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Archive for the ‘Central/South America’ Category
One of the lorries on the deck of the Zenobia Wreck
Wreck diving offers a unique twist to the sport – the opportunity to see manmade achievements superimposed on the underwater world. Whether intentionally sunk or not, these structures provide a playground for ocean creatures and divers alike. Below are some of our favorite wreck dives here at Scuba-dive.org.
The Thistlegorm, The Umbria, Mid-East Gulf Region – Many novice divers visit Sharm-el-Sheikh in Egypt to enjoy some of the most colorful coral reefs in the world, but few are aware of the fascinating wreck diving that is also available here. The Thistlegorm, a British Merchant Navy ship that was sunk by German bombers in WWII, was bombed and sank here in 1941, forever destined to become a fascinating dive site rich in marine life. The 400ft long container ship filled with motorbikes, Bedford trucks and even Lee Enfield rifles sank when it was hit by a German bomb that blew a hole in the port side, igniting tank ammunition that was in the hold. The explosion ripped the roof of the ship backwards (rather like opening a tin of sardines) giving divers an inside display of the ships merchandise. This Red Sea dive site has got plenty to see both inside and out, with plenty of marine life around. Sightings of hammer-heads, jacks, trevallies and huge napoleon wrasses are reported here. The only drawback is the site’s busy nature, as it is not uncommon for 20 dive boats stationed above the wreck at a time. In neighboring Sudan, the Italian cargo ship Umbria was scuttled by its crew in 1940 at Wingate Reef after an attack by the British and hit the seabed along with its cargo of unexploded bombs, Fiat Lagunas and wine bottles. Both of these wrecks make up the most interesting dive sites to be found in the Gulf region.
The Blackjack, the SS President Coolidge, South Pacific – Some of the best kept secrets of World War Two lie immortalized beneath the Pacific Ocean. Off the shores of Papua New Guinea at Milne Bay lies the site of Blackjack, a former B17 Bomber aircraft and an intrepid former member of the US 5th Air Force. In 1943 the aircraft took off to attack the Japanese airstrip at Rabaul but crashed into the sea after hitting severe thunderstorms, leaving a relic which even today has remained almost intact. Papua New Guinea’s crystal clear waters and this mint condition aircraft wreck make it a topnotch spot to experience. At Vanuatu in the South Pacific, the SS President Coolidge offers several excellent dive sites of varying depths. Built originally as a luxury cruise liner, the vessel was being used to ferry reinforcements to nearby US bases during the second world war, before the explosion of two mines close to the island’s harbor heralded its final demise to the seabed. This massive luxury liner, built in 1931 converted into a Second World War troop ship, is more than 600ft long. Divers can explore it on both shallow and deep dives. To see the whole ship in its entire majestic splendor sitting at the bottom on the sea bed would require at least 10 dives. What you can expect to see other than the ship itself are heaps of military gear including howitzer cannons, a 10-wheel General Motors Corporation truck, jeeps, tracked vehicles, steering wheels and tires.
Fujikawa Maru, Truk, Micronesia – Yes, Micronesia is in the South Pacific, but Truk’s wreck diving so good it gets its own section. Truk Lagoon, Micronesia is a definite must on any serious wreck divers list. It holds the remains of the almost an entire Japanese fleet including 60 shipwrecks and dozens of sunken air crafts destroyed in 1944. Of these many wrecks to choose from the 7,000 ton freighter Fujukawa Maru is notable as one of the best. This specific wreck stands upright in shallow water, making the 437ft wreck pretty accessible. The bridge area with sake bottles, the engine room and wings in the hold covered in soft coral and frequently circled by grey reef makes this an exciting wreck to dive.
The Zenobia, Mediterranean – Head for Larnaca Bay in Cyprus to see one of the world’s most interesting wrecks. The Zenobia, a Swedish built ferry, has been lying on the seabed here since it sank in 1980 on its maiden voyage to Syria, after the computerized pump system for the ballast developed faults. The fact that the vessel was carrying £200 million worth of cargo including over 100 articulated lorries makes this a truly fascinating undersea treasure trove.
Felipe Xicotencatl, Laguna Mandinga, Patzcuaro, Cozumel – It’s best known for drift diving on sheer vertical walls, but you can enjoy wrecks in Cozumel, too. Take the Felipe Xicotencatl, for example, better known as the C-53. It was originally built as a U.S. Navy minesweeper, measuring 184 feet long with a 33-foot beam. In 1962, she was sold to the Mexican Navy for a dollar, converted to a gun boat and renamed the Felipe Xicotencatl C-53. She patrolled the Mexican Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico until 1999, when she was decommissioned, donated to the Cozumel Marine Park and laid to rest in 82 feet of water off Chankanaab. The marine park has recently restricted access there, so you dive it at your own risk, but it’s generally believed to be safe and she remains one of Cozumel’s most popular dives. Hurricane Wilma spun the C-53 around and broke her in two, and her average depth of 65 feet makes her a perfect second dive. Also upping the ante for wreck divers are two naval patrol vessels intentionally sunk just outside the marine park: the 85-foot Laguna Mandinga and the 42-foot Patzcuaro. At less than 40 feet, divers and snorkelers alike can enjoy them.
