Presentations

What should a docent say when confronted with a curious child?  This script, created for the New Jersey State Aquarium, answers that question!  This script refers to a model of an undersea habitat called the Aquarius. 
 

Sea Probe Presentation Script

Our Seaprobe is a replica of a mobile undersea habitat called Aquarius, built and operated by Fairleigh Dickinson University.   The real Aquarius has three chambers, and weighs 81 tons. Although it is tiny -- only 21.5 feet long and 9 feet wide -- it houses up to six "aquanauts" at a time, for saturation dives of three weeks or more.

Ordinarily, divers build up too much nitrogen in their blood from the higher pressure of the ocean depths .  They can stay below for only limited periods of time, and must decompress to allow the nitrogen to slowly dissolve out of their bodies.  If they hurry to the surface, the nitrogen gas bubbles quickly out of their blood, blocking circulation and causing the "bends," a serious and potential lethal condition. 

 In Aquarius, the divers can live for weeks under pressure.  Their bodies are saturated with nitrogen -- no problem, so long as they remain under pressure.  Saturation dives allow scientists to spend much longer periods of time studying the ocean floor than surface dives could ever allow.  When Aquarius aquanauts return to the surface, of course, they must decompress slowly, to avoid the bends.

 In our Seaprobe, you will see and hear recordings of scientists researching sharks.  An interactive video displays oceanic information consisting of NASA satellite images of the sea.  You also have an excellent view of the open ocean tank.

Conversation starters:

 Hi, my name is _________.  Did you know that this is a replica of a real undersea habitat?

 What do you think it would be like to live and work under the sea?

 Q&A:

 Is this a model of a real undersea habitat?
Yes, it's modelled after the Aquarius, which is located off the coast of St. Croix in the Virgin Islands.

Are those the voices of real divers I hear?
No, those are recorded voices.  They are very much like the real thing, though. 

Where do those satellite pictures come from?
Those pictures were taken by NASA satellites.  They're not live, but they show the Earth the way it really looks.