Anglers who fish the waters surrounding the Suncoast experience a magical world even if they never get their faces wet. The gin-clear waters they scout are a window into an enchanting realm where tarpon, cownose, spotted eagle rays and a host of other creatures dwell. Now it’s possible not only to see these creatures, but also to feed them and even swim with them.
The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort features a 500,000-gallon lagoon called the Under the Sea Lagoon. The resort’s Under the Sea Lagoon Experience allows guests and visitors to get close to the marine life that includes tarpon, permit and rays swimming alongside 3,000 marine creatures that represent 50 different species. Tours are also conducted of the system that makes the lagoon operation possible.
The lagoon is staffed by eight full-time employees and one part-time employee. The program is headed by Lagoon Curator Dan Conklin and an assistant curator. Conklin has been fascinated by and working with aquariums since he was a child. He graduated with a degree in botany from the University of South Florida and came to the St. Regis Resort after 25 years in the aquarium field.
On a recent visit to the resort, I was treated to the Lagoon Experience firsthand.
Conklin greeted me at the beachside cabana bar, where he explained the basic operation of the lagoon and how the staff cares for residents and guests of the resort. The water and the elaborate system that keep the conditions optimal for the fish is a closed system that uses artificial seawater. Mike Collins, who came to the resort from the Mote Marine Aquarium, monitors the system and keeps it balanced.
Learning about the facilities and getting an understanding of how it operates was fascinating, but when I donned a wet suit and entered the lagoon’s 80-degree water, the immersive experience engendered a sense of awe.
For the next hour I reveled in being surrounded by some of the same fish I pursue when fly fishing, particularly the tarpon and permit. I was also able to feed the cownose rays after learning a technique that kept the fodder from the other fish. In order to make sure that everyone gets their fair share of food, the fish are trained to come to “targets,” which are unique objects displayed underwater. These targets are distinctive to different species of fish and feeding patterns.
I had a wonderful visit that was immersive and educational. I highly recommend it. Learn more about the Under the Sea Lagoon Experience availability and pricing at the St. Regis Longboat Key Resort website.
