Welcome, Foolish Muggles! IoA/US/MK/SW *July 2013 Trip Report Link*

[natebenma]

Continued from Previous Post

We spent most of our time snorkeling at Paradise Lagoon.

There were some rocks along the shore with shallow water and small colorful fishes. Some rock outcroppings protected small barracuda-like fish (maybe southern sennet). Ben really loved seeing these. Out towards the bridge, the water was deep, probably 10-15 feet and parrotfish hung out by the rocks.

Some snorkelers reported seeing an octopus in the lagoon, but we never saw one here.

The one annoying thing is that since the lagoon was part of the water sports area, and guarded, we had to wear inflatable life vests. Yuck! Ben, Mark and I are all excellent swimmers and we love to dive down to take a closer look at the critters under the water. But amazingly, you could borrow the vests for free. Which is amazing since everything else at Atlantis is $$$!


Heres what we saw in the sea:


Darn waterspot!

Sargent Majors (and grunts):

We have never seen a fish like this before. It was lying still between the ocean floor and a rock. I thought it was dead, but when I dove down to take a closer look, it moved. Maybe an adult Hogfish.

Parrotfish:

Foureyed Butterfly Fish:

Sennet:

Ben dove down to check out this small stingray:

Next up: Snorkeling the Ruins

 

[ddluvsdisney]

Sounds awesome!!! Any plans yet? Any word on the job?

We will be going to Mexico for Feb vacation. Can't wait!!!

He got the ok today, someone's calling with the package details today or tomorrow.

I can't believe this is actually happening. I am so nervous and excited!!!!

We are going to have a realtor show us the places DH liked, and some others he didn't get to see.

Mexico sounds fantastic!!!! Anywhere is better than here right now. Lol

 

[jenseib]

I LOVE snorkeling! Those are great pictures. It really makes me want to be somewhere tropical even more now!

 

[HockeyMomR]

Beautiful! Thanks for some warming thoughts pictures. Needed them! In the teens and 20s here in Maryland.

 

[glennbo123]

Wow, I'm impressed that you know the names of those fish. I'd be like, "here's a striped one"...."here's one that's even more striped"...."here's one with a dot".

 

[mickeystoontown]

Wow, I'm impressed that you know the names of those fish. I'd be like, "here's a striped one"...."here's one that's even more striped"...."here's one with a dot".

That sounds like the descriptions that I gave when I was talking about our cruise excursion. We saw on with yellow stripes and one with a blue tail.

 

[natebenma]

He got the ok today, someone's calling with the package details today or tomorrow.

I can't believe this is actually happening. I am so nervous and excited!!!!

We are going to have a realtor show us the places DH liked, and some others he didn't get to see.

Mexico sounds fantastic!!!! Anywhere is better than here right now. Lol

Keep us posted!

3 more weeks at this time I will be at Logan Airport!

I LOVE snorkeling! Those are great pictures. It really makes me want to be somewhere tropical even more now!

Has Claire tried it yet? I know she is a fish in the pools. I have been so anxious for my boys to fall in love with snorkeling, but it took Ben 10 years. Nate isn't interested!

Beautiful! Thanks for some warming thoughts pictures. Needed them! In the teens and 20s here in Maryland.

Thanks! Looking at the pictures from the warm Bahamaian waters helped me cope with the nasty cold out there.

Wow, I'm impressed that you know the names of those fish. I'd be like, "here's a striped one"...."here's one that's even more striped"...."here's one with a dot".

Hey there!

I do believe I owe you a big ole

So, is there a possible trip to Atlantis in the future with your clan?

I have a couple of field guides to tropical fish. Well, not actual field guides as they are not waterproof. But I love trying to identify what I see.

That sounds like the descriptions that I gave when I was talking about our cruise excursion. We saw on with yellow stripes and one with a blue tail.

I think I almost commented on the types of fish you saw through the glass bottom, but I liked your descriptions!

 

[MEK]

Atlantis and snorkeling look pretty darn amazing. Still trying to decide what to do on our Nassau day on the cruise. You have me rethinking whether we should do an Atlantis excursion. The property looks so amazing. I was thinking about renting the room at the comfortsuites. Is that the comfort suites in one of your pictures?

 

[natebenma]

Atlantis and snorkeling look pretty darn amazing. Still trying to decide what to do on our Nassau day on the cruise. You have me rethinking whether we should do an Atlantis excursion. The property looks so amazing. I was thinking about renting the room at the comfortsuites. Is that the comfort suites in one of your pictures?

This is my post about our arrival at the Comfort Suites with pictures.

Arrival Day/Comfort Suites Paradise Island


Here is our walk over from the Comfort Suites.

This is a picture taken the exit at Comfort Suites closest to Atlantis. The pink building is part of Atlantis. I think it is about a 3-5 minute walk from here to one of the hallways into Atlantis.

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Ahead, you can see the entrance to the building that takes you into the hallways of Atlantis

Here is a picture looking back- the pink building is the Comfort Suites.

