Aquarius

Where Aquanauts Live in the Ocean to Do Research and Train

- By Alice Andre-Clark

A few miles off Key Largo, Florida, under the ocean's surface, scientists are at work. Next to Conch Reef, one of the most complex coral reefs in the Florida Keys, sits the Aquarius Reef Base, an underwater research lab. Here, scientists get an unusually close look at the reef and the animals and plants that call this place home. Researchers first began building undersea labs back in the 1960s, and dozens more were created in the following decades. But they were costly to build and maintain, so today Aquarius is the only one left.

Diving Into Scientific Research

Aquarius' scientists are known as aquanauts. Before you become an aquanaut, you have to be a strong swimmer and confident diver and feel comfortable staying in the water for many hours a day. You must complete an intense five-day training period. Tom Horn is the research programs coordinator for Aquarius Reef Base. "The training focuses on emergency procedures," he says. "So in case something goes wrong, such as getting lost underwater or if your dive rig malfunctions, you can troubleshoot the problem and get back to the Aquarius habitat safely." To get to Aquarius, you have to scuba dive 60 feet (18 meters) down.

"It is thrilling to see Aquarius as you descend on your dive," Horn says. "It is a shadow from afar and as you get closer the details emerge. The habitat has been on the seafloor for so long it has become almost a part of the reef. It is covered in life and you are usually greeted by a giant goliath grouper and dozens of barracuda. Your heart will race knowing that this is your home for the next couple of weeks." Thomas Potts is the Aquarius associate director of research. He recalls thinking, "This is what it must feel like when astronauts board the International Space Station for the first time."

Life in a Sea Lab