Atlantis Submarines is a Canadian passenger submarine company. The company currently has 12 submarines and operates undersea tours in Grand Cayman, Barbados, Aruba, St. Thomas, Cozumel and in Hawaii at Kona, Maui and Oahu to explore and observe the marine life and underwater landscapes without getting wet.
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Atlantis submarine |
| Builders | Atlantis Submarines International Incorporated |
| Preceded by | None |
| Subclasses | Atlantis I, Atlantis II, Atlantis III, Atlantis IV, Atlantis V, Atlantis VI, Atlantis VII, Atlantis IX, Atlantis X, Atlantis XII, Atlantis XIV |
| In commission | 1986-present |
| Completed | 10 |
| General characteristics Atlantis XII | |
| Type | Tourism submarine |
| Length | 65 feet (20 m) |
| Beam | 13 feet (4.0 m) |
| Draught | 8 feet (2.4 m) |
| Depth | 150 feet (46 m) |
| Propulsion | DC battery-powered electric thrusters |
| Speed | 2.5 knots (4.6 km/h) submerged |
| Test depth | 150 feet (46 m) |
| Complement | 48 to 64 |
| Crew | 3 |
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 17 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
edit
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 17 million passengers on over 500,000 submarine dives. [2]
Areas of operation
editThere are three main areas of operations:[3]
Caribbean (Aruba, Barbados, Cozumel, Curacao, Grand Cayman, St. Martin)
editHawaii (Waikiki, Maui, Kona)
editAtlantis Submarines has been sharing the magnificence of Hawaii's undersea world since 1988 using the environmentally safe submarines that are battery powered, emit no pollutants, and quietly move through the water, disturbing no one. It's the ultimate in sustainable tourism. At the Waikiki and Maui dive sites, they have taken on the responsibility of installing artificial reefs to create self-sustaining habitats for fish and marine life to flourish. Areas once barren of life are now vibrant. The Kona dive site is highlighted by a pristine 25-acre coral reef garden that is a natural safe haven for fish, plant life and organisms to thrive. Atlantis closely observes the abundance of activity at this treasured site but always leaves it untouched. As of 2024 Atlantis Hawaii is proud to have served over 9.9 million passengers in the islands since 1988.[4]
Atlantis Submarines ranked #2 in USA TODAY 10Best's 2024 Readers' Choice Award for Best Tour Company in Hawaii.[5]
Variants
edit- Atlantis I, 1986
- Atlantis II, 1986
- Atlantis III, 1987
- Atlantis IV, V 1988
- Atlantis VI 1989
- Atlantis VII 1990
- Atlantis IX, X 1991
- Atlantis XI, 1991
- Atlantis XII, XIV 1994[6]
References
edit- ^ Si Liberman (13 December 2009). "Diving the easy way". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on October 24, 2012. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
- ^ https://www.atlantisadventures.com/submarine-facts
- ^ "Atlantis Submarines Global Site". Retrieved 10 November 2016.
- ^ https://www.atlantisadventures.com/submarines
- ^ https://10best.usatoday.com/awards/travel/best-tour-company-in-hawaii-2024/
- ^ [1] stingrayvilla.com
