Experience a Night at the World‘s Oldest Undersea Hotel
The alarm rang at 6 AM, but I was already wide awake with excitement. Today was the day I would fulfill my childhood dream of sleeping underwater by checking into the world’s oldest submerged hotel – the Jules Undersea Lodge in Florida.
As I sipped coffee and watched the sunrise, I reflected on how I first learned about undersea habitats. I grew up reading Jules Verne’s “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea” and was fascinated by Captain Nemo’s wondrous underwater ship the Nautilus. The idea of living underwater captured my imagination, though I never imagined it would become an actual possibility.
The Path to Realizing My Dream
In the early 1980s, scientist and inventor Ian Koblick established the La Chalupa research lab off the coast of Puerto Rico. He had a vision for creating stable, affordable habitats on the seafloor that could allow extended stays and exploration while avoiding decompression sickness.
La Chalupa was hurricane-proof, rated for depths down to 100 feet. The 45-ton octagonal steel habitat measured 15 feet across, with two levels containing bunks, a kitchen, workshop, dive equipment and life support systems to keep two aquanauts continuously underwater for weeks.
When funding ran out in 1984, Ian found a new home for his creation by moving it to the Florida Keys. There he transformed the lab into the world’s first underwater hotel and marine research base. Re-opening in 1986 as Jules Undersea Lodge, named after famed ocean explorer Jules Verne, the hotel made it possible for me to achieve my dream of sleeping with the fishes at long last.
Arriving at Jules Undersea Lodge
Jules Lodge rests 30 feet underwater in Emerald Lagoon, a sheltered mangrove habitat around three miles offshore from Key Largo. My tour began by meeting up with Daniel, former Navy diver and partner at the Lodge. Daniel picked me up at the dock in his boat so we could make our way out to the unique accommodations awaiting me.
As we zipped across azure waters, Daniel filled me in on all aspects of safely living underwater at Jules Lodge for 24 hours. Daniel’s deep passion for the ocean and extensive expertise from years as a commercial and Navy saturation diver made him the perfect guide. His affable nature and enthusaism made pre-dive preparations actually fun!
Docking next to the hotel on the sea floor, I peered out excitedly at the unusual structure. Jules Lodge resembles two industrial tubes connected hallway-style, surrounded by abundant coral and marine residents. The acrylic viewing ports offer immersive panoramas of this aquatic realm. I could see fish, conch and bat rays casually swimming by as Daniel helped me gear up.
Once I donned helmet and fitted buoyancy vest, Daniel led me out into the water towards Jules airlock entrance. The hatch system allows entry from topside via the wet room, keeping seawater outside from flooding the interior. My ears popped loudly as I descended inside to begin my undersea adventure!
Stepping Into My Undersea Dream
Gazing through the Lodge’s six thick acrylic convex windows, I took in views of parrotfish, triggerfish and angelfish drifting by through crystalline waters. Cylindrical shafts of sunlight slanted through the panorama, reflecting off the colorful coral lining the immediate seafloor.
Despite occupying a structure on the ocean floor, Jules Lodge provides surprisingly luxurious accommodations. The efficient interior layout holds four hotel rooms with bunk beds sleeping eight guests total. Branching off the rooms are shared living spaces with a kitchenette, dining nook and living room area.
Comforts like heating/AC, hot showers and full electricity make staying 30 feet underwater feel downright cozy. Jules’ robust structure is built to withstand torrential weather from its durable cast acrylic shell to hurricane-rated frame. With 43 years of reliable operation, Jules Lodge has safely hosted over 500 aquanaut guests.
Having an Experienced Guide Underwater
As Daniel gave me a detailed walkthrough, I realized having a knowledgeable steward like him made all the difference in this alien environment. I needed Daniel’s guiding expertise for nearly everything, including seemingly basic tasks. I had many questions that may have sounded silly on land, but had real implications in our situation.
What is the backup plan if a fire starts in the kitchen? Daniel patiently showed me the emergency oxygen system, additional scuba gear and protocols in place. Can seawater seepage cause electrical issues? Daniel explained their diligent monitoring systems and frequent maintenance checks. How do you prevent pressure issues? Regular pressure normalization occurs using relief valves.
I was extremely grateful for Daniel’s thoughtful approach. He anticipated my concerns and addressed everything thoroughly, allowing me to relax. For first-timers like myself, competent support was mandatory for safely functioning 30 feet ocean. As Daniel demonstrated proper use of the metal toaster oven so I could avoid shorts, I felt glad to have this ocean steward by my side!
Living Under the Sea
After getting acquainted with my exotic undersea abode, Daniel suggested an underwater tour to meet the neighbors. Back in scuba mode, we exited Jules’ hatched entry and immersed in dazzling seascape greeting us right outside.
Dancing sunlight dappled the reef as damselfish and chromis investigated these giant bubble-making creatures disturbing their routine. Floating weightlessly through swaying fronds of green and purple coral felt akin to spacewalking on an alien planet with dramatically different physics. I noticed my sense of balance and coordination were totally different. Even the notion of “up” and ”down” held little meaning out here.
