We’ve all dreamed of underwater exploration since we heard “Under The Sea” from “The Little Mermaid”, or perhaps you were a “Goonies” kid. Images of pirates, Spanish gold doubloons, sea charts. Words like swashbuckling, scurvy, ahoy, and Rrrr, rattle about our heads as we dream of what mysteries lay out in that vast and deep blue.
So we design scuba and deep sea diving gear for the more adventurous, and erect aquariums for the common, curious observer. The ocean is as exciting as space in that it is mostly unexplored, and some may argue it is more exciting, for what we have unraveled of the frontier’s mysteries, grows stranger and more colorful than the last as we explore further and deeper.
Dubai is a place that grows stranger and more colorful as well, but perhaps for different reasons. Regardless, they understand the desire for underwater adventure. They have plans to build underwater hotels. They also have a top-notch aquarium. But the most ambitious endeavor, an event of tidal proportions, is the construction of an underwater theme park, The Pearl of Dubai.
The Pearl of Dubai will be quite the culmination and actualization of our childhood deep sea fantasies. Like I said, it is a theme park, and the theme isn’t just water. Instead, park goers will adventure into the long lost city of Atlantis. Pirate ship ruins and sunken treasure will litter the floor. Now you need to scuba or snorkel to participate in the park, so of course there is also sea life.
The five-acre park serves a greater purpose than just roping in tourists. It is the hope of Dubai and Reef World, who are designing the park, that it will attract marine life to help out The World. The World is a series of artificially built islands off the coast of Dubai. The project has hit a sew snags, but when or if it is completed, having a strong water ecosystem supporting it will benefit its sustainability.
The park will certainly be like no other place on Earth. Whether it will come off as an experience of adventure that leaves one mystified and exhilarated, or a tacky tour that’s just another footnote in your vacation, remains to be seen. It’s undecided when the actual opening day event will happen. Here’s to hoping it’s soon.
