78THE DELIGHTSOF THE DEEPForascubafanatic,fewplacesarebettertolearnthantheMaldives.SodivingdivaMARIELLAFROSTRUPcanâtwaittoseeher10-year-oldsontakethePADIplungeintheIndianOceanidyllROCKETMAN!DangetstogripswiththeâJetPackJoyRideâ,asthechildrenchristenedthethrill-seekersâwatersport
Blearywithjetlagafteralong,hot,hallucinogenicsleep,Istumbleontothebeach,whereamaninblackishovering5mabovethewater.Inthiseerilypost-apocalypticseascape,flatturquoiseoceanstretchingasfarasmyeyescantrace,helookssurprisinglyathome,firingjetsofwaterfromhisfeetlikesomefuturistichybridâpartman,partbird,partJesus.Thekids,needlesstosay,areentrancedâasisDad,whoâsarrivedjustintimetoseethiscuriousapparitiontopplewithanalmightysplashanddisappearheadfirstbeneaththesurface.Withsomerelief,wespyajetskierwhosemachineisconnectedtothesubmergedmanviaafathose,justas,Lazarus-like,here-emergesuprightfromthewaterandshootsbackintomid-air.JetPackJoyRide,asMollyandDanchristenthisnewestwatersport,istheperfectstartlingbeginningtoaweekentirelydevotedtothepleasuresoftheocean.Theysaymoneycanâtbuyyouhappiness,butLandaaGiraavaru,theFourSeasonshotelintheUNESCO-designatedâBiosphereâoftheBaaAtollintheMaldives,doeseverythingitcantodisprovethat.Atthisprivateislanddevotedtoyourpleasure,eachdayrollsintothenextinanorgyoflazyindulgenceorfreneticactivity,dependentonyourdesires.âYouknowthereallygreatthingabouthere?âmydaughterMollyaskedonoursecondday.âItlooksexactlylikethepictures!âItâstrue.Weâreherewithapurpose:toinitiatethelastmemberofourfamilyfoursomeintothedelightsofthedeep.Danhasreachedhis 1 0thbirthday,andheâsfollowinginhissisterâsfootsteps,attemptinghisPADIjuniordivercertification.Havingscouredtheglobeforthreedecadeshuntingdownthebestdivesitestoindulgemyownpassion,Iâmconvincedtherearefewbetterplacestolearntolovetheunderwaterrealmthanthistinyatollnation.Slippingbeneaththewarm,crystal-clearIndianOceantransportsyoutoahypnoticnewworld.There,softcoralswaveinthegentleswell,andstripedclownfishdartinandoutoftheiranemones,whilefishwithfantasynameslikesweetlipsandelegantfiregobyswimabovethenooksandcranniesofthecoralreefsthatarehometocrabsandshrimp,nudibranchsandmorayeels.Ifyouwantyourchildrentolovetheocean,thereâsnobetterplaceonearthtokickoffthataffair.``````Mariellaanddan,``````10,hookup12mdown
jacob rumans
(Jacob Rumans)
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