SS Yongala, Gothenberg, HMAS Brisbane, GBR - The SS Yongala is a 350-foot-plus luxury passenger ship and freighter that sits smack dab on the world’s largest reef. She went down in a cyclone and sat undisturbed in 50 to 100 feet of water 50 miles off Townsville for almost 50 years, until it was discovered in 1958. Today, it’s arguably one of the GBR’s most popular dive spots, an artificial reef sitting in the midst of the world’s largest real one, clouded by yellowtail demoiselles and Maori wrasse, sea snakes, turtles, grouper and the occasional tiger shark. A protected historic wreck, the Gothenberg isn’t intact but offers shallow depths (maximum 60 feet) for beginning wreck divers. Reef sharks are often seen in the area. Another popular Queensland wreck is the 440-foot U.S.-built, Australian guided missile destroyer HMAS Brisbane, which served in Vietnam and the first Gulf War, and now rests in 115 feet of water off the Gold Coast. Large holes have been strategically cut along the entire length of both sides of the ship to allow divers easy entry and exit. It is virtually impossible to get lost inside the ship or become entangled. Green wrasse, octopi, turtles, scorpion fish and many other interesting sea creatures can be found here.
USS Oriskany, Florida – If the idea of exploring the largest artificial reef in the world inspires you, head to the Gulf of Mexico and dive the USS Oriskany at Pensacola, which was scuttled here in May 2006. A former US navy aircraft carrier, the ‘Mighty-O’ enjoyed a naval career that began in 1950, serving in the Korean War as well as Vietnam. Much can be seen at shallow depths here including the vessel’s gun platforms. But, for a more close encounter with the wreck, the Oriskany dive is a deep dive.
More Wrecks than You can Count, Bahamas – The Bahamas-assembled from more than 700 sandy spits of land sprinkled over an ocean area the size of Wyoming-forms the bottom leg of the Bermuda Triangle. It’s no wonder the islands offer some of the region’s best wreck diving. Off New Providence-home to Nassau and two-thirds of the Bahamas’ population-there are a handful of interesting wrecks tended by a rather sizeable population of reef sharks. Offerings here include the Willaurie, the “Bond” wrecks (movie props including the Tears of Allah from Never Say Never Again and Vulcan bomber from Thunderball), Caribe Breeze, Bahama Mama, Steel Forest (actually three wrecks-the Captain Fox, Fenwick Stirrup and the Manana) and Ray of Hope. The Hope is both a wreck and a big animal encounter-Stuart Cove’s does a very enthusiastic shark feed on it. Other greats include Bimini’s Sapona and Bimini Barge and Grand Bahama’s Theo’s Wreck and Sugar Wreck.
HMCS Yukon, John C. Butler, The Delphy, Chauncey II, Fuller, Woodbury III, S.P. Lee, Nicholas and the Young, California – The sinking of the 366-foot Canadian destroyer HMCS Yukon to create an artificial reef in 2000-the West Coast’s biggest-may have shined new light on the Golden State’s wreck offerings, but local divers have been enjoying dozens of submerged boats for decades. Not too far from the Yukon is the S-37, a 219-foot steel submarine that saw some action in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Her infamously cramped quarters and leaking engine made her despised by her crew. She was ultimately depth-charged by her foes and, as a final insult, used for aerial target practice in 1945, sinking in 30 feet of water off Imperial Beach. The 306-foot destroyer escort John C. Butler sits off San Clemente Island in 60 to 80 feet of water, another war veteran that fought in famed battles including those in Palau, Peleliu, Leyte Gulf, Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Another interesting dive is the 100-foot El Rey, which harvested kelp off Southern California and logged more than 800,000 miles. Near Lompoc, in what is generally considered to be the worst peacetime disaster in U.S. Naval history, seven destroyers wrecked on the rocky reefs at Point Pedernales. The Delphy, Chauncey II, Fuller, Woodbury III, S.P. Lee, Nicholas and the Young are all 314-foot steel destroyers lying in depths above 40 feet with visibility ranging from nil to 50 feet.
Even the Great White Shark looks tame in comparison to this beast...
Scuba divers frequently get eaten by giant ______.
