I quit life on land to live 22ft under the SEA… I could get pizza delivered but missed something we all take for granted
A FORMER engineer and diver quit his life on land to live underwater for 100 days – but missed one thing many take for granted.
As he took up long term residency in the Jules’ Undersea Lodge in Florida, Joe Dituri was able to take very few things from the surface with him.
The vessel doubles as a bed and breakfast, but will set you back a whopping £900 per night for a chance to sleep 22ft below the surface.
To enter, lodgers use the “moon pool” – a small opening which allows the group to enter from below.
Dituri told Insider: “It’s not a five-star hotel by any wild stretch of the imagination.
“It is bare and meagre living quarters for scientists. It’s for people who are looking for a zest for life.”
Dituri entered the underwater hotel for 100 days to study the effect of hyperbaric medicine on the human body.
Hyperbaric medicine involves breathing 100% oxygen while under increased pressure, such as under the sea, to improve health conditions.
But 100 days under the surface would drive most people mad – and other than his girlfriend and the luxuries of life above the surface, Dituri said he missed one thing in particular.
He said: “I can tell you when I resurface that I’m going to go see the sunset because that’s the one thing I miss the most.”
But the lodge does have some comforts from land, including a television, WiFi, refrigerator and kitchen.
Plus, Jules’ lodge claims to be the only in the world to offer underwater pizza delivery.
Delivery boys suit up in scuba gear, rather than a uniform, and can earn £11- £15 an hour doing their job.
Deliveryman Thane Milhoan serves pizza to the unique lodge, but has a unique challenge to ensure the pizzas will stay hot and dry.
He told Metro: “In order to do that we use a dry box, we double bag it in plastic bags just to keep it extra special dry.
“The second challenge is keeping the toppings from falling off, so we use weights and some strategically placed clips to keep the box level in the water.”
And while Milhoan’s position may be rare at the moment, he believes his position is secure.
He said: “You never know with rising sea levels in places Kiribati or the Maldives or something – people start living underwater, the underwater pizza delivery boy may become a thing.”