Tampa Mayor Dives Head On Into New Florida Aquarium Program

TAMPA, FL — Joining children from Tampa Parks and Recreation programs, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor donned a wetsuit and dive helmet Saturday to be among the first to experience The Florida Aquarium's new SeaTREK, an underwater guided walking tour.

Through this program, The Florida Aquarium in Tampa hopes to nurture a healthy relationship between children and the water, especially those in underserved communities who haven't had the opportunity to have an underwater experience.

The 20-minute helmet diving experience is designed for non-swimmers, but it's not limited to children. Anyone age 10 to 80-plus can participate in one of the underwater guided walking tours in the Aquarium's 100,000-gallon Heart of the Sea exhibit with SeaTREK guides who are certified in CPR, first aid and emergency oxygen administration.

“We are surrounded by water and wildlife, but life under the surface remains a mystery. Our new underwater interaction provides the rare opportunity for more people, regardless of their ability to swim, to experience the aquatic world from the ocean floor surrounded by charismatic sea life,” said Roger Germann, president and CEO of The Florida Aquarium. “Equally as significant is the SeaTREK program allows us to engage people who may not have a positive relationship with water. It’s our aim to break down personal and cultural barriers and provide a positive in-water experience that inspires conservation of our natural world.”

“I applaud The Florida Aquarium for reaching out to underserved communities and working to improve accessibility to our surrounding environment through programs like this,” said Castor. “While under water, you gain a new perspective and appreciation for nature and the world around us and that itself can be inspiring.”

SeaTREK will be offered six times a day through Labor Day, and it will be available on all vacation and holiday weeks. It will also be available every Saturday and Sunday throughout the year, for a total of 170 days of availability.

All gear is cleaned using a two-phase disinfection process.

The public can learn more about SeaTREK and book the underwater experience by clicking here.