More close encounters of the deep kind Although Atlantis Submarines no longer offers two-person submersible tours, the company now operates undersea voyages on 48- and 64-passenger submarines in the Caribbean, Mexico, Guam and Hawaii. Riders peer through portholes as the pilot describes the dazzling marine life at depths of up to 40 metres. During our Barbados underwater tour, the branching coral and aquatic life viewed through our circular windows seemed close enough to touch. We came eye-to-eye with iridescent reef fish and practically rubbed noses with a green turtle. Each porthole has an attached card with pictures of tropical fish for easy identification. Our 45-minute journey ended far too quickly. Diving without snorkels & scuba gear Even if you don’t swim, Hartley’s UnderseaWalk in Bermuda offers Jacques Cousteau wannabes – including children, seniors and disabled individuals – the opportunity to closely examine sea cucumbers, giant hogfish and other aquatic life. During our undersea walk, we breathed fresh air pumped into diving helmets that crewmembers placed on our shoulders. (Participants can wear glasses because their heads remain dry.) As we walked along the sandy ocean floor, Hartley pointed out breathing holes in antler and tube sponges. Fish flickered their fins and swished their tails tauntingly in front of our dive helmets’ windows. Hartley later told us about a large grouper that nestled into the arms of a visually impaired man, allowing him to feel its whole body. Helmet diving is an awesome experience for all ages and abilities. Kayaking with sea otters In California’s Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, we rented kayaks to watch the bay’s endearing, bewhiskered sea otters. A brown head popped up near our kayak and surveyed us with his button eyes. Another otter nonchalantly floated on his back, munching an abalone. Otters carry tools, such as rocks, under their arm-flaps and pull them out to crack open shellfish. After they eat their meals, using their midriffs as tables, they turn their torsos over in the water to clear away the crumbs. Another otter surfaced with a crab, disassembling and eating one leg at a time, before twirling the crab like a donut to gnaw at the edges. A seagull descended on his belly to snatch some tasty tidbits. We remember our delight every time we look at our photos. CSANews | FALL 2021 | 21 Travel
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