ORLANDO, Fla. — Just as Shark Week is wrapping up, you can now swim with sharks again at Discovery Cove – for the first time since March.
1. Logan and Vanessa Richardson are siblings from Bonita, Florida. They're the very first two people to experience the Shark Swim experience since Discovery Cove shut it down in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“Honestly, when they first told me, I was a little nervous," Logan said.
But in true bro-sis fashion, Vanessa is "not very scared of sharks."
2. The duo noticed several brand-new safety procedures now in place.
“They told us to keep our snorkels in," Vanessa told Spectrum News. "Everyone had masks.” Logan added, "We really had to separate.”
3. Furthermore, sharks may not get all up in your lap during the shallow portion experience anymore, in order to practice safe distancing from the trainers.
“So this portion of the program is what we're developing a little bit differently," said Shannon Zimmerman, Supervisor of the Aquarium Department. “This is actually a whole new behavior for them.”
4. After donning goggles, snorkel, and a life vest, the Shark Swim takes you into deeper waters with 22 various species of sharks lurking beneath.
5. Shark Swim at Discovery Cove is available whenever the park is open, which is now Fridays through Mondays. Eight spots are available per day to limit interaction with other people.