No overseas expeditions? We try diving with manta rays and sharks at the S.E.A. Aquarium

Follow host and actress Amanda Chaang as she embarks on a journey to become the most ‘influential’ millennial in our new series, AsiaOne Tries. 

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You've probably heard of the saying 'swimming with sharks' before, but what you might not know is that they aren't the dangerous man eaters they're made out to be.

In fact, for the price of $250, you can get up close and personal with them and other marine animals at S.E.A. Aquarium's Open Ocean dive.

How is it different from diving in the ocean? What should you do when you're swimming next to a manta ray? We tag along with artiste Amanda Chaang, 31, as she heads into unchartered waters.

Rolling in the deep

A bit of a misnomer, the 'open ocean' dive actually takes place in an enclosed aquarium.

The 45-minute long experience takes place in a 12-meter deep tank which is teeming with schools of fish, huge Queensland groupers, zebra and hammerhead sharks, manta rays, spotted eagle rays and more.

To book a slot, you'll have to be a certified diver. You'll also have to plan in advance as the Open Ocean dive is fully booked for the rest of the year.

With Pulau Hantu and Pulau Jong being some of the only dive sites around Singapore, local divers typically head to Tioman or Bali for a change of scenery. And with travel plans disrupted by Covid-19, this Open Ocean dive is pretty much the most action divers can get for now.

As a certified advanced diver, Amanda has had her fair share of expeditions overseas, but this is her first time diving in an aquarium, she tells us.

The first order of business is to get suited up in the wetsuit and equipment provided by the aquarium.

After the requisite safety checks and briefings, our guide for the day, aquarist Kenneth Kwan leads Amanda down a flight of stairs that end abruptly at the top of the tank.

Beyond the steps lies crystal clear waters, and we can already see some rays floating around like graceful, gentle giants.

As Amanda disappears below the surface with Kenneth, we head down to the aquarium's viewing gallery, where divers can actually be seen by the public.

After about 30 minutes of frolicking among more marine creatures than we can count, Amanda signals that she's ready to resurface.

She later admits that she "kind of panicked underwater" and decided to cut the dive short by about 10 minutes.

"After a while of not going under underwater, you kind of forget how to breathe through your mouth," she adds. "But all in all, it was good. We got really up close and personal with a lot of animals."

What you need to know about diving in an aquarium

Thinking of dipping your toes in the water? Kenneth tells us what you should know before you book that dive.

Is there anything divers should take note of?

The Open Ocean Habitat dive session, which includes changing, briefing and prep, is 60 minutes long, but the actual underwater dive experience is 45 minutes.

For divers who are really new the depth itself is going to be a bit terrifying for them. Because you get full crystal clear water for 12 metres deep, so that could be an issue. Secondly, not every one has the experience of diving with so many animals around you, and to add on to that, all the animals are very, very large. That is one of the common fears.

However, as long as you follow the instructions of your dive guide, and do your pre-dive safety check, you will be okay.

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What's the difference between diving in the aquarium and actual open ocean?

When you dive outside, you find things, you can search for stuff and different dive sites will typically be known for a specific creature or the location itself. But here, being an aquarium, you'll get to see a lot of different animals from all over the world. There are so many things going on. Sometimes, you will even get to see humans outside the tank.

Is there a risk of getting bitten or stung by an animal?

As divers, we have to remember to keep a respectful distance between us and the animals. Animals generally shy away from humans, and do not attack unless provoked. With time, the animals in our habitats grow accustomed to our guests naturally. As our aquarists care for the animals daily, they too grow accustomed to people.

Zoos and aquariums sometimes get a bad rep for keeping animals in captivity. What are your thoughts?

Animal behaviour is something we get to observe up-close as we interact with them daily, and we get to see some traits you don't get to see that often in the wild. Our animals do breed and our corals do grow well in the aquarium, hence it's a good sign that our animals are happy and healthy.

With newborns, we can study even more on the species on how to care for them, what requirements they prefer. All these information are essential to protect endangered species as having them under human care, we learn so much more as compared to having to study them in the wild.

kimberlylim@asiaone.com