(Fill in the blank: giant octopi, sharks, man-eating conchs, radioactive seahorses, etc.)
FALSE. You have a better chance of being killed by a vending machine than being eaten by a shark. Seriously. Jacques Cousteau once said that “Man, of all the animals, is the only one to consider himself a great delicacy.” Just because there are some large predatory animals living in the oceans does not mean that they are gunning for every diver that jumps in. Divers, in general, are too big and too loud (i.e. intimidating) for most creatures to consider us a food source. Not to mention that a human’s bone/muscle mass to fat ratio is darn near indigestible and definitely not appetizing, even to a great white shark. This is not to say caution be damned: I would advise against bronco riding a bull shark and parading about the sea floor with an octopus as a fashion accessory. But, to answer the question from countless co-workers, airplane seatmates, relatives, and even the little old lady who walks her chihuahua by my house every day at 9am, no, I am not concerned that something will eat me while scuba diving.
Chicks dig divers.
TRUE. Of course it helps if the diver in question is buff, tan and 22. If you are 50, hairy and can’t fit your beer gut into your wetsuit, you may find this myth to be false. Interestingly, many dive boats actually have a larger proportion of men on them than women. So, ladies, if you are looking to meet some new and interesting people, scuba might be the thing for you. If you don’t make a love connection, at least you got some good exercise and explored a bit of the incredible ocean. It’s got to be better than speed dating.
Diving is a great opportunity to do something with my husband/wife/partner/sister/brother/child/friend/good looking neighbor, etc.
MAYBE. Divers learn at different paces, so just because you and the target of your affection start out in scuba lessons together does not necessarily mean that you will progress at the same pace or enjoy the same type of diving. There is always at least one person on every dive boat whose former dive buddy just wants to sit on the beach, play golf or find the bottom of their margarita glass (repeatedly). Fear not, however, if you find yourself in this solitary predicament. Divers are a welcoming bunch. You will most likely be able to trade in your current stick-in-the-mud friend for a shiny new dive buddy who shares your interests.
All scuba diving must be dangerous.
FALSE. Divers tend to choose their most extreme scuba experiences to share with others. Tales of swimming vertically down the Devil’s Throat in Mexico or swirling in the murky Cauldron of Death in Chile make for impressive bar room stories more so than floating along in the 10 foot deep Flower Gardens. Sitting on the shallow ocean floor watching a sand eel pop its head in and out of its hole just doesn’t extract the same listener reaction as the bull shark that tore a chunk out of your fin as you escaped towards the dive boat. Scuba can be as dangerous or as benign as the diver chooses, based on the dive profile, resident critters and skill level of the diver in question. Like many things in life, there is a comfortable level to be had for everyone.
Learning to dive can turn you into James Bond or Scuba Steve.
MAYBE. If you just don’t have a cool bone in your body, no amount of bottom time will help. But, if you are looking to add a little spice to an otherwise tame existence, scuba might be for you. You’ll meet new people. You’ll have something new to talk about around the water cooler on Monday. You might even find you are motivated to go to the gym a bit more (so next time you can actually lift that tank). Note: spy gadgets and Bond-like attitude are not included in standard scuba gear.
Divers are required to have 3-day old stubble, a bad crew cut and a tattoo that says Mom.
FALSE. Yes, once upon a time scuba was reserved for the “heartiest” of humans who grunted and spat, while grabbing their god-given jewels before entering the water. Also, there was a time when most people thought the world was flat. So…has anything Nostradamus promised come to fruition lately? No? Then let’s let go of this Neanderthal notion of diving, shall we? Most dive boats hold a healthy combination of divers that are old and young, male and female, and (possibly concerningly) a wide variety of physical fitness. Scuba diving is now done (literally) on the 4 corners of the globe in every language you can name. I will say, however, that many die-hard divers have aquatic themed tattoos. Why? I have no idea, other than their conviction for the sea. I don’t have one myself, but am shopping for one now. I’m thinking a whaleshark with a wave. Maybe a Mom whaleshark.
Get this guy an XXXXL BCD
Chile has a secret. Though most people think of the Andes Mountains when it comes to Chile, this country’s 6,400km of pristine coastline acts as a gateway to some of the best cold-water diving in the world. The Humboldt Current whisks by Chile’s coast, creating plankton-rich waters that offer neon soft corals, towering sponges, tie-dyed starfish, flower corals, snappy crabs, playful sea-lions, historical wrecks and plenty of fish for divers to relish.
Scuba divers embrace the waters off the coast from Puerto Montt in the south to Arica in the north, though the most popular dive spots reach from Arica to La Serena on the north coast where the water is warmer and the fish are more prolific. Visibility ranges from 10-20m and water temperatures from 11-14°C (don’t worry, the air is a lot warmer!)
