Exploring the pristine waters of the Maldives just got even better with the Superfalcon 3S
What’s arguably better than snorkeling? Flying through the water in an underwater submarine.
Visitors to the Maldives can now experience the wonders of the ocean from a completely new perspective thanks to the launch of the DeepFlight Super Falcon 3S submarine at the Four Seasons Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru.
Purpose-built for ocean tourism, the Super Falcon 3S submarine is designed to introduce the depths of the ocean to non divers from a 360-degree perspective that has traditionally been available only to scuba divers.
During a typical one-hour excursion, guests commonly encounter any number of the ocean’s wonderous inhabitants such as turtles, sharks, dolphins, and rays. In addition, guests typically skim over coral formations, which attract shoals of brightly coloured fish.
Flying underwater
The DeepFlight Super Falcon 3S is said to “fly” through the ocean because its design is akin to an aircraft given its cigar-shaped fuselage with aircraft-style wings, vertical stabilisers and dual engines. Unlike other tourist submarines in which occupants share the inside of a hull (often with strangers), the Super Falcon 3S takes a completely different approach. The two guests and one pilot each have their own “cockpit,” much like a tandem aircraft. While the bulk of their bodies are comfortably seated inside the fuselage, their heads remain above the fuselage, ensconced within clear canopies. The effect is somewhat akin to Buzz Lightyear sitting in an underwater airplane.
The Super Falcon 3S is designed by USbased company DeepFlight whose mission is to develop submarines for recreation and adventure. In 2008, DeepFlight launched their first submarine named Super Falcon targeted at private owners of submarines. DeepFlight’s next creation was Dragon, a submarine optimised for superyachts. Most recently was the launch of the Super Falcon 3S – a submarine purpose-built for tourism operations.
This year, DeepFlight launched DeepFlight Adventures – a subsidiary dedicated to offering tourists “once-in-alifetime sub-aquatic explorations” at luxury resorts such as the Four Seasons Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru, in partnership with
Ocean Group Maldives, a Singapore-based company with a 20-year history of bespoke aquatic excursions.
Close encounters of another kind
The Four Seasons Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru is ideal for ocean tourism. The surrounding waters are crystal clear, reasonably calm, and there is an abundance of sea life. In addition, visitors to the Maldives typically are not vacationing on a shoestring budget, which makes them prime prospects for DeepFlight Adventures.
Because guests have little to no submarine experience, common questions relate to safety. The DeepFlight Super Falcon 3S is buoyant by design. This means that should there be a power failure under water, the craft will automatically surface and float much like a boat. In addition, it is always operated by a professional “pilot” on a well established one-km course. Finally, the motors are powered by battery so there are no fuel vapour risks as are inherent with petrol-based boats.
Whether guests are residents of the Four Seasons Maldives or staying elsewhere, their experience starts and ends at the resort. They step aboard a speedboat that takes them to the Super Falcon 3S platform, which is moored in gentle waters. Climbing aboard is about as simple as climbing into a sports car. With both customers in place, an attendant closes each guest’s canopy and then the pilot takes his place in the third (i.e., aft) position where he can command the submarine while keeping a close eye on the guests. Each guest is provided with a headset so that everyone can communicate with one another throughout the excursion. Air conditioning keeps guests comfortable while ensuring an adequate circulation of supplemental oxygen.
After the attendant lowers the Super Falcon 3S into the water, the onboard pilot takes over, gently steering the submarine into the crystal clear depths of the surrounding ocean. Within moments, the skies above the ocean’s surface give way to a completely different underwater world seen 360 degrees from within each guest’s acrylic canopy. Encounters with rays, dolphins, sharks and countless fish begin almost immediately once the Super Falcon 3S descends below the surface and explores the Baa Atoll, part of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Typical excursions descend as much as 100 feet below sea level, well within the capabilities of the Super Falcon 3S.
After approximately 45 minutes of sublime oceanic exploration, the pilot of the Super Falcon 3S begins the journey back to the submarine’s platform. The total experience lasts approximately one hour.
To memorialise the “once-in-a-lifetime” experience, each dive will soon be captured by six HD cameras that will be installed in the submarine.
Hussain Zahid, Founder and Managing Director of Ocean Group, said, “Ocean Group strives to continually break new grounds by delivering world class dive and water sports experiences to resort guests. We are proud to be the exclusive partner of DeepFlight Adventures in the Maldives and excited to be the first in the world to launch DeepFlight Super Falcon 3S. We truly believe that resorts and tourism, in general, will benefit from having this unique activity available for resort guests in the Maldives.”