Taking the Art of Travel to Splendid New Depths

Is there anywhere travelers haven’t gone?

Perhaps the least accessible destination on this shrinking globe has been the mysterious realm beneath the sea, but even that is no longer forbidding.

Take a deep breath, folks, and hold it; you may be traveling underwater soon.

New and unusual opportunities to tour--or at least view--the shadowy depths are becoming increasingly available.

In the past, underwater sightseeing was limited mostly to scuba divers and snorkelers. They alone had the pleasure of exploring the world’s tropical reefs and sea gardens--the habitat of rare and colorful fish and strange marine creatures.

Nowadays, even the less-adventurous traveler can journey beneath the sea fairly easily.

There’s a fleet of six sightseeing submarines, the Atlantis I through VI, that carry passengers in submerged voyages from resort islands in the Pacific and Caribbean. All have large viewing windows on each side and in the nose.

If this whets your appetite, consider spending a night in what may be the world’s only underwater lodge. The hotel, with only two guest rooms, is on the floor of a lagoon on the Atlantic shore of Key Largo, Fla.

Although anyone can stay there, unless you’re a licensed diver you will have to practice diving techniques for two to three hours at the front desk before you’ll be allowed to descend to your room.

Since underwater sightseeing is an obvious complement to a beach vacation, what follows is a list of half a dozen unusual possibilities.

They include a luxury cruise for divers in Indonesia, snorkeling tours in public parklands in Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands, a visit to an underwater aquarium in the Caribbean and a trio of research expeditions to the reefs of Fiji, Bonaire and the Red Sea.

To view the realm beneath the sea:

--Book passage on a submarine. The Atlantis fleet has been growing rapidly. Vessels give passengers an eye-to-eye view of a multitude of sea creatures. It’s the next best thing to diving, and you won’t have to worry about a shark attack.

Atlantis submarines operate regularly from Grand Cayman Island, Barbados and St. Thomas in the Caribbean; Oahu and Hawaii in the Hawaiian Islands, and Guam in the Pacific. A seventh will begin sailing from Aruba in the southern Caribbean next fall.

The subs on Grand Cayman and Barbados--named Atlantis I and II--were built to hold 28 passengers each. The others are larger, each seating 46 passengers. All are operated by a three-man crew.

The newest subs, which look as if they’ve been borrowed from a modernistic ride in a Walt Disney theme park, are 65 feet long. Each side sports 13 circular viewing windows, each two feet in diameter.

An extra-large window in the bow, a giant porthole, enables passengers to see directly ahead. The vessels are air conditioned, and normal sea-surface atmospheric pressure is maintained.

A cruise lasts about an hour. The high-tech subs can submerge to about 150 feet but generally do not go below 100 feet.

For safety’s sake, the pilot and copilot follow a regular itinerary. Overhead, a surface vessel sails the same path as the sub, alerting other boats to the sub below.

Some night cruises are offered. Underwater colors are brighter at night when a spotlight from a sub is shined on them. For information, contact the tourism office of the island you’re interested in visiting.

--Spend a night on the ocean floor. There are two rooms with undersea view, meals included. Your host for these unusual accommodations is Jules’ Undersea Lodge of Key Largo, just south of Miami. The rooms have become so popular since they were opened three years ago that you may have to reserve months ahead.

The structure, shaped somewhat like an oversized trailer, was built as an underwater research station in Puerto Rico, a function it served for several years. In 1986, an investor bought it, moved it to Key Largo and sunk it 30 feet to the bottom of a two-acre, ocean-fed lagoon.

The habitat has two private bedrooms, a bathroom, a kitchen and a sitting room. It is equipped with telephone and television. Maximum occupancy usually is six guests, but eight can be accommodated. Each of the bedrooms has a large window looking into the lagoon.

Generally, you’ll see 75 to 80 species of fish during daylight hours, manager Nancy Fabiano says. At night, lights can be flicked on when shrimp, crab and lobsters are active.

Dinner and breakfast, part of an overnight package, are prepared ahead. When you are hungry, you pop them into the microwave oven.

Most guests are experienced divers, which is handy because you have to dive to get to your room. But lodge personnel will train you sufficiently to make the round trip accompanied by a guide each way.

A special breathing hose and mouthpiece is used. Claustrophobic people might want to skip this adventure.

For the lodge’s Aquanaut Program (check in at 1 p.m., check out at 11 a.m. the following day), the rate is $295 per person a night, including full meals, snacks and unlimited diving. A less expensive version provides for 5:30 p.m. check-in, 9:30 a.m. check-out and light meals for $195 per person.

The lodge is operated jointly with Key Largo Undersea Park, which opened last November.

The park offers guided snorkeling tours of the lagoon and the exterior of the underwater lodge. Snorkelers are given a device so they can hear what the guide is saying. Unlike the snorkelers, the guide walks the bottom of the lagoon in scuba gear.

The one-hour tour is $12 for adults, $10 for children and $35 for a family of four. Equipment is included.

Armchair explorers can “take a tour” seated inside the park auditorium. A guide moves about the lagoon while a live camera sends the image to the theater screen.

A two-way communications system allows the viewers to question the guide and hear the response. Admission is $6 for adults and $4 for children.

For information on all three programs, contact Jules’ Undersea Lodge, P.O. Box 3330, Key Largo, Fla. 33037, (305) 451-2353.

--Go snorkeling in a public park. At least two large underwater parks, one in Florida and the other in the U.S. Virgin Islands, offer snorkelers good opportunities for guided excursions.