Many dive sites are shore-entry. Chilean beaches are easily accessible and usually have similar characteristics: a small sandy bay capped at both end by cliffs. The bottom of the sea alternates between sand and large boulders, with a cash crop of seaweed sprouting from the cracks and crevices. Chile’s secret status as a dive haven means that less divers visit these waters, resulting in incredibly healthy and abundant flora and fauna.
The most common places for scuba diving in Chile are:
North Region
The north region is perhaps the most popular area to dive in Chile. Divers of all skills levels will find amazing sites to explore. Oh, and it doesn’t hurt that the water is warmer here, too. Some sites include:
The Cauldron of Death – With a name like this, it’s got to be good. This combo wall/cave dive is strictly for advanced divers only. The shore entry to the site needs to be timed since heavy surge occurs every few minutes. Max depth is 35m but average viz is 30m. The cave is fun to explore while the wall provides a natural canvas for an enormous amount of marine growth which, in turn attracts large schools of fish. And when your dive day is done, you can brag to your other dive buddies that you survived the…Cauldron of Death.
Roca Chungungo – This reef/wall dive site has little current and offers something for all levels of scuba divers. Novices can stay and play on the shallow reef while more advanced divers can descend down to the depths, which bottom out at 47m. Average viz is only 15m, but behold what might pop out of the gloom: otters and sea lions frequent this spot, and are known to follow divers around.
Islands of Chile
Offshore, the waters get warmer and the diving gets hotter. There is a rich variety of fish in the clear waters surrounding the islands. Among the many species to be spotted, divers can find moray, vidriola, cod-fish, pampanito, breca and corvine. Juan Fernandez Archipelago boasts several sites, including some surrounding Robinson Crusoe Island (the Chileans are really good at naming dive sites to entice you to visit.)
By far the most famous of the Chilean islands to dive is Easter Island, known for its towering (dormant) volcanoes and enormous, awe-inspiring Maoi stone statutes. At 2,300 miles offshore, this island is a unique retreat resting on an underwater volcanic ridge which supports over 100 species of tropical and pelagic fish and 144 species of algae. There are no coral reefs but several coral species do grow around the island. About 20% of the marine flora and fauna found there is endemic to Easter Island.
Leveraging one of the island’s dive guides is a must: currents can change rapidly and many dive sites are hard to locate. The Island’s better known diving sites include: Jardin, Omohi, Motu Kao Kao, Motu Nui, Motu Iti, El Puente (The Bridge), El Acantilado (The Cliff) and the Anakena and Ovahe beaches.
One dive site typical of the island is the Cathedral. Accessed by boat, this dive site usually has light currents, and consists of an area of kelp upon entry. As the diver descends they encounter numerous rock structures with vast amounts of corals. Divers can spot a variety of fish including the tipi-tipi (butterfly fish), maito (surgeon fish), toremu (a variety of piranha), trompeta (bugle fish), loro (parrot fish) and tuna. Anemones, octopus, sea snails and sea urchins are also plentiful.
Central Coast
The central coast, though cold, hosts an array of nice dive sites spread out over many miles. Quintay, once an important whaling station and now a museum and scientific marine research centre on the central coast, has some nice dive sites with several accessible wrecks from the whaling days. Laguna Verde and Algarrobo are also popular diving areas along the central coast.
El Falucho is a nice wreck dive for less experienced scuba divers. She lies at a depth of around 15 meters. Entry to the site is by boat only, and visibility usually runs about 17m. The light current takes divers along at a pleasant pace, giving them plenty of time to explore the riot of colorful growth and fish that inhabit the nooks of the wreck.
The currents at Lobera de Curaumilla are a bit swifter than El Falucho, making it best for those divers with at least intermediate skills. It is an interesting dive site with great marine life, though the average visibility is only about 7m and the max depth 16m. The highlight of diving here is the opportunity to see the large colony of seals that call this area home.
Hawaiian green beauty...
Every diver has favorite things they like to see underwater. For some its sharks, for others rays, but for many people turtles top the list of fun aquatic finds. The Green Turtle (Chelonia Mydas) in particular has been a scuba favorite for years due to its good looks and reef-dweling nature.
Despite their name, Green Turtles are actually a light color all over, with the shell ranging in color from olive green to black, depending on where the turtle lives. Green turtles are migratory animals, traveling thousands of miles each year to nest. In fact, they only nest on the very beach they were born, so in order to lay eggs, they must return to that same beach.