Are you able to check prices of the excursion offered on the ship or the price at Comfort Suites yet?

There is so, so much to do at Atlantis- the aquariums, the waterpark, beaches, snorkeling!!!

Sometime soon, I will be posting the review of our tour of Nassau. That was a couple of hours and we enjoyed seeing the sights.

.

 

[jenseib]

Yes, she did, in Castaway Cay. She loved it, so we will have to branch out next time and do a better one.

 

[DrMomof3]

Love the pictures! And I supposed I shouldn't be surprised that you know the names of all the fish. I'm beginning to suspect that you know EVERYTHING!

Amanda

 

[natebenma]

Sorry to take so long to get to responses! Been managing some mischief over on the BC/YC FAQ board- Had to haul out the triple bananas!

Yes, she did, in Castaway Cay. She loved it, so we will have to branch out next time and do a better one.

Oh, I'm glad she loved it. It is such a peaceful yet exciting activity. And if you have your own equipment, it doesn't cost anything to enjoy it. Well, except for the money to get to the tropical destinations where you can snorkel!

Love the pictures! And I supposed I shouldn't be surprised that you know the names of all the fish. I'm beginning to suspect that you know EVERYTHING!

Amanda

Thanks for the comments. Made me smile. I don't know everything! Like I still haven't figured out how to remove the space in the email address I have posted for the CL IPO on the FAQ. And don't think for one minute that my "friends" over there let me forget it!

I'll try to get my post about snorkeling in the Ruins Aquarium in the next day or two.

 

[natebenma]

There are many amazing adventures guests and visitors to Atlantis can experience:


Shallow Water Interaction or Deep Water Swim with Dolphins (my family did these in 2009)
Stingray Experience
Sea Lion Experience
Ultimate Trainer for a Day


This year, we booked the “Snorkel the Ruins of Atlantis” excursion:

Thrill to an up-close look at incredible marine animals in the world’s largest open-air marine habitat. You’ll snorkel through the famous Ruins Lagoon alongside sleek sharks, spotted rays and brilliantly colored tropical fish in this unique underwater setting.

Does it sound like swimming in a giant aquarium? That’s exactly what it is!


It was really, really cool to be swimming with exotic sea creatures. The very large manta rays actually came within a foot of both Nate and me.


My only complaint is that about half-way through our swim, there was some cleaning work being done on the tank- a diver was blasting algae from some of the structures- and the water became very murky and blurry. It was annoying to think we had paid so much for this tour and part of it was a waste.

The next two posts will be the pictures Mark and I took during this adventure


.

 

[natebenma]

Here is the diver cleaning the tank- you can see how difficult it is to see.

Continued in Next Post

 

[natebenma]

Here we are at the end- again, darn water spot on the camera! This is the only picture we have of the 4 of us from this trip:

Next Up: The Beaches of Atlantis

 

[jenseib]

great pictures. I have a lot of those water spot pictures too. I never notice it till I get the darn pictures on the computer. I would be a little ticked off about the cleaning going on too.

 

[ddluvsdisney]

Great underwater pics!!! Wow you can't even tell they are underwater!!!!

To bad about the water spot. It's a nice family pic.

I have never been snorkeling but would love to try it. My DH wouldn't do it with me though. He doesn't like living things swimming next to him.
He hates swimming at the beach. We were at the beach once in like knee deep water early in the morning and a couple of striped bass swam by- he freaked out

 

[natebenma]

great pictures. I have a lot of those water spot pictures too. I never notice it till I get the darn pictures on the computer. I would be a little ticked off about the cleaning going on too.

Out, Out, D*mn spot!

It is no problem when the camera is in the water, but once I get out, sometimes I forget to rinse and shake it to get the water off the lens.


We didn't bother complaining about the cleaning- I suppose they have to do it sometime- but it really did mar the enjoyment of the excursion.

Great underwater pics!!! Wow you can't even tell they are underwater!!!!

To bad about the water spot. It's a nice family pic.

I have never been snorkeling but would love to try it. My DH wouldn't do it with me though. He doesn't like living things swimming next to him.
He hates swimming at the beach. We were at the beach once in like knee deep water early in the morning and a couple of striped bass swam by- he freaked out

Thanks!

I will probably be able to figure out at some point how to correct that picture- insert a new face into the file.

It seems that it is more and more difficult to get pictures of the whole family together. The teen is not into it, the boy tolerates and the hubby doesn't want to make waves. And I am the one with the camera, so I have to find someone to help.

OK, that's a bit funny about your DH! Yes, I think he would hate snorkeling! I hope you get a chance to try it sometime, though.

 

[MEK]

Wow - those pictures are amazing! It just looks like the most perfect place to go snorkeling. Well, except for all th algae blasting!

Ugh - I am so torn as to what to do in Nassau. I think I need two days there.

 

[DrMomof3]

Atlantis just looks beautiful!!! It's on my wish list and every more so after seeing such gorgeous pictures!
The only reason I continue to pay for photopass is so we have pictures of the whole family together!!!

Amanda