We’re so excited about the Virtual Reality (VR) dive experience that we’re helping to build at Tela Marine. This ambitious project is funded by a $50,000 award from the Stanley Creators Fund. It’s goal is to allow everyone to experience the magic of Tela’s reefs–all without getting wet. Construction on the replica dive shop where the dive experience will take place is moving fast, and will open early in 2026.

But that’s just one part of the project. The other is putting together the actual 360-degree film that the audience will experience once they put their VR goggles on.

Last May, in collaboration with the Triton Society, Joseph Henry worked with our partner at Tela Marine Antal Borcsok to shoot dive scenes in virtual reality around Tela Bay. They captured the rare elkhorn corals as well as awesome footage of our scientific partners at work at the giant mountainous star coral we call Casita. Here’s a clip of what some of that footage looks like, flattened out to view on a computer screen.

But as Antal considered how to create the virtual reality dive experience for a visitor to the aquarium, he saw a problem. You wouldn’t exactly feel like you’re diving because when you look down, you don’t see a diver. That’s ok when you’re on the reef because you’re prone and your body is mostly out of view. But when you’re sitting on the boat getting ready to splash into the water, you look down a lot. It’s a bit disconcerting to be disembodied.

Enter Melody – the world’s first VR-headed diver! Antal and his team at the dive shop borrowed a mannequin from a local dress shop. (Antal says the team named her.)  They geared it up in a wetsuit, buoyancy vest, dive console and regulator, even booties! Instead of head, Melody has the 360-degree camera, capturing scenes that aren’t just floating in space, but actually connected to a diver’s body. We think Melody is genius!