The most conveniently sited is Florida’s John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park on Key Largo about half a mile from Jules’ Undersea Lodge. About 21 1/2 miles long and 6 1/2 miles wide, the park is habitat for hundreds of species of fish. On the ocean floor are the wrecks of many ships.

Snorkeling trips and glass-bottom boat cruises are provided by a park concessionaire, Coral Reef Park Co.

On half-day snorkeling trips, you are ferried out to the reef about six miles from shore, where you will spend about 2 1/2 hours exploring the sea life. The trips depart daily at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. and are limited to six people. The cost is $30 per person. Equipment is included.

An alternative is one of the 90-minute trips. It departs at 9 a.m., noon and 3 p.m., and the limit is 60 participants. Cost is $19 per person.

The glass-bottom boat, which carries 100 passengers, departs at 9 a.m., noon and 3 p.m. for a 2 1/2-hour cruise. Cost is $11. For snorkeling and cruise reservations, call toll-free (800) 344-8175.

Just offshore from St. Croix in the Virgin Islands is a small, unpopulated island designated Buck Island Reef National Monument. The designation protects the island’s 180 acres, plus 700 acres of surrounding Caribbean Sea.

Tourists to St. Croix generally reach the island on half a day or one-day tours offered by any of seven concessionaires licensed by the U.S. Park Service. Ticket offices are on the wharf at Christiansted. By power boat the traveling time is 30 to 40 minutes-- by sail, 60 to 90 minutes.

Buck Island is blessed with one of the loveliest white-sand beaches in the Caribbean. Beginner snorkelers generally are given a short lesson near the beach, and then the group (no more than six per guide) sails to a mooring on the southeast tip of the island. This is the beginning of the Buck Island Underwater Trail, which winds through a complex and colorful marine garden.

Water along the trail is about 15 feet deep. Resting floats are provided if you tire of swimming. A half-day trip concludes with the tour. A full-day tour includes time for swimming, sunbathing and hiking on Buck Island. Rates are about $25 per person for half a day and $50 for a full day, which includes refreshments.

St. Croix is still recovering from the impact of Hurricane Hugo, but tourism authorities expect the island to be back on its feet and in shape to welcome visitors by May. Special spring lodging packages are being offered to attract tourists.

Visit an underwater aquarium. St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands is home to Coral World, a popular attraction for cruise line passengers who want a peek at the sea beneath their ship.

Coral World makes that possible with its observation tower, which descends rather then ascends. The circular tower is offshore about 50 feet and can be reached by crossing a long ramp.

From the surface, the underwater tower drops three levels. At the bottom people are under 15 feet of water. Wide windows that encircle the tower look out upon the sea life of St. Thomas.

Schools of fish swim by and then disappear into the vast expanse of the sea. Strange marine plants float with the gentle motion of the water. Coral World is open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. For information, call (809) 775-1555.

--Join a research program. As a paying volunteer on a scientific research program, you can view marine life and perform a part in preserving it.

Among the varied projects for 1990 sponsored by Earthwatch are at least three involving the study of reef areas in diverse parts of the world. All projects are led by scientists.

In Fiji, teams will watch the recovery of a reef damaged by a 1985 typhoon. Twice daily at low tide, strong reef walkers will collect specimens of coral, shrimp and sponges.

Lodging is in modern Fiji cottages, and a Fijian cook prepares dinner. The cost for the two-week program is $1,750. Air fare is additional. Departures are Aug. 1 and Aug. 18.

On the Caribbean island of Bonaire, the goal is to study snails, sponges and other creatures that inhabit mini-caves in the reef.

The trip is open to certified scuba divers, who will make up to two dives a day collecting specimens. Cost for two weeks is $1,960 per person. Air fare is additional. Departures are May 20, June 5 and June 21.

In the Red Sea in Israel, the mating practices of the whitebelly damselfish are under investigation.

Volunteers will snorkel on the surface to observe what’s happening. The trip is open to both qualified scuba divers and experienced snorkelers.

Cost for two weeks is $1,545. Air fare is additional. Departures are July 1, July 22 and Aug. 12. For information, contact Earthwatch, P.O. Box 403, Watertown, Mass. 02272, (617) 926-8200.

--Take a cruise for divers and snorkelers only. Each fall Quark Expeditions offers a variety of special adventure cruises aboard small ships for divers and snorkelers only.

On this year’s itinerary are a trip to the islands of eastern Indonesia designed for divers only, and an expedition to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park of Australia.

On the Indonesian voyage, passage is aboard the Island Explorer, which carries 36 guests in 18 air-conditioned cabins or suites. In the kitchen, three chefs blend international with Oriental cuisine.

The vessel carries five large, inflatable boats that are used for diving, snorkeling and landing operations. Departure for the two-week cruise is Oct. 20 from Bali. Cost is $4,850 to $7,950 per person, plus air fare to Bali.

On the Australian trip, passage is aboard the Elizabeth II, which carries 28 guests in 14 air-conditioned cabins with upper and lower bunks. Departure for the two-week cruise is Nov. 10. The price is $3,700 to $5,500 per person, plus air fare to Australia.

Other diving cruises are planned to the Galapagos Islands on July 23, the Red Sea on May 19 and June 4 and the Solomon Islands on Aug. 11.

For information: Salen Lindblad Cruising, 133 East 55th St., New York 10022, toll-free (800) 223-5688 and (212) 751-2300.