Green turtles are on the endangered species list and therefore protected in most countries around the world. Besides humans, the tiger shark is a Green turtle’s main predator. Adult green turtles can grow to 5 feet long and weigh over 500 pounds, so sharks tend to target younger specimens for snacks.
So if you are determined to dive with these beauties in the wild, where can you go for a guaranteed sighting? The range of the sea turtle extends throughout tropical and subtropical seas around the world, with two distinct populations in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Interestingly, green turtles react differently to scuba divers depending on their location. On one side of Oahu turtles are curious and friendly, while on the opposite shore they jet the moment they see you, so two different dive sites around the same island can produce very different results. When visiting green turtle waters, it’s important to get the input of the locals to find the best locations for healthy, long-lasting viewing. But planning a trip to a locale with a concentration of these green jewels is the first step.
Atlantic
In the Caribbean, major nesting sites have been identified on Aves Island, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Tortuguero in Costa Rica. Within United States waters, minor nesting sites have been noted in the states of Georgia, North and South Carolina. Florida attracts them in droves especially near Hutchinson Island, Indian River Lagoon, the Florida Keys, Florida Bay, Homosassa, Crystal River and Cedar Key. In South America green turtles enjoy the waters off Surinam and French Guiana as well as around the island of Ascension.
Pacific & the Indian Ocean
In Mexico, green turtles are found in seagrass pastures in the Gulf of California. They are found throughout the Hawaiian Islands, most notably in Oahu and Lanai and west in the waters of the French Frigate Shoals. The Turtle Islands of the Philippines and the Meru Betiri National Reserve in East Java, Indonesia boast healthy populations. Green turtles are scattered throughout the Great Barrier Reef, but exist in high concentrations around Raine Island. The waters around Madagascar support Africa’s population of green turtles. The Arabian Sea also attracts the turtles, especially in Ash Sharqiyah, Oman and Karachi, Pakistan. In the same area, the waters surrounding Astola Island, a large nesting site, have plenty of green turtles to fill your bottom time.
Sexy Cephalopod
Few creatures are as exciting to spot underwater as an octopus. They are smart and good at camouflage, so finding one is always a treat. Plus, they are just beautiful animals to see, with lots of color, shape and size variations. These creatures come in a wide range of options, some as little as an inch, some as large as 16 feet across. The octopus inhabits many diverse regions of the oceans around the world, especially coral reefs, and can exist in water depths from tidal pools all the way down to over 200 feet. For defense against predators, they hide, flee quickly, expel ink, or use color-changing camouflage. Scientists say that most of an octopus’ behavior is learned, not innate, a minor miracle since their lifespan is so darn short (5 years at the absolute most!)
There are about 300 recognized octopus species in the world, too many to cover in depth. But, some are amazing, even by octopus standards, and are worth a mention:
Mimic Octopus – This octopus only lives for 9 months, but boy it accomplishes a lot during that time. This crazy cephalopod takes on the appearance of other species to scare off predators and find food. Imagine a creature burying all but its eyes and two arms below the sand, leaving in view a long thin object with white and black bands running across the elongated body that looks just like the local sea snake. Now you’ve got the mental picture of why the Mimic Octopus is so unique. It usually imitates venomous species, like a lionfish, sea snake, or a poisonous flatfish, though people have also described it looking like a stingray, a crab, and other types of less lethal sea life. Divers can find this octopus off the Indo- Malay archipelago, especially around Sulawesi. Don’t worry though, it isn’t poisonous to humans.
Caribbean Reef Octopus – The Caribbean Reef Octopus isn’t the best looking octopus out there, but if you have been scuba diving in the Caribbean and seen an octopus, chances are this is the most likely suspect. It is common throughout the Western Atlantic, Bahamas, Caribbean and the coasts of northern South America. It is often found at night feeding on reefs and sea grass beds. They have a distinctive blue-green color with occasional mottled-brown markings. Because their blue-green skin is so reflective, they are easy to spot at night with dive lights. Like other octopus species, the Caribbean reef octopus is solitary animal and able to quickly change color using specialized cells in their skin known as chromatophores. They can weigh up to 1.5 kg, but have been known to wedge themselves into miniscule reef crevices and wreck holes.
Wonderpus Octopus – The Wonderpus Octopus has got to be the sexiest cephalopod out there, with a striking color pattern of white bars and spots over a brown-red background. It’s characterized by a small mantle (the part of the body that contains the mouth and vital organs), which is about an inch to an inch-and-a-half long, and long arms that measure about five to seven times the length of the mantle. Its patterns of spots (on the body) and stripes (on the arms) are unique to each individual adult wonderpus, making identification of a specific creature possible. Divers can find the wonderpus in shallow waters from Bali and Sulawesi north to the Philippines and east to Vanuatu, and will fare best looking for the creature when it is most active in the twilight hours of dusk and dawn. This creature is a relative newcomer to the fish identification guides, with the first identification happening only in 1980. Go ahead, say it: won-der-pus. Even its name is sexy.
