Meet Necker Nymph, a “flying” submarine that you can charter when staying at Necker Island in the BVIs or in tandem with Necker Belle.
Necker Nymph was designed and built by Graham Hawkes of Hawkes Ocean Technologies, who’s also the brains behind Deep Flight Aviator, a prototype created about a decade ago to introduce the concept of flying through the water to the general public. Necker Nymph is based on that original concept and said to be the first available to the public. (What else would you expect from Necker Belle’s and Necker Island’s owner, Sir Richard Branson?) It’s called an “aero submarine” because it can glide, like a seaplane, along the water’s surface or dive down like a traditional submarine. But unlike traditional subs, Necker Nymph uses downward “lift” on its wings to descend, versus ballast.
While in “aero” mode, three people – including a pilot – can sit in the open cockpit and explore local shorelines at a leisurely pace or zip into 360-degree turns for more thrill. This is due to the watertoy being a hydrobatic sub, meaning it has thrust and even roll-like maneuverability, which traditional subs don’t. Windshield-like panels keep occupants from feeling the pressure of slipstream. Sound levels are said to be low, so that fish and wildlife aren’t disturbed.
In dive mode, Necker Nymph can stay underwater for up to two hours, giving plenty of time to poke around reefs without impact and see other colorful sites. (Guests follow traditional scuba procedures and receive prior instruction by a pilot who’s been trained on Necker Nymph. That same pilot also accompanies them.) Maximum depth is 130 feet.
Necker Nymph is en route to Necker Island and should be available for $25,000 per week beginning in late February.
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