Navy Divers Swim with Sharks

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class (SW/AW) Davis Anderson, Navy Office of Community Outreach Public Affairs

CINCINNATI (NNS) -- Divers from the Trident Refit Facility traveled from their home in Kings Bay Ga., to Newport, Ky. to give area residents on Sept. 1 a small taste of what Navy divers do -swim with sharks.

The divers were in town for Cincinnati Navy Week 2011 and dove for six shows a day in the tank with the sharks at the Newport Aquarium, just across the river from Cincinnati.

"It was extremely fun," said Desireé Matthews, show presenter supervisor at the Newport Aquarium. She used a microphone to talk with the diver in the tank and ask questions posed by the crowd. "I got to interact with (Master Chief Navy Diver) Joe Howard (from Millington, Tenn.), (who was in the tank for three of the shows). We were able to give them information about what he does in the Navy as well as some of the interesting things he's done in his 23 years of diving. I think the guests really, really enjoyed it."

There has been a mutual sense of enjoyment and excitement from both the divers and the city of Cincinnati.

"Cincinnati's been great," said Navy Diver 1st Class (DSW/SW) Noah Gottesman, from Trident Refit Facility, Kings Bay, Ga. "The people have been very friendly. (We're) always getting the, 'Thank you for your service, enjoying our time here, hope you get to see this part of the city, that part of the city.' It's just been really, really warm all over. Everybody at the aquarium has been fantastic."

The divers are scheduled to conduct several days worth of shows at the Newport Aquarium during Cincinnati Navy Week 2011.

"We are very appreciative of your presence here this week," said Matthews. "It gives us some variety, it adds something else for our guests to be educated with and it's a great difference in the usual routine."