Adventure. The sea. Anticipation.

These words go hand-in-hand when thinking about how much is still unknown about the ocean -- and how many new things are discovered about the watery depths on almost a daily basis.

Bermudians especially, are learning more and more about the oceans around them, and it was in this spirit of adventure and a quest for learning that led The Royal Gazette to join intrepid explorers on the submarine Enterprise .

Entertainers Mr. David Novich, Mr. Max Clever, and Ms Joni Anderson, along with Niffer the dog, are here this summer performing at one of Bermuda's major hotel properties with the Bermuda Follies.

Not content to believe stories about a Bermuda triangle and other Bermuda mysteries, the four took the submarine ride, along with a glass-bottom boat ride, to find out more about the Island. It was an educational experience as well as a day out on the water, and they were surprised at what they learned.

They also made history -- never before in Bermuda's history has a magician performed magic tricks 40 feet under water, or a dog travelled down to the bottom of the sea! Twenty thousand leagues under the sea it wasn't, but the lessons they learned will become part of their commitment to teaching our visitors about Bermuda and incorporating that information in their show.

The Enterprise is a 65-foot battery-powered submersible which carries up to 44 people in air-conditioned comfort to 40 feet below the water, approximately seven miles off Dockyard.

The ship came to Bermuda in 1988, and at the time was the third of its kind in the world. Now there are about 40 at various locations, but only 15 are similar in size to the Enterprise .

According to owner/operator Mr. Harry Soares: "The submarine can dive to 800 feet, and recently we took her down to 200 feet. Unfortunately, all we could see was one species of fish and no coral. The Enterprise is the only submarine in the world that goes as close to the reef as this one does.'' Highly advanced technology allows the two-man pilot team to calculate the ship's weight and compensate for buoyancy and other variables.

The ride down to the bottom is so smooth, it seems imperceptible, and the only way to tell that something is happening is the hiss of released air.

For those with nervous stomachs a sea-sickness bag is provided, but it is almost always unnecessary.

Fish of all types swim lazily by as they eye the intruders with a somewhat disdainful expression. Several reef dwellers -- squirrel, Bermuda chub, sergeant major (cow polly) and hogfish are evident, along with myriad sea creatures and corals.

Bermuda rests on a coral cap which goes down about 165 feet to a solid volcanic rock base.

Forty feet down, there are basically two types of coral: soft and hard.

The soft coral looks like colourful plants, and the hard corals resemble rock, but actually both are made of tiny microscopic animals.

At 40 feet down the soft coral appears to dance, a movement caused by the currents around the island.

On the leisurely jaunt around the coral reef, coral `fingers' grow, their slender stalks often rising to more than four feet in height. Sea rods, which are miniature versions, display an interesting characteristic -- when they are active, they take on a purple cast; when dormant, they appear grey.

Purple sea fans are also seen, their lace-like beauty reminiscent of an Oriental lady's fan.

Cauliflower-like brain corals lie scattered around the sea floor, and antler-like fire corals sprout in their midst. It was interesting to learn that fire corals are so called because of their ability to inject tiny `needles' into bare skin, which can cause an intense burning sensation for as little as two hours, or as long as two days. James, the tour commentator, told us the longest he had heard of someone suffering was a week.

One important lesson learned was about the making of Bermuda's pink sand, and it is an unlikely culprit that contributes to 80 per cent of it.

The parrotfish, of which there are about 12 species swimming around, keep the coral healthy by scraping algae off. They eat the coral as well, and as it passes through their digestive systems, it comes out as sand.

It is estimated that parrotfish produce up to a ton of sand a year.

Another interesting fact learned about the parrotfish is their reproductive method.

James told the passengers all parrotfish are born female. The dominant female in the group changes sex, size and shape, thus becoming a male. The rest of the fish remain in a `harem.' If the male is eaten or chased away, another one changes sex. The scientific term for this is `super-male,' but the Enterprise crew refer to the parrotfish as a `trans-fishual!' Mr. Soares also told the passengers the parrotfish makes its own blanket at night. It spins a sticky web similar to a spider's around itself when it goes to sleep.

Also shattering another illusion is the sergeant major fish. These are aggressive little devils, known to chase fish 10 times their own size. Mr.

Soares said they have even been known to attack the submarine.

Another strange form of fish behaviour is that of the four-eyed butterfly fish. These fish mate for life, and when one dies, the other commits suicide.

They will refuse to eat until they literally starve to death.

The highlight of the trip is the wreck of the Lartington . This 250-foot ship was wrecked off the West End in August, 1878. Carrying 4,000 bales of cotton after leaving Georgia, she ran into a gale some distance off the island. The captain asked the first mate to sail within 12 miles of Bermuda, but instead found themselves only six miles off Dockyard.

She ran aground on the reef, and the three-year old ship sank, scattering pieces of itself across the sandy bottom.

Another amazing discovery made on this cruise was how light is filtered underwater. As you reach certain depths, different colours in the light spectrum are filtered out. As red is the lowest on the spectrum, it was the first to `disappear,' and anything red changed to a burgundy colour.

Also interesting was the fact that human skin takes on a grey, decomposed-looking pallor. All of the passengers looked like corpses! This is known as the `submariner's revenge.' Another highlight of the trip is watching the fish feed. A scuba diver swims by with treats for the fish as the passengers watch, and as if by some silent cue, the water darkens as hundreds of fish, large and small congregate in a feeding frenzy.

The `piranha' of the sea, the Bermuda chub, takes on an angry black appearance when eating, and it is said they will attack anything that moves.

To keep the Enterprise in top shape takes a lot of hard work. Every night a full-time crew comes to clean the vessel, which takes from six to eight hours.

They also have to make sure that there is a three-day supply of air on board, and everything is checked according to the American Bureau of Shipping regulations, in addition to Bermuda guidelines.

Mr. Soares said that an annual re-fit of the submarine costs about $220,000, and the crew is highly trained in every aspect of the operation. It takes about three years training to be a submarine pilot, and each pilot must keep a log book for the department of Marine and Ports. There are four Bermudians currently training to become Enterprise pilots.

However, not all of Neptune's secrets have been revealed. Go and find out other interesting facts about the Bermuda depths. Call Enterprise Submarine Bermuda at 234-3547 for dive times and reservations.

DEEP SEA EXPLORERS -- Curiosity does not always kill the cat! These six would-be explorers went on the submarine Enterprise recently to find out about Bermuda's ocean life. Pictured from left are: Ms. Joni Anderson and Niffer the dog, entertainer Mr. Max Clever, pilot Mr. Reggie Matthie, Sarah Schuessler, 7, Mr. David (Captain Follies) Novich, and submarine owner/operator Mr. Harry Soares.