Virgin Limited Edition has introduced Necker Nymph, a DeepFlight three-person aero submarine. Likened to an underwater aircraft, this open cockpit winged sub, designed and built by engineer Graham Hawkes of Hawkes Ocean Technologies, extends the overall capabilities of scuba, while offering the experience of underwater flight, according to company officials. Unlike conventional subs that use ballast to sink in the water, Necker Nymph uses downward “lift” on the wings to fly down to depth.
Available when chartering Necker Belle, a 105-foot catamaran, or when staying on Necker Island, the Necker Nymph glides on the water’s surface like an airplane on a runway. Then, one of the three pilots operate the joystick to dive down. The hydrobatic sub has the flexibility to glide peacefully over reefs or bank in 360° turns. Individual “wind shields” remove the pressure of slipstream without enclosing the pilots. Dives can last up to two hours.
Guests follow standard SCUBA procedures and will be trained/accompanied by a certified Necker Nymph pilot, company officials add.
For more information: VirginLimitedEdition.com
