Great Lakes Aquarium- volunteer divers

[shamre]

Has anyone volunteered for this position, and if so what was your experience like? On their webpage they mention that you must committ to 250 hours. I live in the twin cities and 250 hours seems a bit steep. Are they fairly inflexible on this amount of time or not?

[plmnwater]

I've also had the same thought.  If they halved that, it would be much easier, and I think they'd get more volunteers, but if it is getting them enough divers where they're at, I don't imagine they're going to change it.

[shamre]

I would be more than willing to offer my time and services to the aquarium. But i don't think i can swing 250 hours. Does anyone know who the contact would be for their volunteer program?

[flyboy65]

Contact Jay Walker, Director of Animal Husbandry @ 218-740-2011 or Heidi @ 740-2049.

I just started volunteering diving in the last month. Usually takes 2 hours per day or so.

[shamre]

So do you dive drysuit or wetsuit?

[flyboy65]

Either or.  I have a 7 mil farmer john.  It's sufficient for an hour or so at 53 degrees.  I just tried my new drysuit a couple of weeks ago.  It's so nice getting out of the water and you're dry...they're great!

Concerning the comittment to 200 hours...I think they're a bit flexible on that one.  It takes alot to get checked out through them, and they want to make sure their money spent is worthwhile. 

[shamre]

What is the depth of the aquarium? Do aquariums have thermoclines?

[flyboy65]

I think it's around 25 feet at this one.  Nope, no thermoclines to worry about.

First thing people ask me is "What do you see looking through the glass from inside?"  I'd always wondered what fish saw, myself.  The fish see us just fine...

[javelindan]

Looks like the Great Lakes Aquarium needs all the help they can get...  Here's the 1st part of a March 14th StarTribune Metro/State story:

Aquarium in Duluth needs more money
Larry Oakes,  Star Tribune
March 14, 2005 AQUARIUM0314
 
DULUTH -- Like the leaky tank that delayed its grand opening in 2000, the Great Lakes Aquarium has needed ongoing plugging.

The nearly $33 million focal point of Duluth's downtown bayfront, heralded as the only fully freshwater aquarium in North America, was supposed to support itself on the gate receipts from the 400,000 visitors who consultants said would come each year.

But attendance quickly fell 30 percent short of that, declining to 117,000 last year. After repeated bailouts, the city in 2002 exercised its option to take over the facility, and a private company was hired to manage it.

Now the aquarium's board of directors says that unless the city gives an annual $300,000 subsidy and immediately puts up another $150,000 to help start a cycle of new exhibits -- including saltwater exhibits -- the visitor-drain will continue, and the aquarium will close.

Aquarium visitDavid BrewsterStar Tribune"While the Great Lakes Aquarium has become the child that no one wants to admit fathering, the harsh reality is that it does exist and requires parenting," said Jim Pattison Jr., executive vice president of the company operating the aquarium, in a letter to city councilors.

As unappealing as a subsidy sounds, city officials say it appears to be the only good option. Plus, some of those officials say they see promise in a new plan to make the aquarium more entertaining, to strengthen its role in education and to attract more visitors with traveling exhibits such as "The Abyss," with creatures from the deepest parts of the world's oceans.

"We may have to subsidize it for years to come, but in the end I think it will be worth it," said City Council member Jim Stauber. "It's been very helpful to our tourism industry, and it's a real tribute to freshwater. To close it just wouldn't be a good idea."

Here's a link to the full story: 

[flyboy65]

I pose this question:  What would bring repeat visitors to the aquarium?  So many people that I've talked to comment that it's a one time visit...no desire to return.  I myself have been a paying customer only twice, and I live right here in Duluth.  Any ideas?