Jules undersea lodge, underwater hotel, linda lee rathbun

The Jules' Undersea Lodge: A Retreat at Five Fathoms
Natural Wanders…
exploring the natural world through writing

A Retreat at Five Fathoms
by Linda Lee Rathbun, Photos by Steven David Miller

The doorbell rings and the dogs go berserk, barking at the UPS man. Outside, the piercing shriek of a whipper snipper shatters your nerves. The phone starts ringing again--it's another credit card marketer. Your daughter is planning a slumber party for six teenage girls next weekend, and your son's band has after-school rehearsal in the garage today. Work has been hectic lately for you and your husband--it's time for a much needed break.
There is a place where one can go to get away from everything and everyone. A place that has no need for 'Do Not Disturb' signs, a place cocooned from the rest of the world. It's a unique retreat in Key Largo, and unlike any other hotel room in the world, it sits 30 feet underwater in an enclosed emerald lagoon. If you want to surround yourself with solitude and silence, or simply have a unique weekend experience, then the Jules' Undersea Lodge is for you.
The Jules' Undersea Lodge began life as an undersea laboratory called La Chalupa. It served as a habitat for aquanauts off the coast of Puerto Rico in the early 1970's, able to house five divers for up to two weeks at a time at a depth of 106 feet. When the research project ended, the underwater habitat sat in a shipyard for several years until it was purchased and re-vamped into a luxurious two-bedroom hotel suite with 600 square feet of living space.
Checking into a normal hotel room is a fairly standard procedure. You get your key, wander down long corridors looking for the right room, fling your luggage on the bed, and immediately examine the contents of the mini-bar to see if it includes those scandalously priced stale macadamia nuts. At Jules' Undersea Lodge, you stroll onto grounds set beneath tropical trees in full bloom and tinged by the scent of the sea blowing in off the bay. There is no need for a key since there isn't even a door, and a very casually dressed Mission Director--usually Mike--greets guests and escorts them to the Command Van which is the control center for the underwater habitat. Here, guests see a brief film on the history of man's ventures into the sea. For the more technically minded, Mike will point out all the techno-stuff in the Command Van, which is located on the surface just next to the lagoon and is staffed 24 hours a day in case of any emergency a guest might have in the lodge. After this utterly informal introduction, you are asked to place all your belongings in water-tight cases: these will be delivered to you later by the Mission Porter--usually Mike.
Now it is time to prepare to enter the lodge. If you are a qualified scuba diver, then it's a simple dive down, using either your own scuba gear or the resort's. If you are not a diver, then a three-hour introductory course will simply add more adventure to the experience. The Mission Guide--usually Mike, gives guests an underwater tour of the lagoon populated by a fascinating array of both mangrove and reef creatures. There is a variety of colorful invertebrate life, friendly fish dangling about like lazy mobiles, and even the occasional seahorse. Two of the more fascinating aspects to the lagoon are the working underwater research lab and a marine archaeology exhibit. Both of these are part of the "Man In the Sea Program" run by the Marine Resources Development Foundation, which also operates the lodge.
After this tour, you approach the submerged lodge from underneath, popping up into a chamber that is filled with pressurized fresh air. You climb inside to a 10 x 20 foot wet room which is used to store dive gear, and where guests can rinse off in the private bathroom. Mike will point things out, then leave to get the luggage. To the right of the wet room is an 8 x 20 foot chamber divided into two bedrooms, each with its own double bed, sink, entertainment unit, and large porthole. The bedrooms are separated by a sliding door, and herein lies the only disadvantage to Jules's Undersea Lodge. There is a chance that someone else will book in at the same time you do, and then you will be sharing the habitat with other guests. This often leads to life-long friendships, but my preference would be for solitude. For a higher fee, the entire lodge can be yours, and of course both rooms can be booked for a family retreat. One thing is certain though: in this bedroom, you will sleep an amniotic slumber.
On the other side of the wet room is a third 8 x 20 foot chamber, and this is the living area. A fully equipped galley, an entertainment center, comfortable seating, and two beautifully-carved mermaid tables make this a most pleasant room. If total silence isn't your bliss, then listen to the stereo system or watch a video on TV. The video collection includes such thematic movies as "The Deep", "Hunt for Red October", "Splash", and of course the film of Jules Verne classic: "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea". There is a phone--heaven forbid--but I suggest that you ignore it entirely unless you have the sudden urge to send out for pizza, (which will be delivered to your room by Mike). In both the lounge and bedrooms, guests can gaze out the massive portholes as angelfish, parrotfish, grunt, and snappers languidly swim past in a protected lagoon with 30 foot visibility. I love to just sit and watch beams of sunlight pierce the clear emerald water and dance around like excited ghosts. It is hypnotic.
Soon, Mike will arrive with the luggage and point everything out, including how to communicate with the Command Van should you need anything. After a brief chat, he leaves. No one else is around. There is no noise, no possibility of interruptions, no chance of being disturbed. How heavenly. The kitchen is well-stocked, and a nice cup of coffee and a snack is very welcome. Lie down on the sofa with a good book. Look out the porthole at the fish. Have a nap. Go out for another dive. Have a conversation with your spouse--a conversation that can go on for hours. Enjoy the luxury of having time for quiet contemplation.
There are several ways to enjoy the Jules' Undersea Lodge. The Luxury Aquanaut Program allows for a 1 pm check-in and 11 am check-out, including a gourmet dinner and breakfast. These meals are cooked by the Mission Mer-Chef--usually Mike, and include lobster, filet mignon, seafood omelet, and more. It also includes unlimited diving with the lodge's Hookah (surface supplied air lines) for qualified divers, or regular scuba dives for those who have taken the introductory course. The Romantic Getaway Package offers all this plus exclusive use of the lodge. Guests can even get married here--or renew their wedding vows.
The European Style Package allows for a 5 pm check-in and
9 am check-out, and includes a light dinner and breakfast, and unlimited diving. There is also a Mini Adventure Day Visit that gives you three hours in the lodge, plus diving in the lagoon. For an additional fee you can have Mike cook you a gourmet meal, and if that isn't a unique way to go out to dinner, I don't know what is.
I think that the Jules' Undersea Lodge is wonderful not so much for what it has, but for what it doesn't have. No doorbells, phone calls, or faxes. No other people. No noise. Some guests come back year after year; one man checks in for a two weeks at a time, just to disconnect from the real world. Another couple came for a romantic break, and later christened their baby son 'Jules'. The lodge is also a perfect family getaway: take those two teenagers along and develop a closeness that sometimes seems impossible at home. No matter what your reason for going there, the Jules' Undersea Lodge offers an experience no other place can. In this increasingly fast-paced world, it is nice to know that such a blissful aquatic retreat exists.

