, and even cause deafness, making it nearly impossible for these animals to navigate through the ocean. This can cause these animals to become stranded, or even die. These blasts are especially dangerous for dolphins and toothed whales since they rely on echolocation to find food and other resources.

 (http://www.endangered.org/stop-seismic-airguns/)

Also, many fish can be scared away or killed, which can threaten important ecosystems such as coral reefs. This can also threaten businesses such as fishing operations. In addition to the loud blasts, the testing is the first step towards drilling for oil and gas. The drilling itself will lead to habitat destruction, and the risk for spills such as the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico back in 2010. We can’t risk another disaster like that.

We must fight to keep seismic air gun testing out of the Atlantic. You should write to your congressmen about your concerns (go to senate.gov to find your senators, and house.gov to find your representatives). You can also go to Oceana’s website (http://act.oceana.org/letter/l-seismic-signon) and send a letter to the President.

Seismic air gun testing should not be allowed in the Atlantic Ocean, or anywhere else. It would have a devastating effect on the ocean environment, disrupting cetaceans and other marine life. On a positive note, it has been recently announced that the decision on whether to approve the testing plan has been delayed for six months. Now, we must keep fighting so that this plan is halted all together, and that the ocean stays protected.

Dolphin Research Center

Hey everyone, I'm currently making my way back home from the Dolphin Research Center in Grassy Key, Florida. Dolphin Research Center is non-profit organization that cares for dolphins that cannot survive in the wild. They also do research, as well as assist in the rescue and rehabilitation of stranded marine mammals.

This last week, I went to DRC for a program called DolphinLab. I had a fin-tastic week! I got to attend very informative seminars, watch demos in training and husbandry sessions, and I even got to spend time up close and personal with the dolphins. I also met some great people in my group.

I learned a lot about dolphins, including physiology, acoustics, marine mammal laws, and even conservation. I even got to do a Q&A with Mandy, one of the founders of DRC.

The dolphin demos were great. I got to see how trainers train and care for dolphins. I enjoyed seeing the relationship that trainers have with the dolphins. At the end of the sessions, some dolphins like to hang around with their trainers. This further justifies the bond that they share. I even got to see a research session with a dolphin named Talon. There were two boards displayed, each one with a different number of circles. Talon had to figure out which one had less. This was cool because it allowed me to see how DRC conducts their research in order to learn more about dolphin intelligence. I also got to see a demo with the sea lions that live on the facility.

What I liked most of all was spending time with the dolphins, both during interactions, and times when I'd just see them from the boardwalk. On Sunday I got to do a dip with a dolphin named Merina. I got to do a handshake with her (I got to rub her flippers), rub her back, and ask her to do some tricks. 

I did two encounters, one on Monday with Louie and Delta, and the other on Thursday with Tursi. During these encounters, it was the same as the dip, but in addition to the handshake, the back rubs, and signaling, I got a kiss from a dolphin (Louie on Monday, and Tursi on Thursday), and I got to do a dorsal pull. It was so much fun. 

I also got to have a shirt painted by Talon, followed by a signal session (I had him do his signature whistle), plus I even got a present from him (some of the dolphins bring piles of seaweed, rocks, and other things).

I also spent time with the dolphins while standing on the dock and boardwalk. I loved seeing their personalities and antics. Two dolphins, Rainbow and Jax, are so laid back, and they tend to be pretty talkative.

    Jax is in front, and Rainbow is behind 

    him.

Also, some dolphins imitate the trainers' whistles (they make a screaming sound), and I think that's really cute. I also like how Tursi screams during some of her behaviors, as though she's making sure all eyes are on her. It was also funny seeing this one dolphin Pandora carrying around a target pole in her flipper. All the dolphins are awesome in some way.

I also got to see the sea lions: Kilo, Karen, and Lina. This not only let me see how sea lions are trained, but also the difference in training techniques between the two different species of marine mammals. 

As for my group, I met some really nice people. A lot of them had the same interest as me. Also, during the nights sometimes they went to the beach. I tagged along for two of those drives.

