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#756
Help interacting with aquarium visitors through glass
Sonnylynnvick75 - 5/04/2016 4:06 PM
Category: General
Replies: 6

I started as a volunteer diver yesterday at the Tennessee aquarium. In the fresh water tanks while cleaning, there were tons of school groups coming through and part of our job is to interact with visitors. I did the usual taking pictures with them, smiling, highfives, fist bumps, and played rock paper scissors. Does anyone else have any other ideas for interacting with visitors through the glass?
#6036
wgr21 - 5/04/2016 10:16 PM
When I was in elementary school we had a janitor that did this thing that I could only describe as a mime bit. He would mime like he was threading a needle, he would then put it through the side of his pinky. From there he would thread it through the side of his ring finger. The whole thing of course was very animated. From there he would pull the thread so that it would pull his pinky over to his ring finger and then go through his middle finger and then his pointer finger pulling it all together as he would go. From there he would go down through his thumb. He would then pull down on the string and then let up so that his hand would move like a puppet mouth opening and closing. It sounds childish and silly but he would do it at lunch and everyone would stop eating and watch every time he did it. We were fascinated by the whole bit. You could also google other basic mime bits on youtube for other ideas. Good luck and thanks for volunteering your time to help your community.
#882
Subscribed
Fishoutofwater - 5/05/2016 1:59 AM
Talk to them ask them questions write it on slate give them the possible answers along with the answer instead of it being ABC or D it would be 12345 whatever have you
#14775
tardmaster - 5/05/2016 1:28 PM
hover upside down. if your in a standard mask (not full face), blow bubble rings. If you have a buddy diver with you, you can act like a strong man and lift them up and appear to "balance’ them on your finger tip.
#12608
Eric_R - 5/05/2016 9:20 PM
I don’t know what your allowed to bring in the tank but some common every day toys like a slinky might be cool. Golf club and golf ball. Maybe you can arrange to have a camera and take pictures of them and send it to their class.
#14775
tardmaster - 5/07/2016 9:05 AM
Eric,
Most aquariums, I can personally speak for the Georgia Aquarium, will only let us divers bring in nothing but our masks. Even then, they disinfect it before we go in the tank.
#12608
Eric_R - 5/08/2016 7:43 PM
I knew about the disinfecting from other divers I know but I would think that a few items could be great for interaction.