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Show New for Vacations: Underwater Parks By NORMAN SKLAREWITZ Wat a nice quiet vacation where there are no crowds, no pollution—only fantastic piant and animallife and a myriad of shapes and colors you’ve probably never even imagined? le ea a ae It’s not a dream, but rather the newest thing in public recreation—underwater parks. In fact, the fantastic world under the sea is shaping up to be the country’s next outdoors attraction. There are already underwater parks in Florida, the Virgin Islands, and underwater preserves slated to become parks soon in California. All share the common goal to introduce the public to the lovely and exciting scenes beneath the sea and, simultaneous- ly, to protect marine life from the ravages of commercial exploitation that has spoiled many land resorts. Most popular of the underwater vacation spots is Florida’s John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. It encompasses 75 square miles in an area off Key Largo in the Atlantic On shore are 72 acres of campgrounds, parking, a children’s playground, and other similar park facilities. But what brings toe ee ee ee thousands of visitors each year to this park is whatlies beneath the sparkling water of the Largo Sound. Here is the only living reef formation along the coast of North America and hasstartling varieties of tropical fish and othersealife. To explore this magical marine world, visitors should expect to get more than their feet wet. Divers able to use scuba Howdoes amanfeel when he gives his familyfinancial security? equipment have the best opportunity to explore the park’s depths. But for those not qualified to use such gear, simple snorkel masks provide an entry into the silent and inysterious domain of the sea. For those who prefer not to get even that close to the water, the park provides glass-bottom boats which cruise atop clear waters over multi-colored reefs. Ten feettall. wonderful things—if you have enough. It’s sort ofselfish in a way. Knowing you have a well-plannedlife insurance Your New York Life Agentwill be glad to help you estimate what you will need to program gives you a deep down, perachieve your goais. sonalkind ofpleasure. He'd like nothing better than to Knowing you have guaranteed see you happily insured. yourfamily’s financial security. Selfish? You betit is, if peace of Knowing your children will have mindisselfish. a fair start because their fundsfor colNewYork Life Insurance Company lege are assured, 51 Madison Ave., N.Y., N.Y. 10010 Knowing there will be some exLife, Group and Health Insurance, tra money to adda little fun to your Annuities, Pension Plans. ownretirement. 125 years of service Lite insurance can doall kinds of Fora happier life Gaiifornia plans to develop a string of underwater parks along her spectacular Pacific Ocean coastline. Thefirst is expected to be at Point Lobos, a dramatic park reserve just a few miles down the rugged cliffline from picturesque Monterey. It has long attracted divers eager to exploreits incredible canyons, bridges, caves, and tunnels. Another California site for an underwater parkis slated to be at Torrey Pines in San Diego county. Its features include a rock bottom, two submarine canyons with great gorges and distinctive marine biological life. As a bonusto visitors is the possibility of finding prehistoric Indian artifacts, as the area underwater was an Indian campsite 7,000 years ago. Robert Bates, a memberof the California Advisory Board on Underwater Parks and Reserves, calis marine recreation an “overlooked baby” in the total outdoor recreation scene. He andother experts have been working for over three years planning for a network of underwater parks. With proper support from Governmentagencies and a con- cerned public, undersea parks can one day soon join all the other types of American playgrounds. Paul E. Schulz, a U.S. National Park Service naturalist, sees the possibility of sightseeing submarines that can take visitors in complete safety and air-conditioned comfort through the scenic depths. Perhaps even “trails” and tunnel walkways to permit nondivers to peer through glass-viewing ports. With such enthusiasm, there seems no problems ahead. Except maybe, how to keep sentRe the picnic basket dry. @ 28 Family Weekly, October18, 1970 |