Icaro’s smooth, warm tail felt like slick, wet rubber, and his smile was contagious. I was living out a lifelong dream of swimming with a dolphin, but my 6-year-old daughter wasn’t quite convinced. When she balked at stroking Icaro’s smooth skin, trainer Dominic Rahming knelt to her height and coaxed her gently toward the creature.

“Can you see the tiny hole where his ear is?” he asked my cautious daughter. “Look for the follicles around Icaro’s nose where his baby hair grew.”

It took Rahming only a few seconds to draw her into the moment and ease her trepidation. Then he invited us behind the scenes to learn more about the dolphins’ home.

Sunset glowed warmly on the coral-colored walls of Atlantis as we walked with Rahming around Dolphin Cay, but soon we were shivering when he led us out of the tropical evening and into a refrigerated room where 600 pounds of fish are thawed daily to feed the dolphins.  He also taught us that they require additional drinks of water and demonstrated how an instrument that looks like a modified grease gun is used to quench each animal’s thirst. Back outside, he showed us canvas slings in custom crates that are used to transport the dolphins safely and protect them in case of future hurricanes.

Guests at Paradise Island’s Atlantis can also swim with sea lions and become trainers of either mammal for a day. Near the sea lion pools, we peeked into a cage to meet the resident mascot macaw, Foots. Not to be outdone, the sea lions waddled toward us and reached their noses forward with a hoarse bark as if to say hello.

Dolphin Cay is not the only place where Atlantis visitors can take a dip with the more than 250 species of sea creatures in the world’s largest open-air marine habitat. Guests can don wet suits and swim with giant manta rays and thousands of other tropical fish among ruins that recall Plato’s mythical lost city in the Ruins Lagoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This part of the resort’s aquarium is visible from its grand lobby, the Great Hall of Waters, through 5-inch-thick windows. Because glass can cause distortion in aquarium views and make fish seem larger than they really are, Atlantis’ creators decided to use acrylic, which provides an accurate view of the piranha, giant grouper, parrot fish, jelly fish and other resident sea creatures.

The story of the lost city continues in The Dig, a subterranean labyrinth that is home to abandoned Antlean underwater equipment and hieroglyphs from the mythical 11,000-year-old civilization. Here we splayed our hands against giant windows just inches from cruising sharks and imagined ourselves submerged in the bright blue water that reflected off the walls around us.

 

Christiane Chertilus guided us through the darkened maze and pointed out the yellow mucus that covers moray eels and makes them appear an eerie shade of green. She also taught us how to tell the difference between male and female spiny lobsters by the position of their tails as we peered up at them through a tunnel of acrylic.

My daughters were eager to dive into the 20 million gallons of fresh and saltwater that flow through and around the carefully landscaped ruins of Atlantis. With lifeguards assigned to every 6 feet of the 140-acre Aquaventure water park, I was comfortable curling up in the sun with my book and a tropical punch while they delighted in every slide, river and pool. The dripping girls returned to boast of  whooshing down a speedy slide and through a shark reef in a clear tube. They had also endured waterfalls and rapids on The Current, a river they had braved on a double inner tube.

Our underwater experience took a different twist when my daughters learned from enthusiastic culinary staff at the kids-only Atlantis Kids Adventures club how to make their own tropical reef. They poured dark and white chocolate over buckets of ice and sheets of bubble wrap to produce textured, coral-like pieces. A few sprays of bright color and tasty sparkles sprinkled on top completed the edible treats reminiscent of real Bahamian reefs. In other rooms, they had danced, played house and built extensive LEGO reefs. The best surprise, though, was the kid-perfect bathroom that had individually themed stalls and talking mirrors.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The restaurants we visited recalled the beauty of the tropics with patterned décor, vibrant fruit garnishes, and fresh produce and seafood options. Our cleverly designed dessert sushi was made entirely of chocolate, sweet rice, glazed strawberries and marzipan. Even the chopsticks and tiny plates were edible treats.

After full days of swimming and exploring, our evenings were spent in creative endeavors. At Atlantis Pals, we stuffed cuddly animals to take home, and at the resort’s speedway we built and raced remote controlled cars. One evening we donned smocks to paint pottery souvenirs. I dipped my paintbrush in the greens and browns of the local palm trees, but the many shades of blue that my daughter chose for the shells on her candleholder most vividly captured the undersea feel of our Atlantean adventure.

 

 

WHEN YOU GO:

To read before travel: “The Katrina Dolphins – One Way Ticket to Paradise” by Georgeanne Irvine, a book about the dolphins that survived hurricane Katrina in 2005 and found a new home at Atlantis

To book online: www.atlantis.com. Look for specials available throughout the year.

Getting there: JetBlue offers easy connections through New York.

On the Island:  The trip from Nassau International Airport to Atlantis is 21 miles and easily navigated by taxi.

To plan for Atlantis: Water park, library and movies are complimentary at Atlantis, but other activities, programs and dining come with an additional charge. Half-day, whole-day and evening AKA programs are available to fit the needs of young travelers.

Night life at Atlantis:  Carefully screened sitters are available for young children, and older kids can enjoy their own night club or an evening at AKA while parents visit
the casino or adult night clubs.

To slip away for a day in Nassau: Find a taxi driver to give you a tour of the island. They are proud of their country and happy to share the rich history of the islands with  the tourists who make up most of their national income. Locals recommend dining at The Fish Fry, www.fishfrynassau.com. Souvenirs are available at the world-famous Straw Market , www.bahamasgo.com/treasures/strawmarket.htm.

 

 

CUTLINES:

DSC00183 – Water is central to the mythical theme of
Atlantis, where the world’s largest open-air aquarium is home to more than
50,000 sea creatures visible from underwater windows, reef-spanning bridges and
lagoon-view restaurants. (Lesley Sauls)

DSC00236/DSC00238 – The Atlantis Kids Adventures kitchen
encourages individuality, teaches technique and inspires creativity as children
build tropical reefs out of chocolate while their parents enjoy adult
activities at Atlantis.  (Lesley Sauls)

DSC00320 – Oversized acrylic windows provide a glimpse
into the world’s largest open-air aquarium at Atlantis, where more than 250
species of fish mingle with statues and ruins of Plato’s mythical lost city.
(Lesley Sauls)

DSC000082 – When the sun sets on Atlantis,
age-appropriate night life is available for everyone in the family.
(Lesley Sauls)