The Underwater World of Blacktip Reef

In a building full of water, it should come as no surprise that diving is a regular occurrence at the National Aquarium. A specialized team of staff and volunteer divers plays an essential role in cleaning habitats, feeding animals and providing medical care. They work in large exhibits like Blacktip Reef and Atlantic Coral Reef, and even in those you might not expect, like Amazon River Forest.

Each week, the team completes about 30 dives throughout the Aquarium, typically lasting between 30 and 90 minutes. In 2024, 111 divers completed 3,031 dives and snorkels for a total of 152,238 minutes spent underwater. Almost 2,000 of those dives were in Blacktip Reef and Atlantic Coral Reef alone.

Some animals in Blacktip Reef are so used to the divers that they often swim over to investigate. Safety is the number one priority while underwater, so the divers are always aware of their surroundings and give plenty of space to larger animals like the reticulated whiptail rays and camouflaged wobbegong sharks.

While underwater, divers have a good view of guests and will sometimes wave hello and play rock-paper-scissors. Volunteer divers also host Diver Talks in the underwater viewing area of Blacktip Reef, where they share animal facts while submerged in the habitat! Guests who are certified open water scuba divers can even participate in our Guest Diver Program or check out the Aquarium's volunteer opportunities to learn about applying to join our volunteer dive team themselves.