On our scuba stroll, Daniel highlighted outstanding features around Jules Lodge. We spotted several eels peeking out from a rocky overhang Daniel called “Eel Cove Hideaway”. Nearby lobsters poked antennae out from staghorn coral, startled by our presence. Daniel showed me juvenile queen angelfish getting cleaned by specialized wrasses. Their interdependent relationship illustrated nature’s interconnectedness.
Monitoring his dive watch, Daniel led us back inside after 40 magical minutes. Being mindful of “off-gassing” nitrogen buildup meant sticking to time limits. As we entered the wetroom and removed our gear, Daniel pointed out another benefit beyond amazing views that made Jules Lodge ideal for marine research. Scientists can study animals exhibiting natural behaviors unaffected by human presence since giant bubble-making divers don’t disturb them through the acrylic.
After rinsing gear, I was ready to help Daniel with cooking dinner inside the cozy underwater domicile. This turned out far more exciting than expected!
The Adventure of Cooking Under the Sea
Preparing dinner 30 feet down presented some unique culinary challenges but also entertainment. As Daniel set up pasta water on our underwater stove, we noticed bubbles behaved differently, expanding and contracting weirdly. Steam condensation threatened shorts in our electrical system so ventilation required constant diligence.
Suddenly, lights flickered as an alarm sounded – we had visitors hoping to get first dibs on dinner! Looking out the porthole, Daniel laughed with delight. "We‘ve got Jim and Sam stopping by to say hi!"
Two grinning green moray eels peered inside, attracted by the commotion. Daniel explained Jules’ exterior fish feeders kept most local marine residents content hunting live crabs, shrimp and krill. But occasional curious friends still came investigating any unusual activity.
Daniel showed me the custom metal rings installed outside to redirect wayward eels. By slipping slimy tails through the rings, he safely escorted the giant ribboned snakes away before resuming dinner preparations. Another handy tip from my guide that reinforced why having marine mammal experience mattered hugely down here. Soon, lemon shrimp scampi pasta was ready for consumption as our friendly green gatecrashers found live fiddler crabs elsewhere.
Lights Out Under the Sea
Bellies full after eventful underwater cooking, Daniel brought out a chessboard for some deep sea diversion. Trying to play chess while submerged was entertainingly tricky until I got the hang of neutral buoyancy. Moving pieces without sending the board swirling took finesse! Delighted fish seemingly wondered why we were chasing carved wood squares slowly drifting between us. After multiple tied games, I begged Daniel for stories instead.
Obliging with colorful accounts, Daniel described discovering 19th century shipwreck treasures and learning to fly fighter jets on aircraft carriers before becoming a commercial saturation diver. His Navy adventures spanned shark cage dives, untethered deep arc welds, Arctic ice caisson deployments and averting near catastrophes. Absorbed for hours in riveting tales, I was shocked when Daniel announced it was nearly midnight!
Heading outside again for a special night dive, Daniel brought powerful underwater lights revealing sleeping nurse sharks and brilliant biofluorescent organisms glowing vivid neon colors once invisible. Luminous plankton swirled as we floated through this alien dreamscape. Fish sleeping under table coral lit up like Christmas lights as they sensed our pulsing lights. Hypnotized by magic glittering everywhere I looked, I felt like an astronaut drifting through wondrous galaxies shining just for us.
Exhilarated after mystifying midnight underwater exploration, I fell fast asleep almost instantly upon hitting my bunk. Researchers have found spending time underwater can induce "a pleasant increase in parasympathetic nervous system activity". For me, exhaustion from excitement coupled with oceans‘ tranquilizing effects knocked me out cold.
I awoke slowly to soft sunlight dancing through my viewport the next morning. Taking a moment to remember where I was filled me with childlike awe. According to studies on blue space immersion, being submerged underwater can "shift brain activity to a more meditative and relaxed state". I certainly felt blissfully relaxed as well as fully recharged after 12 hours cradled by the sea.
Morning Under the Waves & Farewells
Emerging from my bunk, I noticed Daniel already cheerfully grinding fragrant coffee beans. Brewing a pot together with my capable guide was deeply satisfying. Sipping delicious coffee 30 feet down as schools of angelfish and sunlight streamed by was pure magic. At one point while enjoying breakfast, Daniel pointed to several eels ravenously snapping up bits of food drifting down tubes attached outside Jules Lodge at the base of our structure.
“We installed those to keep morays and grouper well-fed out there so they don‘t hassle our guests inside," he explained with a grin. Clearly Daniel‘s experience made him unflappable in the face of almost any marine event down here.
As we wrapped up breakfast dishes, a strange wistfulness settled inside me. My 24 hours as an aquanaut were nearly over as Daniel prepared us to depart Jules Lodge. Putting the habitat back in order, sealing electronics and gathering all belongings signaled my amazing undersea adventure was ending.
Emerging topside later, I struggled to adjust initially to seeing sky instead of sparkling blue from all sides and moving at gravity’s whim again instead of drifting ethereally. As Daniel piloted us swiftly back to shore, familiar sensations gradually recentered me.
Yet memories of experiencing existence outside normal human paradigms continued simmering vividly in my consciousness. Daniel‘s passion for all things ocean was clearly infectious as I contemplated my next aquatic adventure. I knew I would return to rediscover the magical underwater realms I explored within and without Jules Lodge‘s protective embrace. This time though, I would remember to bring chess victory back with me!