Blue Ringed Octopus
Greater Blue-ringed Octopus
– No discussion about octopi could be complete without mentioning the little one we love to hate, the Blue-ringed Octopus. Unlike its southern brethren, the Blue-lined and Southern Blue-ringed octopuses that are found only in Australian waters, the range of the Greater Blue-ringed Octopus spans the tropical western Pacific Ocean. Greater Blue-ringed Octopuses can weigh between 10 and 100 grams, though the average is 55 grams. The blue-ringed octopus is the size of a golf ball, but its venom is powerful enough to kill humans, and no known antidote exists. Remember the James Bond movie Octopussy? Yes, it’s that one.
White-spotted Octopus – Humans have been watching the white-spotted octopus since 1826 when it was first spotted off the coast of Nice in the Mediterranean Sea. It spends its adult life on the ocean bottom, and although divers usually see this octopus hanging out near-shore it sometimes it can be found much deeper. This octopus has long arms, with the first arm pair being the longest and stoutest, and has shallow webbing among the arms. It also has a higher sucker count than most octopuses. This is a nocturnal creature, waiting until night to find its favorite snacks of clams and crabs. The white-spotted octopus only lives for 1-2 years after which it goes out with a “bang” (literally) after a single breeding season.
Giant Pacific Octopus – This is the big daddy of all octopi, the Giant Pacific Octopus. As the name would suggest, it is the largest species of octopus in the oceans, averaging 16 feet across and weighing an average of 120 lbs. It is also the longest lived, at 4-5 years. Divers can spot this behemoth from southern California, northward along the coast of North America, across the Aleutian Islands, and southward to Japan, though they usually hang out quite deep, typically at around 215 ft. But just because they are big doesn’t mean they are beautiful: Giant Pacific octopuses have huge, bulbous heads and are generally reddish-brown in color. Like the other members of the octopus family, though, they use special pigment cells in their skin to change colors and textures, and can blend in with even the most intricately patterned corals, plants, and rocks.
NOT a pony...
The coastal south of Belize is not an international tourism hotbed. It is, however, authentically beautiful to humans and whale sharks alike. For nine months of the year, the few people who do visit enjoy the peace and tranquility of the sugar-sand beaches with absolutely no crowds. The place is the antithesis of Cheers, the famous TV bar; there nobody knows your name and few care to, either.
Then the spring comes, and everyone goes crazy because of the fish sex. During the April, May, and June full moons, the whale sharks visit to dine on the spawning Cubera Snapper eggs, bringing excitement to the sleepy waters of the offshore formation known as Gladden Split. Crazed divers from around the globe overrun the largest coastal town near the Split, Placencia, using it as a base from which to launch their whale shark efforts, hoping to spot the nomadic, majestic animals.
A few years ago I had the opportunity to swim with these ginormous beauties off of the Split. The creatures amazed me, as did the profoundly odd way in which some humans reacted to them. Therefore, I propose the following things NOT to do when you see a whale shark:
Do not make like a plankton – I once heard a fellow diver complaining that he was afraid of being eaten by an enormous whale shark. I’m not sure if he would have fit in the shark’s mouth, but I do know the shark would not have wanted him in there. Whale sharks are filter feeders, passing large volumes of water through their gills and straining out the tastiest that float about. If you are not a planktonic tasty, then remove sacrificial shark feedings from your list of “to do’s” when meeting a whale shark.
Do not break out your saddle – There is something about the ocean that turns some divers into fondlers. Though on land they seem to be able to keep their hands to themselves, once submerged they inexplicably want to touch everything. A whale shark is not a pony. It does not want to be grabbed and ridden. Even more importantly, touching all manner of sea life is usually detrimental to the item being fondled, as it frequently messes up their external chemistry and introduces disease. If you must touch something, go find the dog that belongs to the scuba shop and give it a good scratch. (Then wash your hands…Scruffy absolutely has fleas.)
Do not announce you have seen better ones in an aquarium – There are places in the world where you can see whale sharks in captivity, for example in the Osaka Aquarium and the Georgia Aquarium. I myself have dove with the whale sharks in the Georgia Aquarium and enjoyed the experience immensely. But nothing can compare to seeing them in the wild, where their appearance during your dive is never guaranteed and their behavior is not dictated by the tank walls. (cue the Born Free movie theme here…)
Do not deploy your fishing gear – Unbelievable as it sounds, there are some people, especially in Asia, who see a whale shark and think…lunch. I have read that the shark has the consistency and taste of tofu. So, why not eat tofu, and leave the poor fishie alone? The tofu has got to be easier to catch than the shark anyway.
