Dive with Atlantis Submarines - Waikiki, Hawaii

For my 27th Birthday, my husband took me on a dive with Atlantis Submarines in Waikiki. I've always wanted to experience a submarine dive, so it fulfilled one of my "must try" items on my list.

We boarded the Discovery at 12:30 p.m., sat in the lower deck to watch a safety video, then headed to the snack bar for some last minute purchases.  I felt a little nauseated, but for the most part, the ride was smooth!

 

Good bye Waikiki ...

The submarine rising from below is the Atlantis.  Once the submarine emerges from the water, we cross the plank from the Discovery to the Atlantis.  I wore a dress and heels, not realizing I would have to climb down steep stairs, backwards, in windy conditions.  If you don't want to risk giving an audience a "free show," wear shoes and shorts!

In the Atlantis Submarine, the captain navigates the ocean, diving as deep as 125 feet.  I don't remember reaching 125 feet, but I do remember reaching 106 feet. 

I saw two sunken airliners, two sunken ships, artificial reefs, and the bottom of the ocean floor.  I saw a few fish and a couple of turtles.  Prior to the dive, I imagined seeing lush coral reefs and colorful fish, but it looked quite sparse on the ocean floor. 

A green sea turtle ... One of the highlights of the submarine ride!  I had the chance to see several, hanging out on the wreckage.

The largest fish I saw ... It came right up to our window!

My husband seemed to be fascinated by the creature hanging onto our window sill.  We aren't sure what it is!

What you see below is  the wreckage of an airliner ...

It was fascinating to see the wreckage of a ship ... There were two sunken ships.  One  is a sunken U.S. Navy Vessel, the the Y O-257.  The other, the St. Pedro, is a Korean fishing vessel.  I saw the most marine life around these two sunken vessels and it's where I spotted the most turtles too.

After about an hour, our journey in the submarine quickly ended at 2 ft.  We emerged from the ocean, not ready to leave yet.  I definitely wasn't ready to leave!  I wanted to see more.  However, it was time ... Our ride was over.

We sat on the top deck, watching new passengers head into the submarine.

We approach the harbor ... It's time to leave.

We wish we brought our bathing suits!  Waikiki beach is incredibly beautiful and there were a ton of fish too!  The areas that you see darkened in the water are schools of fish.  Incredible, isn't it?

It was a great experience to dive with Atlanis Submarines.  It's the perfect option for those who cannot swim or dive and want to take an underwater adventure.  The best part of all is that Atlantis Submarines is an eco-friendly tour that supports continued marine life awareness and more.