Derek R. Swartz's Dive Log

Hey fellow Divers! Prepare for a totally unique diving experience: the Living Seas pavilion at Walt Disney World resort which features a six million gallon indoor aquarium with more than 65 species of marine life, including sharks, huge sea turtles, playful eagle rays and schools of colorful tropical fish. With guaranteed calm seas, no current and unlimited visibility, your quest for the dive of a lifetime ends here. Dive Quest at EPCOT takes place daily in the Living Sea exhibit, and allows certified scuba divers to dive on the Living Sea's coral reef accompanied by a Disney diver. Strictly Dive Quest is treated as a theme park tour, and reservations are made in the same way by calling the WDW Tour number (407) WDW-TOUR or (407) 939-8687. In total, Dive Quest lasts for approximately 2.5 hours, with the dive itself lasting for approximately 40 minutes in total. All dives are videotaped and, after each dive, the guests are given the opportunity to view the video tape, and to purchase a copy. On completion of the dive guests also receive a certificate of completion, along with an Epcot Dive Quest T-shirt, and refreshments. Dive Quest participants must provide proof of a current scuba "open-water" adult certificate. The, Jr. Diver Certifications (for divers ages 10 and up) are also accepted for younger divers. Dive Quest costs $140.00 per person. All diving equipment is provided, and included in the cost; theme park admission is not required or included in the price. Like Epcot's Dolphins in Depth program, all proceeds from the Dive Quest program is given to the Wild Life Conservation Fund. So you can feel good knowing that the money that is spent is going to a good cause. On January 11th 2006, I participated in my 13th dive experience with the Dive Quest Program at Walt Disney Worlds Epcot Theme Park. With the abundance of ocean life from 2 giant sea turtles to 10 different kinds of sharks and 65 different spices of fish to the history of how the Living seas was built and the Dive Quest program was started in 1993. Every time that I go to Disney I try to get 3 or 4 dives in. In my opinion this is one of the best dive experiences in the would, and knowing that your money spent on the dive program goes to the Walt Disney World conservation funds make you feel like that your doing your part to help out earth and oceans. Truly a magical experience, I believe that all divers should participate in this magical experience. It would take you over a life time diving in 100 of different oceans to see what you see during your 40 minute dive experience. So fellow divers feel free to experience this magical experience for yourself.