Atlantis Submarine

As a nineteenth anniversary present to ourselves, Kerry and I spent two nights down in Waikiki pretending to be tourists. We don't go into that area very often because it's pricey and full of tourist traps, but we want to experience everything we can while we're here and some things are only to be found in that area, darn it.

The Atlantis Submarine has been high on our list of things to do ever since we moved here. It's unfortunately quite pricey but since it was just the two of us (sorry kids) we thought we would check it out. A couple in line behind us took this picture for us. Just so you know, Kerry doesn't like to smile in photos. Future generations will think they had a very stern ancestor. He does smile and laugh a lot, just not if a camera is pointed at him.

For the submarine ride, you have to take a 20 minute boat ride out into deep water. Tip: Go to the bathroom on the boat. There is no restroom on the submarine and there is nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. You are stuck like chuck if you have a full bladder, baby.

The boat ride out was entertaining although rather choppy. The captain had informed all of us that they had seen a whale the day before and we should all be on the lookout. We were all delightedly looking out in the ocean when sudden excitement spread through the crowd. People were shrieking and pointing at a giant shadow gliding along under the water. I'm surprised the boat didn't capsize with the mad rush of people flocking to one side of the boat to see. I couldn't believe our luck. Kerry and I were already at the rail in the exact perfect spot to be able to see it. We didn't have to elbow anyone out of the way and I had the camera up and ready.

I snapped pictures as fast as I could and was thrilled when I realized I actually caught a shot of it spouting!

Only to realize that it.....uh.......was the.......uh.........submarine we had come out to ride.

Duh.

We had to wait for the previous group to disembark from the sub and then we had to climb down a ladder to get to our seats.

The submarine is set up very well. I thought it would be like airplane seats and we would be leaning over each other trying to see out the window. But instead everyone sits back to back and each person is facing a window. Or is it a porthole? It's round like a porthole but it isn't on a ship. And you don't call a submarine a ship. Or so I've been told.


Despite my worries about not being able to see well, we had a fabulous view. There are several man-made reefs as well as two sunken airplanes and a sunken ship. These structures attract lots of fish and turtles. We had a great time looking at the thousands of fish swimming by.

The one downside is that because you can only see out of one side of the submarine, the people looking out the other side may see things you don't see. The people on the other side of our sub saw a manta ray and a shark.




We went to a depth of 107 feet which was pretty cool. The captain had all the couples kiss, because how many people can say they've been kissed a hundred feet under the ocean?

Besides me, I mean.

This is what we look like in a submarine.

Kerry doesn't want you to think he's happy.

What a cool job it must be to drive a submarine in Hawaii.

I wonder what sort of training you have to have to get this job?

I wonder what you have to major in?
I wonder when he gets to go to the bathroom?