Experience Scuba Santa’s Water Wonderland at Newport Aquarium

Posted on November 25, 2019 by NewportAquarium

NEWPORT, Ky. — Newport Aquarium invites the public to experience one of Cincinnati’s most unique holiday traditions as Scuba Santa visits from November 29 to December 31. The jolly elf will be ready to hear your Christmas wishes while swimming underwater surrounded by sharks, stingrays and a curious sea turtle named Denver.

“A lot of our guests are surprised and delighted to learn they actually get to talk with Scuba Santa while he’s swimming underwater,” said Eric Kilpatrick, Newport Aquarium’s Elf Wrangler. “And through a little elf magic, he knows your child’s name by the time their turn comes to step up and share their holiday wishes.”

Guests will find the aquarium decked out in its holiday best as Scuba Santa’s Water Wonderland takes over. They can join the elves in a sing-along to their aquatic version of the 12 Days of Christmas and take in the colorful lights and decorations throughout. While waiting for Scuba Santa, they’ll also catch a flurry of magical bubbles filling the theater every 10 minutes.

“It warms my heart to see the kids playing and popping the bubbles,” said Scuba Santa. “You know, every time a bubble pops, someone’s wish comes true.”

The Bayou Babies will be celebrating their first Christmas.

Newport Aquarium’s two dozen new baby American alligators, affectionately known as The Bayou Babies, are also celebrating their first Christmas, complete with 24 tiny stockings for Scuba Santa to fill. See them explore their new home in Gator Alley right next to the rare white alligators Snowball and Snowflake.

New for 2019: An Evening With Scuba Santa: November 26 from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Newport Aquarium will be open extended hours as Scuba Santa swims in for the very first time this season. Enjoy free milk and cookies all included with General Admission or an Annual Pass. The first 500 Passholders will receive a special gift at the door, plus Passholders can bring their friends at a discounted price.

The Water Wonderland journey will take guests through a number of illuminated and holiday-clad galleries as they interact with the magic of an undersea holiday celebration:

Shark Ray Bay Theater – Join Scuba Santa’s elves in song and discover how some of Newport Aquarium’s most iconic animals celebrate holidays under the sea. Guests will have the unique opportunity to meet Scuba Santa as he dives inside the 385,000-gallon Surrounded by Sharks tank, and tell him their holiday wishes.
Seahorses: Unbridled Fun – Twinkling sea-creature lights hang from the ceiling over some of nature’s most amazing creatures, including pipefish, seahorses and our baby shark!
Stingray Hideaway – Visit the tropical oasis where Scuba Santa’s elves and reindeer have decorated with festive tropical decor. Plus, guests can interact with and touch two dozen stingrays in the 17,000-gallon stingray touchpool.
Gator Alley – Honky-tonk holiday lighting, music and decorations welcome guests to Gator Alley, home of Snowball and Snowflake, two of less than 100 rare white alligators in the world. Plus, it’s the new Bayou Babies’ first Christmas.
Penguin Palooza – Make a stop at Scuba Santa’s Post Office where you can write your holiday wish on a magic bubble and drop it in Scuba Santa’s mailbox. Plus, five species of cold-weather penguins – a total of nearly 50 birds spread their own brand of squawking, swimming and waddling holiday cheer.

* Scuba Santa will not be appearing on Christmas Day – he will be resting after a busy night traveling to homes all around the world.

Annual Pass Holiday Special: Through December 31, guests who purchase three Newport Aquarium Annual Passes will receive a fourth Annual Pass free. Annual Passes are valid for one year from the date of purchase, so guests can use them now to experience Scuba Santa’s Water Wonderland and into next year, including a VIP Passholder-only preview party for the opening of Shipwreck: Realm of the Eels in the spring.

For more information, visit NewportAquarium.com or call 800-406-FISH (3474).

Scuba Santa’s Water Wonderland Celebrates 16 Years at Newport Aquarium

Posted on November 15, 2018 by NewportAquarium

NEWPORT, Ky. — Just as it’s getting cold and icy outside, experience a taste of the tropics inside Newport Aquarium, as Scuba Santa returns for his 16th year. Newport Aquarium invites the public to experience the Cincinnati holiday tradition under the sea Nov. 23 – Dec. 31 at Scuba Santa’s Water Wonderland.

