Photo courtesy of Atlantis Submarine's Facebook Page
Non-military submarines have come a long way. Once a claustrophobic journey through the deep, with a small porthole if you were lucky, the modern day now allows relatively safe access for the average tourist in a technologically-advanced, comfortable craft.
Atlantis Submarines
Atlantis Submarines operates at multiple locations in both Hawaii and the Caribbean. The purely recreational fleet was inspired by subs that founder Dennis Hurd originally operated on oil rigs. But these aren't mere Spartan workhorses.
The flagship Atlantis XIV, homeport Waikiki Beach in Hawaii, is the world's largest passenger submarine at more than 100 feet long, with a capacity of 64 passengers. Climate controlled with large windows throughout, the standard dive is an hour-long 100-foot-deep journey among the coral and tropical sea life.
Submarine Safaris
Submarine Safaris operates Sub Fun Tres out of Lanzarote and Sub Fun Cinco, Tenerife in Spain's Canary Islands. Nearly $4 million each was spent to produce these purpose-built 48-passenger subs, and it shows in the amenities: Each porthole has a display, offering alternate angles of scenery, and the submersible's operating data.
A tour guide will be on hand to explain the wonders outside the window, and a diver laden with fish food accompanies the craft into the deep to assure a stunning piscine display.
Idabel
Sure 100 feet under the ocean is a lot, but for the hardcore submariner adventurer, Idabel, based in Roatan, Honduras, goes up to 2,000 feet deep. This area, the Cayman Trench, is naturally in 100 percent blackness, except during a visit by Idabel.
Diving off of this underwater cliff reveals a complex ecosystem featuring several types of sharks, anglerfish, the whimsically-named Dumbo Octopus, and more. A technological cousin of the deep sea submersibles that got a close look at the Titanic, the craft is compact, with a large viewport, and space for one pilot and two passengers.
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