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Veterans dive with the sharks at N.C. Aquarium

Posted at 3:19 PM, Mar 16, 2018
and last updated 2018-03-16 22:05:01-04

Photo provided by N.C. Aquarium.

MANTEO, N.C. – A group of veterans got the opportunity on March 9 to dive with sharks at the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island.

Veterans that came got to dive for about 45 minutes, and posed for pictures, while exploring the underwater habitat at the N.C. Aquarium.

During the dive they got an up close look at a variety of sharks that are kept there.

“This is my first time diving in an aquarium, and I’ve wanted to do that for a long time,” said Shandi Black after the dive. “It was really cool to get up close with the sharks.”

The group is part of the program Project SOAR, which organizes recreational outings for veterans.

The program that is based out of Wilmington, North Carolina, coordinates adaptive recreational activities like scuba diving, kayaking and surfing for veterans living with service-connected injuries or illnesses, according to the N.C. Aquarium.

“Diving has been one of our most popular sports,” she said. “There is a peace that comes with diving that you can’t find anywhere else,” said Project SOAR coordinator Kayla Jakubczak.