Imagine, walking up to the 385,000 gallon Surrounded by Sharks tank, watching sharks swimming all around, and being greeted by Scuba Santa who knows your child’s name. Scuba Santa’s friendly elves also welcome guests to Shark Ray Bay Theater throughout the holiday season. Whether it’s singing along to the “12 Days of Christmas,” dancing playfully in the theater amid colorful holiday lights, or popping bubbles that fall from the ceiling, families are sure to make lasting memories.

“Every year Newport Aquarium transforms into a truly wondrous setting where families can discover the wonder of an undersea holiday celebration,” said Eric Rose, executive director of Newport Aquarium. “It’s the only underwater holiday tradition in Greater Cincinnati, and who wouldn’t want to celebrate the holidays in the tropics? You can at Newport Aquarium!”

The Water Wonderland journey will also take guests through a number of illuminated and holiday-clad galleries, culminating in a truly wondrous experience where families connect and interact with the magic of an undersea holiday celebration:

Shark Ray Bay Theater – Guests will be surrounded by lights, bubbles and holiday music as they join Scuba Santa’s elves in song and discover how some of Newport Aquarium’s most iconic animals celebrate holidays under the sea. Children will have the unique opportunity to meet Scuba Santa® one-on-one, as he dives inside the 385,000-gallon Surrounded by Sharks tank, and tell him their holiday wishes.
Seahorses: Unbridled Fun – Hundreds of twinkling sea-creature lights will hang from the ceiling of the Seahorses: Unbridled Fun exhibit over some of nature’s most amazing creatures, including pipefish and several different species of seahorses.
Stingray Hideaway – Visit the tropical paradise getaway where Scuba Santa goes to relax after the busy holiday season. His elves are already there decorating with festive tropical decor ready to welcome guests to Stingray Hideaway. Plus, guests can interact with and touch two dozen stingrays in the 17,000-gallon stingray touchpool, while enjoying the tropical holiday oasis.
Gator Alley – Honky-tonk holiday lighting, music and decorations welcome guests at Gator Alley, the home of Snowball and Snowflake, two of less than 100 rare white alligators in the world.
Kroger Penguin Palooza – Children can write their holiday wish on a magic bubble and mail it at Scuba Santa’s Post Office inside Kroger Penguin Palooza, where five species of cold-weather penguins – a total of nearly 50 birds spread their own brand of holiday cheer.

* Scuba Santa® will not be diving on Christmas Day – he will be resting after a busy night traveling to homes all around the world.

Buy 3, Get 1 FREE Annual Pass Sale: In time for the holidays, guests who purchase three Newport Aquarium Annual Passes will receive a fourth Annual Pass FREE. The Annual Pass Holiday Special ends on Dec. 31. Annual Passes are valid for one year from the date of purchase, so guests can use them now to experience Scuba Santa’s Water Wonderland. Passes are also valid into next year, to enjoy all the new surprises coming for Newport Aquarium’s 20th Anniversary.

For more information, visit NewportAquarium.com or call 800-406-FISH (3474).

Takeover Tuesday: Scuba Santa Edition

Posted on December 19, 2017 by NewportAquarium

Ho, ho, ho, the holidays are finally here! I’m so excited to be back at Newport Aquarium for the 15^th year in a row. There’s no better place to spread Christmas cheer than with my favorite aquatic animals. I’m excited to take you behind the scenes with the dive team for this special #TakeoverTuesday.

Dive Safety Officer, LC, helps me with everything before I get into the water. She makes sure my hat is secured tightly, that my full face mask is comfortable, and that my hair and beard are not tangled into my equipment… my beard is so long that it often gets caught in my face mask!

There is a lot of work that goes into being Scuba Santa. My milk & cookie filled stomach tends to make me float, so when I am diving at Newport Aquarium, I have to have about 100 extra pounds of weights to hold me down! These weights go in my belt as well as on other equipment I take in the water with me, like my compressed tank of air which can last up to two hours!

LC was definitely given the gift of patience, my elves and I tend to ask a lot of questions.

This is part of my dive team: my fellow safety elf and Dive Safety officer, LC. LC makes sure I have the fins and wetsuit that I need in the correct size – eating as many cookies as I do, XL is always my go-to size for my wetsuit.

I want to make sure I do everything I can to protect the animals that live in it, as well as myself at all times. Remember, you can help protect the ocean and its animals too, by using less plastic and recycling! #Conservation is important.

Elves delivered Magic Bubble Wishes. I love hearing what each good little boy and girl wants me to bring them Christmas morning!

