Atlantis Submarines Explained

Atlantis Submarines is a Canadian passenger submarine company. The company currently has 12 submarines and operates undersea tours in Grand Cayman, Barbados, Aruba, Guam, St. Thomas, Cozumel and in Hawaii at Kona, Maui and Oahu to explore and observe the marine life and underwater landscapes without getting wet.

In order for passengers to reach the submarine they board a shuttle ferry, then they enter the submarine via steep stairs. When the submarine goes down they see corals, sunken ships, treasures, and fish through large viewports. When the submarine ride is finished the passengers are returned by the ferry to shore where they are given dive certificates. Some 12 million passengers have taken the Atlantis submarine tour to date.

The Atlantis XIV, which sails from Waikiki Beach, Hawaii, accommodates 64 passengers and is the world's largest passenger submarine.

History

Atlantis was founded by current president and CEO Dennis Hurd, a former designer of submersibles for North Sea oil rigs, with US$3 million borrowed from friends and relatives.[1] The company launched the world's first commercial passenger submarine tours in Grand Cayman in 1986. It has since serviced about 12 million passengers.

Areas of operation

There are three main areas of operations:[2]

Guam

Atlantis Guam Inc. operates the Atlantis V, a 65-foot air-conditioned submarine that can carry up to 48 passengers.[3] The tour begins from Apra Harbor and explores the marine life in the GabGab reef.[4] The reef has corals that were formed over 1,800 years ago.[5] Varieties of fish that can be seen are moorish idol, unicorn fish, spade fish, sea turtle, giant trevally, clownfish, surgeon fish, and occasionally sharks. Other highlights of the tour are diving to depths of 45 meters and curtain of air bubbles as the submarine ascends to the surface.

Variants

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Chicago Tribune . Diving the easy way . Si Liberman . 13 December 2009 . 21 November 2016.
  2. Web site: Atlantis Submarines Global Site. 10 November 2016.
  3. Atlantis Submarines Brochure
  4. Web site: GabGab Reef. visitguam.com. 10 November 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161220065049/http://www.guamreeflife.com/htm/reeftour/gabgab_reef.htm. 20 December 2016. dead.
  5. Web site: Atlantis Submarines Guam Tour Info. 10 November 2016.
  6. https://stingrayvilla.com/atlantis-submarine-cozumel-expedition/