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Sidebar:
-The Jules' Undersea Lodge is located at 51 Shoreland Drive, which is on the south side of the Overseas Highway at Mile Marker 103.2. Travel via Alligator Alley, then south on I 75 to the Turnpike and then Highway 1; or Tamiami Trail, then south on 997 (Chrome Ave.) and onto Highway 1. Both take about 2 and 1/2 hours.
Tel: 305-451-2353, Fax: 305-451-4789. Web address: www.jul.com
-Rates for Luxury Aquanaut Package: $325 per person per night,
$275p.p. for groups of 4 to 6. For European Style Package: $225 per person per night, $175p.p. for groups of 4 to 6. For Romantic Getaway Package, $1,000 for entire lodge. For Mini Adventure Day Visit: $60 per person, $40 extra for gourmet meal, (or you can send out for pizza!).
*Southwest Florida residents receive a 10% discount on lodging.
-Discover Diving course for non-divers: $75 for first guest, $50 for each additional guest.
-Call lodge for information on Man in the Sea Program and other dive courses that include a stay in the lodge.
-Bring your own dive gear if you like, a bathing suit and/or dive skin, a casual change of clothes for the air-conditioned lodge, and any personal items.
-Minimum age: 12 years. Overnight guests cannot fly or do deep dives
for 24 hours after surfacing from the lodge.