After I have my scuba gear on, I like to read Magic Bubble Wishes that guests left at my mailbox in Penguin Palooza. Some people wish for penguins, some wish for alligators, and some just wish for everyone to love one another. I get to help people with their wishes while fulfilling one of my own by swimming with such amazing creatures here at Newport Aquarium!

It gets pretty warm really quickly with a mask on and all of the extra weight, so after getting dive-ready I get into the acclimation tank where I can cool off and get used to the water temperature before diving.

When we are in the water I take down my special book that tells me who’s on the naughty and nice list so I can let the animals know, as well as all of you!

You may wonder though, why my elves carry large candy canes! This is to ensure that we keep ourselves at a distance from the animals who may not see us if they are sleeping. If the sharks are sleeping, they won’t sense that we are in the water and they could accidentally bump into us. The candy canes allow for the elves to let them know that we are sharing the same space, and it gives us a bigger personal bubble while under water. As always, safety is key!

My safety elves are so helpful; they make sure that sleeping sharks don’t bump into me while I’m talking to aquarium guests.

The absolute best part of my job is getting to hear all the wishes you hold so dear. Make sure you stop by the Shark Ray Bay Theater to tell me what you’d like for Christmas!

Although I am from the North Pole, staying in water for long periods of time can make you cold, and even I have to stay warm! So every now and then I will swim to the top of the water and get out for about five minutes to warm up in a special diver hot tub behind the scenes. While I’m in the hot tub I catch up with members of the Dive Team, eat cookies, and drink hot cocoa!

Diving can get cold, so I take a few hot cocoa breaks throughout the day. I like to spend some time in the diver hot tub warming up, and catching up with members of the Dive Team.

I have to hurry though because I don’t have long before I get back into the water to fulfill more wishes! Being Scuba Santa makes me so happy and all of you make it possible by coming to visit me! I’ll be at Newport Aquarium until December 31^st — but remember, I take Christmas Day off. Thank you for joining me for this Takeover Tuesday Ho Ho Ho!

Takeover Tuesday: Meet Dive Safety Officer LC

Posted on December 12, 2017 by NewportAquarium

Hello Everyone! My name is Diver LC and I am a Dive Safety Officer at Newport Aquarium. What does it mean to be a Dive Safety Officer? Follow along with me on this #TakeoverTuesday, and I’ll show you!

Here I am behind the scenes, getting into the acclimation pool.

I have been working at Newport Aquarium for 13 years and in that time, I have had many different roles; Exhibits Supervisor, Promotions Coordinator, Overnight Coordinator, and Penguin House- just to name a few.

All of the experiences in these different jobs that I had prior help me as a Dive Safety Officer, which I started two years ago!

I received my Dive Master Certification through Scuba Unlimited, which has also helped to give me the skills needed for such a diverse job!

In the picture below, Diver Ed and I get into the Blue Ash YMCA pool right before the new volunteer diver assessment.

Dive Safety Officers train divers, both staff and volunteers, on how to dive in the exhibits in the aquarium and what to do in the event of an emergency. We have over 100 volunteer divers and a lot of my day is spent working with them. They are the most amazing group of people I have ever met and make the job so much more fun and meaningful!

Here I am behind the scenes in our acclimation pool with two staff members during our Diver Emergency Training. This is training all divers must go through to be a diver.

During this time of year, I also have a very important role – making sure Scuba Santa is safe. We help Scuba Santa suit up behind the scenes before he enters the Surrounded by Sharks tank. We make sure his air tank is turned on before he goes in, his full face mask is secure, and his harnesses are tightened. Insider scoop- he loves his milk and cookies while warming up in a hot tub between shows and he is a SUPER nice guy!

Helping Scuba Santa gear up before he enters our Surrounded by Sharks tank.

Another highlight is when I get to dive in the Shark Tank to give a dive show presentation. This time of year, dive shows are on hold while Scuba Santa is in the Shark Tank. Scuba Santa is accompanied by dive safety elves. The elves are usually some of our volunteers divers. On this occasion, I went in with Scuba Santa.

Scuba Santa gets safety elves when he goes in the water. That’s me with the giant candy cane!

Dive Shows are one of my favorite things to do because I get to talk to you, the guests, from my favorite tank! I get to educate guests on what is in the tank and also what can be done for ocean conservation!

Some of the absolute highlights of my career have been doing guest dives for people that I really look up to – Dr. Lucy Hawkes, a physiological ecologist who studies migration in vertebrates (including sea turtles) and marine biologist, Dr. Wallace Nicholls, author of “Blue Mind,” and creator of the Blue Marble Project.

