Accessible dive location for a life changing experience



Let's go diving!



The Georgia Aquarium Inc. Dive Immersion Program began operation in 2008 and the facilities were planned to accommodate Divers and Swimmers of all abilities and meet ADA requirements. The very first guests were wounded warriors from Eisenhower Medical Center. To date more than 12,000 guests have participated in the Dive Immersion programs which included many guests with disabilities. Working with Warriors in Transition at the Eisenhower Medical Center in Augusta, Georgia, the Dive Immersion Program has been part of their Wounded Warrior rehabilitation process. The Dive Immersion program was awarded the Eisenhower Medical Center’s metal of excellence for this activity. Wounded warriors from Fort Bragg, South Carolina and the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, GA have also used the Dive Immersion Program as part of the rehabilitation of patients with spinal cord and other injuries.

Handicapped Scuba Association Instructor Training class

Recently, several members of Dive Operations and the Dive Immersion Program went through the Instructor certification class for the Handicapped Scuba Association (HSA). This class introduced existing Dive Masters and Instructors to the skills and challenges required to certify people with disabilities as Open Water Scuba divers. The Dive Immersion Program has several groups of guests with paraplegia, quadriplegia, and visual impairments that dive with us on a regular basis so it is imperative that the staff be prepared to accommodate these guests and make their dives enjoyable.

Swimming with a group from the Shepherd Center

Front L-R: Trey Bradbury, Travis Cox, Marlos Chenault, Gail Yordy
Rear L-R: Nakuma Brown, Angie Pihera, Tara MacCaughelty, Cecilia Rider

On Thursday, April 14, a small group from the Shepherd Center in Atlanta came to the Georgia Aquarium to swim with the gentle giants. The swimmers included Travis Cox, Marlos Chenault, Trey Bradbury, and Gail Yordy. The Dive Immersion staff used their recent Handicap Scuba Association training as the four swimmers were wheelchair users and required assistance getting geared up and entering and exiting the water.