In the coming tourist season, visitors to Cayman will be able to tour the land and sea without moving from their seat.

Marineland Tours has secured exclusive Cayman rights to the Hydra Terra, a brand new amphibious bus capable of operating on the roads and in the water. It is scheduled to arrive on-island within the next two months, said Curtis Eldermire of Marineland.

“It is the only amphibious bus that is US Coast Guard approved. There are 58 in operation throughout the world, including Japan, Dubai and California. Aside from the engine room, the entire, marine-grade aluminium hull is filled with foam so it cannot sink.

“We were looking for a new product that was totally unique and didn’t replicate anything on the island. This is perfect for Cayman; one thing we do on this that no amphibious bus in the world has done yet is installing a camera in the hull which feeds to two big-screen TVs. That only works here because of our water clarity,” he explained.

Endless possibilities

Initially tours will begin at the dock before heading down the Lobster Pot ramp, around cruise ships, up to West Bay and into the mangroves. It can operate anywhere there is a ramp to the water, explained Mr. Eldermire.

The potential for the fully-narrated tours in the 46-capacity vehicle may includes visits to the mangroves, Stingray City and more, he added.

“It’s endless in terms of possibilities but we are going to start simple and see what the passengers like, what length of tours they prefer, and go from there.

Mr. Eldermire said that one of the stumbling blocks from the outset of the two-year project had been that the bus was initially considered an oversized vehicle due to its 8-foot, 6-inch width and 40-foot length.

“The law said maximum size was eight feet but on August 2, 2010, the government amended the traffic law to make it legal on the streets. For oversized vehicles there were all sorts of requirements like having to have a police escort - they were classifying us like a backhoe or a huge tractor going down the road, but now the law states anything in excess of 8 feet 6 inches [is oversized]. So we’re now considered a regular vehicle on the road.”

As well as the utilisation as a tour vehicle, for which Marineland was required to apply for a license as other tour companies do, the unique vehicle will be put on alert for use as a rescue or aid vessel should an emergency arise.

“We’ve put a ramp on the back with a rear entrance. At any time if there’s any flooding, or a problem at the end of the runway, for example, we can go straight in the water. We have offered the use of it to the government 24 hours a day - in an emergency situation we can take the bus to help, free of charge,” he said.

Indeed, when Hurricane Katrina hit, the manufacturer and inventor, John Giljam, put together a convoy of all the amphibious buses in the US and offered their help, only to be thwarted due to a lack of the requisite permissions from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Environmentally-sensitive

On land, the vehicle has a potential top speed of 70 miles per hour and 10 to 12 knots in the water. It can operate up to three miles offshore.

The bus features three engines: a Caterpillar C7, which meets all current emission requirements for 2010, plus twin 325hp marine engines, which Marineland said surpass all worldwide requirements for marine diesel emissions. Because it’s an amphibious vehicle, the engine and transmission must be located within the hull, meaning that no oil, fuel or antifreeze can drip onto the roads or into the ocean.

While in the water, the axles will be pressurised to 3 pounds per square inch, preventing water intrusion that could otherwise also displace oil. A filter system at the bilge pump ensures no oil is pumped overboard and it is also biofuel-approved by the manufacturers. There’s a large vent system with forced air to the engines in order to cool the system in the tropical heat, a perennial issue with engine performance in hot countries.

Mr. Eldermire said that it had been very important to the company that the vehicle perform to the highest standards of cleanliness. He noted that the vehicle surpassed most boats and coaches in Cayman as a result of its high specification.