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It was an honor to get the privilege to lead them on a dive in the Shark Tank and share what I love doing with them and also the chance to talk one on one with these amazing people that are making positive changes in the World!

Bonding moment with my son in Stingray Hideaway. He visited while he was at Camp WAVE over the summer.

Some of my favorite moments are when I get to impress my 8 year old son, Connor, who wants to be a “Scuba Diving Paleontologist and in the military like Dad”. Last summer, while he was attending Camp Wave, he got to watch me diving in the shark tank and Stingray Hideaway.

When Dr. Nichols visited Camp WAVE campers this summer, he gave me this #BlueMarble. It’s part of his Blue Marbles Project, reminding everyone to take care of our blue planet. His goal is to pass a blue marble through every (yes, every) person’s hand on earth, with a simple message of gratitude. Ocean conservation is very important to me. If you think Kentucky is too far away from an ocean to make a difference, think again! Conservation is all around us! It can be as simple as picking up the trash you see so that it doesn’t go into the river and then travel to the ocean, turning off lights when you leave the room, or turning off the water as you brush your teeth. Thank you for joining me on this #TakeoverTuesday. As Dr. Nichols would say, you’ve got the whole world in your hands. –DiverLC

Water Wonderland with Scuba Santa® returns to the Newport Aquarium

Posted on November 15, 2016 by NewportAquarium

Newport Aquarium invites guests to celebrate the holidays under the sea

NEWPORT, Ky. — Newport Aquarium invites the public to experience a holiday celebration under the sea Nov. 25 – Dec. 31 at Water Wonderland with Scuba Santa®.

Newport Aquarium is the only place where families can celebrate the holidays under the sea as Water Wonderland with Scuba Santa® blends the thrill of indoor bubble showers and the intimacy of uniquely holiday-themed galleries with the tradition of Scuba Santa®, who has delighted guests since 2003.

The Water Wonderland journey will also take guests through a number of holiday-clad galleries, culminating in a truly wondrous experience where families connect and interact with the magic of an undersea holiday celebration:

Shark Ray Bay – Guests will be surrounded by lights, bubbles and holiday music as they join one of Scuba Santa’s elves in song and discover how some of Newport Aquarium’s most iconic animals celebrate holidays under the sea. Children will have the unique opportunity to meet Scuba Santa® one-on-one as he dives inside the 385,000-gallon Surrounded by Sharks tank and tell him their holiday wishes.

Seahorses: Unbridled Fun – Hundreds of twinkling sea-creature lights will hang from the ceiling of the Seahorses: Unbridled Fun exhibit as guests experience holiday music and magical bubbles while enjoying some of nature’s most amazing creatures, such as trumpet fish, pipefish and several different species of seahorses and sea dragons.

Gator Alley – Honky-tonk holiday lighting, music and decorations welcome guests at Gator Alley, the home of Mighty Mike – the biggest and baddest alligator in the country outside of Florida at 14 feet and 800 pounds – as well as Snowball and Snowflake, two of less than 100 white alligators in the world.

Kroger Penguin Palooza – Children can write their holiday wish on a magic bubble and mail it at Scuba Santa’s Post Office inside Kroger Penguin Palooza, where five species of cold-weather penguins – a total of nearly 50 birds spread their own brand of holiday cheer.

* Scuba Santa® will not be diving on Christmas Day – he’ll be resting after a busy night traveling to homes all around the world.

Buy 3, Get 1 Annual Pass Sale: In time for the holidays, guests who purchase three Newport Aquarium Annual Passes will receive a fourth Annual Pass free. The Annual Pass Holiday Special ends on Jan. 2. Existing Newport Aquarium Annual Passholders can renew their passes during this promotion to receive $3 off the renewal rate for even more savings.

For more information, visit NewportAquarium.com or call 800-406-FISH (3474)

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Newport Aquarium, named one of the top U.S. aquariums in 2016 by Leisure Group Travel, and voted the No. 1 aquarium in the country by USA Today’s 10Best.com in 2012, has showcased thousands of animals from around the world in a million gallons of water since 1999. Named a top U.S. aquarium by US City Traveler and Destinations Travel Magazine in 2014, and also by Travel Channel in 2013, Newport Aquarium is a Herschend Family Entertainment company and an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Newport Aquarium is open to the public 365 days a year and is located across the Ohio River from downtown Cincinnati at Newport on the Levee.

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