Down to the Depths of Maui

On our third weekend (second weekend for most of the others) in Maui, a group of us rented a car for a day trip to Lahaina. Our main purpose for the trip was to go on the Atlantis Submarine Tour. The submarine tour is ideal for us ladies because it is the next best thing to donning snokeling gear and getting our hair wet!

Atlantis Adventures for a submarine xperience

First we boarded a boat at Lahaina pier that took us out of the harbour into the open sea to the rendezvous point with the submarine.

From L to R: Madhurita, Tania, Jean, Boey, Norma, me, Swee See and Bongi

We had a funny guide to take us through all the safety drill

On the boat to the rendezvous point

We were all so excited at our first sight of the Atlantis IV emerging from the sea.

The Atlantis IV is no glass-bottom boat. It is really a submarine, albeit a small one, and it is able to carry 48 passengers to depths of 100 feet and beyond. That is good enough for landlubbers like us.

The only thing that disqualifies Atlantis IV from being a "real" submarine is its lack of a periscope. That's not a problem because another boat, the Roxie, that is stationed on the waters above serves as the periscope for Atlantis IV.

That's Roxie beside the Atlantis IV

Going down into the sub

Boey, Tania and I all ready for the dive

We were told to look out for a sunken vessel. The Carthaginian, a replica of a 19th century supply vessel, was deliberately sunk off Lahaina, Maui, to create an artificial reef for the benefit of the marine life.

It was an eerie sight seeing the Cathaginian appearing before us

They really need this artificial reef because much of the reef was lifeless. In fact, hubby's marine tank at home looks better that anything we saw there.

Some of the fish we saw on our undersea trip

This is what we have in our living room

 We went down to a depth of 129 feet and then it was time to surface.

The depth meter

We did not really feel any pressure change but at that depth the port-holes were made of thick acrylic.

3.35" thick acrylic between us and the sea