I’m not really sure what all of the mollusk fuss is about. To me they look like aquatic portabellas or perhaps marine potatoes. But enthusiasts around the world see so much more in the abalone, enough to dive in cold, shark infested waters to collect the beauties. Fans of Abalone diving and eating go to great lengths to celebrate the sport with festivals, cook-offs, and in prose (All Abalone are Deaf by Felix Macias.) I’m always looking for new diving opportunities, so I decided to find out more.
Where can I find these things? The majority of abalone species are found in cold waters, off the Southern Hemisphere coasts of New Zealand, South Africa and Australia, and Western North America and Japan in the Northern Hemisphere. Due to dwindling natural supply of abalone and increasing demand, some countries have begun farming the critters, including China, Taiwan, Japan, Australia, Chile, Iceland, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa, Thailand, and the United States. Abalone are mostly taken in depths from a few inches up to 10 m (33 ft.) Abalone are normally found on rocks near food sources like kelp. Divers commonly dive out of boats, kayaks, tube floats or directly off the shore.
How do I dive for abalone? It turns out that scuba diving for abalone is illegal in most parts of the world. Instead you have to freedive for them, which makes sense since they are usually pretty shallow. An abalone diver sports the usual gear like a thick wetsuit, booties, gloves, mask, snorkel, and a weight belt. You also need an abalone iron which is used to pry the mollusk off the rock it is so fond of, and an abalone gauge to make sure the size is large enough to take legally.
This is a good time to mention the insanely stringent regulations surrounding the recreational hunting of abalone due to their severely threatened populations. In addition to the aforementioned no scuba rules, there are limits to the number taken, the size taken and the time of year the tasties are collected. These vary by country and even by city, with strict penalties for non-compliance. Some places like California have law enforcement professionals dedicated to catching abalone thieves not following the rules (where did those taxpayer dollars go?) So before you go setting your mind to hunting abalone, you should check the local regulations.
I found one! Now what do I do with it? Abalone are basically sea snails, conceptually similar to conch. You can serve it raw like sushi, or steam it, saute it, boil it, bake it, or even serve it like a “steak.” Winning cook-off recipes have made it into cakes (like a crab cake, not chocolate, thanks), battered it in beer and even mixed it into tomato sauce over pasta. The key appears to be cleaning the fresh mollusk correctly, removing the lip, tough foot and guts. A thorough pounding of the meat with a heavy mallet also seems to contribute to a tasty outcome.
So although I can’t put my scuba skills to work, it does seem like hunting for the great abalone is an interesting proposition. Although I’m not crazy about continuing to deplete the population of this animal which has been so highly regarded for so very long, I do like the idea of celebrating its existence in so many tasty ways. Perhaps I’ll stick to the farmed version and dive for something else instead.
On our last dive trip we encountered a couple who mentioned they had been to see the whalesharks of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico last year. They seemed like honest enough folks, but their claims of seeing hundreds of whalesharks off the peninsula seemed exaggerated at best and a bold faced fabrication at worst. I decided to do some research to find out more about these multiple Mexican whalesharks and determine if it would be worth the trip to see them.
So yes, indeed, there are whalesharks off of the Caribbean coast of Mexico. During the month of June to September, in the area around Cancun, Contoy and Isla Holbox, the sharks swim by during their summer feeding migration. Though the locals, who quaintly call the fish Dominoes, have known about the migration for a long time, it is only within the past six years that these aquatic Latin beauties have grabbed international attention. Whale Shark Tourism infusion started with 9000 people in 2005. 2006 saw a 50% increase to 13,500. 2007 saw another increase to over 16,000 and in 2008 the total board saw almost 20,000 Whale Shark swimmers!
Yes, swimmers. There is no scuba diving allowed with the whalesharks, just snorkeling, a rule enforced by Mexican marine park rangers with fast boats, firepower and determined glints in their eyes. There are a variety of outfitters who the government has licensed to take people to swim with the Whale Sharks which keeps good control over process. Props to Mexico for acknowledging and protecting their marine treasures.
Let’s talk numbers. Were my dive buddies making an accurate statement, or were the oodles of whalesharks all in their minds? If they really did go in 2008 or 2009, it is possible they were telling the truth. Each year since 2005 the number of whalesharks sighted in the region has increased, though it is unclear whether that is a function of more whalesharks in the area, or better spotting techniques (like the use of planes or historical sighting data). Some days you might be lucky to see one or two, with five to ten seeming to be the average. But when the water is thick with plankton, for example from spawning fish, the whaleshark numbers can grow dramatically, with 2009 aggregations reaching 300+. That’s 300+ whalesharks at one time in an area no bigger than a few football fields. I can’t imagine a site more amazing than that.
