Ten Thousand Leagues: Profiling the World’s Underwater Homes

--By Sushma Pradhan

Centuries ago, perhaps no one ever imagined that life ten thousand miles down under could be conquerable. Times changed and so did technology, impossible became ‘I m possible’, and the world started moving an inch nearer each day.

However, after conquering the air and land, it was now time to head towards the water. No doubt enough technological advancement have been made in the water world, like connecting one land to the other through the underground means of transport, from pipelines to telephone cables, the world of  technology is moving at a supersonic speed.

On the other hand, we also know that fairy tales still rule our mind to a great extent. The cascading waterfalls, the colorful water animals, the adventures of Nemo, the playtime of princess Ariel that so much capture and enthrall not just the innocent minds of children but an adult's mind too. Just imagine sipping the hot cup of coffee and enjoying the scenic blue beauty. Imagine all the glossy Walt Disney like characters swimming right over your head and below your feet.

Thanks to all the brains that work faster than the computer. Thanks to all the brainstorming, that has created a unique world for humans in the water world. Here are few such creations that have sealed the gap between the two worlds.

Ithaa: Ithaa is the name of the underwater restaurant that is brought to you by the Hilton Maldives Resort and Spa. Ithaa, according to the natives of Maldives, Dhivehi means ‘pearl’.  Indeed a pearl resting in the nacre and no wonder dining here would be a rich experience.

This restaurant undersea created and designed by the design consultants MJ Murphy Ltd, New Zealand. It costs less than 5 million dollars and is part of the project Rangalifinolhu Island. This restaurant is five meters below the Indian Ocean waves, and is amidst the vibrant coral reef and provides a 270 degrees enthralling scenic beauty of the blue sea.

The creators have used the aquarium technology. The crylic curved transparent walls and roof,  serve as the aquarium.  There are colorful coral garden, and the diners can enjoy the scrumptious meal and enjoy the view the underwater Maldives environment with the variety of sharks, rays, and other colorful fish, without getting their feet wet.

The Hydropolis Underwater Restaurant, Dubai: Dubai is a place where flamboyance thrives, be it malls, artificial islands, adding a dash of glitter makes the structures even more prized. It is here that the 500 million dollar Hydropolis Undersea Resort is promoted. This resort will cover a sprawling area of 1.1 million square foot complex, with the luxurious facility. This Resort will have lavish suites, a shopping mall for the residents to indulge in a shopping spree.  It also has a ballroom, and to let you continue to feel safe and secure as long you are at the resort, the commercial developers have planned defense systems to ward off any terrorist attacks. This ambitious vision of construction wonder and luxury placed at 60 feet underwater is a wonder worth a wait.

Further adding to the suspense, the deputy chairman of the board for Crescent Hydropolis Resorts LLC in Dubai, says that the pending completion of this marvel may be slightly delayed as of target date for 2008. But rumors tell different version of the story, it has been heard that the project is on hold due to lack of funds.

This under construction hotel includes three elements. There will be the land station, where the guest will receive a warm welcome. The second will be the connecting tunnel, which will transport the visitors to main hotel area. The third part will be the complex of submarine leisure comprising 220 suites and this will be the main attraction of the hotel.

Till the time this resort is complete, we can keep our fingers crossed and simply wish that the blueprint takes the form of the completed form.

Poseidon underwater resort, Bahamas: The Poseidon, underwater Resort of UK, will be the world’s first sea-floor luxury resort. This undersea resort off Eleuthera Island, will be for the non scuba divers, a beautiful chance to experience life underwater, without any gadgets attached to the body and additionally, without getting wet too.

The Poseidon, will be depressurized to sea level and submerged 50 feel below into the sea. Further, it will also be connected to a onshore reception circle via tunnel. This 40 US million dollar project will comprise of 22 rooms underwater prepared with transparent acrylic, so that the visitors can take full panoramic view of the blue world.

Additional to the panoramic view the guest can take back the rich memories of diverse seawater fish on artificial reefs, which will glow even more when lights are lit underwater through the switch controllable from outside. At present, the charge for the suite per night will stand at $1,500 a night, but the scenic beauty underneath out feet is worth all the money.

L. Bruce Jones, the President of US Submarines has done his brainstorming for this project. Sure Captain Nemo, the Jules Verne creation of ‘twenty thousand leagues under the sea’, must have inspired him.

Trilobis 65: This is a semi submerged lodging environment. Trilobis is 20 meters in length and can habitat six people at the sea. It makes an ideal living in bays, maritime parks, and atoll.

The main purpose of this project is to allow an individual reside in a unique environment, through non-polluting, self- sufficient environment as one with the ocean surroundings.

Trilobis was designed by Giancarlo Zerna, and has four separate levels that are connected to one another via spiral staircase. The top level stands 3.5 meters above the sea level. The immediate next is 1.4 meters above sea level and has a daylight zone and other services that facilitate outdoor access. The third level lies 0.8 meters below the sea level and is a night life zone. However, it has underwater observation bulb, which makes it a meditative and intimate place.

This circular habitat allows aggregation of creating island colonies and modular units. The maximum length of the entire vessel is 20 meter and it expands 13 meter wide. With the capacity of accommodating six beds, this vessel has a maximum speed of 7 knots.

These habitats below the sea level are no wonder a wonder to behold, a home of fantasy. But what do all the creatures under water call them I guess??