With its pink-sand beaches and beckoning waters, Bermuda hardly seems like an "Isle of Devils," a nickname bestowed centuries ago by the Spanish whose galleons ran aground on the coral reefs that ring the islands. Today those reefs, which lie some 650 miles off the coast of North Carolina, are a favorite among divers and those who enjoy snorkeling. But even those who choose not to don snorkel and fins can still explore the reefs by going on a bell diving, or helmet diving, expedition.
What is Helmet Diving, or Bell Diving?
The lead-and-fiberglass helmet – which looks like something out of a Jules Verne novel – essentially works like a diving bell. Air is pumped in through a hose attached to the back, and exhaled breath floods out through the open bottom. There's no need to worry about your hairdo, since the helmet keeps heads dry. Divers can even wear eyeglasses.
Guided Helmet Diving Trips in Bermuda
Hartley's Undersea Walk Bermuda offers guided tours and provides all the gear, including wet suits when the water temperature drops below 80 degrees. Hartley's 42-foot Rainbow Runner leaves the Watford Bridge Ferry Dock in Somerset from Monday through Saturday and shuttles one and a half miles out to sea.
First, participants climb down a ladder until they are neck high in the water, then guides place helmets on their shoulders. The weight of the helmets (about 15 pounds underwater) keep the divers from floating to the surface as they descend some ten feet to the sandy bottom.
To prevent groups from becoming separated, the guide tows a grab bar that divers hold onto as they walk across the seafloor in a bent-leg squat. The guide uses a special stick with various messages inscribed on it to communicate instructions to the divers and to identify marine life during the 30-minute dive session.
Parrotfish, squirrelfish, hogfish, grunts, snappers, and angelfish all inhabit the reef. Since divers come to these reefs every day, the fish are relatively tame. At the guide's signal, divers can feed mussels to the angelfish and admire the smooth skin of the resident morays.
Helmet Diving in Bermuda is Easy
The ease of helmet diving makes it a good alternative for people who normally would not have the opportunity to peek beneath the sea. It is not necessary to be a certified diver, nor do participants have to be able to swim, since the activity requires only walking, not swimming, underwater. Children must be at least five years old to participate, but there is no maximum age limit provided the individual is in good physical condition and can navigate the boat ladder.
Bermuda Shore Excursions
No Bermuda cruise vacation is complete without exciting shore excursions. Travelers on Norwegian Dawn and Norwegian Spirit; Celebrity Summit and Celebrity Constellation; Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas and Enchantment of the Seas; Caribbean Princess; and Carnival Miracle can book a helmet diving shore excursion with Hartley's Undersea Walk Bermuda. Cruisers can also always book a helmet diving trip on their own.
The price is $80 for adults and $55 for children under 13. (If you just ride along and don't dive, the price is slashed in half.) A photographic memento of the underwater adventure is an additional $15 per person. For more information, contact Hartley's Undersea Walk Bermuda: tel. (441) 234-2861
Andrea Rotondo - Andrea M. Rotondo is a writer specializing in luxury travel with expertise in the areas of cruise vacations, African safari lodges, and ...
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