We also did some cool activities, from a funny training game (using target poles and whistles), to snorkeling in the coral reefs.

There are several ways to support DRC. You can make a donation, or you can adopt a dolphin. No, you can't take it home with you, but the money you pay goes directly towards caring for that dolphin. When you adopt, you get a neat photo of your dolphin. During my DolphinLab program, I adopted Louie. 

Isn't he adorable???

In conclusion, Dolphin Research Center is a wonderful place. They do everything to take care of dolphins, and to support and promote conservation. I really enjoyed doing DolphinLab. I gained great knowledge and experience that will help me in my future career as a marine mammal trainer. I look forward to returning for Advanced DolphinLab. I will also consider this place for an internship, and even a job (if I don't end up working at SeaWorld right away after college). DRC is amazing, and if you ever find yourself in the Florida Keys, definitely check it out!!!

To learn more about Dolphin Research Center, go to www.dolphins.org.

Summer Update

Hey everyone, I thought I'd give an update. So far, my summer has been pretty neat. I've been exercising (an important task towards my dream job), doing college work, and relaxing. The main drawback is the occasional rain, but other than that, it's been great.

I have exciting plans for the summer. This coming August, I'll be doing the DolphinLab program at the Dolphin Research Center in Grassy Key, Florida. I am very excited. Also, I am trying to save up for my Journey with the Gentle Giants in Georgia Aquarium. I can just imagine swimming amidst the whale sharks and manta rays, as well as many other fish.

Seaworld-wise, as you all may or may not know, Kasatka (an orca in SeaWorld San Diego) gave birth to a male calf a few months ago, and recently, he has been named Makani. I think that's a pretty neat name. I've never been to SeaWorld San Diego, but I hope to go one day. It would make my day to see Kasatka's new calf.

Going back to my summer, it has been pretty great overall, and I hope it continues to stay this way.

Scuba Certified!!!

Hey everyone, its Alberto. I am so sorry for the delay in posts. I got caught up in school work, and that made it hard to keep up with the blog.

Anyway, on February 10th, I became scuba certified. This is a big step towards my dream as a dolphin or whale trainer. The whole experience was fun.

I did my training at Upstate Scuba in Clemson, SC.

The course began on January. My classmates and I spent four weeks (once a week) doing pool training and reviewed academic knowledge.

On one memorable night, I was trying to sink down to the bottom of the pool, and I ended up sinking so fast that when my feet touched the bottom, I couldn't stop and my tank clanked against the floor. It was kinda funny. Another funny moment on that same night was when I was at the surface swimming for the ladder, and the lane divider was in the way, so I tried to dive under and I couldn't get my tank under the line. Plus, I had swapped my regulator for my snorkel, so when I tried to dive under, I ended up breathing in water through the snorkel. I switched for the regulator, and tried again, and I still got stuck. Finally, I sank down, and managed to get past the lane divider.

On the fourth week my classmates and I took a written test which we all passed with flying colors.

On February the 9th, we did our first three dives at Lake Keowee. It was mainly reviewing the skills practiced in the pool. On the second dive, a fish swam in front of my instructor's face. It was pretty funny.

On the tenth, we did our last two lake dives, after which we headed back to the store where we got our DiveLogs stamped. As of that day, I am now a certified diver.

I had a truly amazing experience. As a diver, I hope to do more dives, including a dive with the whale sharks at Georgia Aquarium. By becoming scuba certified, i have also fulfilled an important requirement for my future career as a SeaWorld trainer.

If you ever want to learn how to Scuba dive, whether its for a job, or just for fun, go to www.divessi.com to find a dive center near you. Hopefully I'll see you during one of my dives in the time to come.

My Spring Break SeaWorld Visit

Hey, it's Alberto. During spring break, I went to SeaWorld Orlando. It was my first visit in years. I got to see One Ocean, Blue horizons, and even Shamu Rocks (and I got really wet).

I even got to swim with a dolphin at Discovery Cove.