Photo by a passenger with a quality camera of Charles and Greg
Why does anyone do anything? The two general answers are ‘have to’ and ‘get to’. In the modern world this would be translated as work and fun. Work involves mere survival, stress and the release of flight or flight chemicals like cortisol. Fun involves thriving, enjoying and the release of feel good chemicals like endorphins and dopamine. This is why folks come on the undersea walk. It is lots of fun.
Everything you find fun is either alive, or made by someone who is alive. Even to experience fun, one has to be alive. Therefore, we make life our central focus. There is a certain amount of diversion in doing something different-walking on the ocean floor. However, the real fascination comes from the marine life. On one hand this is a guided tour where you are not allowed to go roaming on your own to find your own adventures. The flip side is that your guide will present to you things to touch and closely inspect with more confidence.
Not only are various invertebrates like corals, sponges and anemonies presented for your inspection, but also various fish, who would normally stay well away from larger animals, come right up to us. This is a magical mystery tour where fish come and go on their own free will. There is no net enclosure. The trick is to feed them enough to keep their attention, yet not to satisfy them so much that they go away.
Greg at harbour nights promoting the best undersea experience.
At the beginning of 2022 we had two angelfish, one or both would have been likely to be there and willing to pose in your photos and gently glide by your window tempting you with their alluring beauty. However, tropical storm, with hurricane force winds, Fiona took both of them away. Next spring I will tempt some neighboring ones to hang around with ‘angelfish crack’, in reality, sponges from inshore…irresistible. Leroy was killed by an irritated resident, just after lockdown in 2020. I will call it a Covid related death! With the large snapper dead, we now get to touch and caress the red hind. His scales are very small, making him soft to touch. Normally he is almost always there, eager to be touched then fed. During most of 2022 there were three squirrelfish that attend an a fairly regular basis, Gollum, Smeagal and Trahald. They are too spiny to be held. However, it should be considered a treat to see nocturnal creatures, up close and in the daylight. We have four grunts we call George. George number one has been with us over 10 years. His territory has been encroached upon by George the second, who is younger and challenges George I. There have been three red hinds that have attend on a regular basis. They are please Leroy was taken out. However, there is a smaller grey snapper, who takes offense at their presence. Charles the hogfish was our star performer. His presence was not assured, never taken for granted, and always appreciated. To see him you have received exceptional value for money. He is a one of a kind and there is no other tour in the world that has a hogfish, who allows himself to be approached, let alone touched. Unfortunately, he was driven away by a small remora and I, despite my efforts, have not been able to make friends with a new one. That was about 5 years ago. I did make friends with a new one that had been half speared. He lived and had a scar. I was hoping his experience with spearfishers would keep him alive. He was very skittish and would not let himself be held. Understandably, he had trust issues regarding humans. Sadly he to was killed in 2020, three days after lobster season opened. Still I have hope a new one will come by. In 2021 we had a moray eel and in 2022 we had another one but smaller. https://www.hartleybermuda.com/wp/familywith-flotsams Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you are going to get!
Be inspired to do this adventure. Call the toll-free number 866-936-3989 and speak to me, or my wife, Lynda, and your experience will be a treasured event. If it is late an night , please use the form on the contact page….or 