In the desert just outside of the town of Grantsville, Utah, is a place where divers and snorkelers can dive with sharks, tropical fish like angelfish, pufferfish and even a school of bangaii cardinalfish.

The aquatic centre called Bonneville Seabase, is located about 10 miles south of the Great Salt Lake. It is open for divers and snorkellers at the cost of $15 a day, four days a week.

George Sanders and his wife Linda Nelson, both scuba divers, have created a reserve for these marine creatures at a cost of almost 1 million dollars.

“We call it an interactive aquarium,” said Ms. Nelson, 62, a Utah native who, with her husband, 68, also runs a dive shop in Salt Lake City. “The sharks won’t bite unless you pull their tail.

Entrance is just $15.