I'd like to be under the sea
In an octopus' garden in the shade

I love the bouncy Beatles tune. And I've always been attracted to the concept of visiting "the coral that lies beneath the waves." But here in reality -- as the crew of the Atlantis Submarine XV closes the hatch and the digital depth gauge at the front of the cabin begins describing our dive in big red numbers -- 20 ... 25 ... 30 feet below the surface -- I find myself more concerned about leaks than about any octopus' flower patch.

Earlier, 40 of us had climbed aboard the tender Sub Quest in St. Thomas' harbor. A 20-minute cruise took us to Turtle Cove near the Buck Island National Wildlife Refuge, where we met the Atlantis. As we arranged ourselves inside the cool, spotless interior of the 65-foot-long sub, the captain busied himself flipping switches and our guide recounted the vessel's perfect safety record. My only other submarine experience was Disney World's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea ride, where I learned how to avoid giant squid. I didn't hear any mention of sea monsters lurking in the USVI, but I still had a nagging worry about water pouring in.