So the only downside seems to be the unpredictability of the sightings and the time it takes. While my dive buddies may have seen 300, if I went a week later I might have only seen one. Depending on where you are based, the boat ride out to see the whalesharks could be three hours or more (that’s three hours out and three hours back.) On the upside there are frequently surface manta ray sightings in the area, giving passengers something to look for on the long ride. And of course, the possibility of something this good is certainly worth the wait.
Though relatively unknown, Latin America has some great diving along both coasts. Pristine reefs and few fellow divers equal one of kind diving opportunities. A few interesting spots to check out:
Gladden Split, Belize-Off the southern coast of Belize, Gladden’s Split is a world-renowned spot for diving with massive whale sharks. This site is the natural spawning ground for a variety of marine species which in turn attract the big guys. Whale sharks come regularly to feed on the fish eggs and other plankton in the water especially during the full moons of April, May and June, though they can also be seen August to October and in December and January. Though some of the dive sites in the north of the country are more well-known, none (except maybe the Blue Hole) are as dramatic and as rewarding.
Spooky Channel, Roatan, Honduras – Spooky Channel is located directly off the end of the Sunnyside pier making shore entry and exit a snap. Those on boats can also access the site, with moorings on both the inside and outside of the reef . There is a maze of zigzags and tunnel like effects leading throughout the reef at depths of up to 95 feet that give the site its name. There is an incredible array of fish on this dive including: blue runner, harlequin bass, cowfish, trunkfish, black durgon, butterfly fish, grouper, angelfish, parrotfish, octopus, lobster, shrimp, spider crab, trunkfish, porcupine fish, turtles, and rays. Upon occasion divers can even see whalesharks when the season is right. Abundant, healthy corals such as flower coral, smooth starlet, ribbon coral, brain coral, sea rod, sea fans, tube sponges, and basket sponges will do their best to steal your attention away from the fish.
Catalina Island, Costa Rica -This island off the west coast of Costa Rica is almost unknown to humans, but well known to rays. Giant Manta Rays, Bat Rays, Mobley, Spotted, Bull’s-eye and Stingrays abound. It is not unusual to see large migratory schools rays passing by during a dive. Sometimes sharks make an appearance too, including tiger sharks and white tips. The best months for diving the Catalina Islands are December through May, high season for Mantas. If you get bored of all of the large pelagics, you can also find frog fish, harlequin clown shrimp and sea horses here.
The Devil’s Throat, Cozumel, Mexico – Located at the Punta Sur dive site in Cozumel, The Devil’s throat is an underwater cave formation that starts at the opening of a dark narrow tunnel at 90 feet and takes you first vertically, then horizontally out through an opening at 130 feet on the wall. Visibility often exceeds 200 feet and the area is frequently visited by eagle rays and turtles, thought the creepy and spectacular cave is the highlight of this dive. Bring a dive light and some really advanced scuba skills for this one – you’ll need it.
Isabela Island, Mexico – Isabela Island National Park is a marine preserve accessed only by boat off the Pacific Coast of San Blas, Mexico. It’s possible to swim with giant Manta rays and hear whale songs underwater on the same dive. On the boat trip out and back, divers frequently sight whales, dolphins, turtles, whalesharks and sailfish. The unique underwater topography includes a giant underwater arch and several small caves to explore. A rainbow of tropical fish, yellowtail, grouper, red snapper, jack caravel, eel, anemones and all manner of corals thrive in this pristine habitat.
The cruise dock in Belize did not exude “jungle paradise” as I expected. Before the cruise the thought of Belize conjured up visions of toucans, jaguars, and fierce Inca men with rippling muscles. Instead, the dock was full of concrete, marine shipping box piles, and skinny men running around like ants trying to secure our boat. I hoped the experience would improve from there.
The divers from our cruise were loaded onto a minibus so that we could drive to the designated dive shop. There were ten of us in total. The rest of the divers appeared normal, except for three guys who looked like Navy Seals. They were tall, well-muscled men with crew cuts and an entire store worth of scuba gear tucked into enormous black duffle bags. They looked like they were going to dive the deep Titanic rather than the shallow Belize shores. Their gear listed our minibus to the left side during the entire ride to the dive shop.
Again we signed our life away in accident waiver forms when we arrived at the dive shop. I have always wondered why shops require divers to perform this task. The pens never work because the salt air instantly corrodes them. The counters are always wet so the minute one puts the paper down to sign it, it turns into a squishy mess. And, finally, there is never anyplace in a dive shop that is well organized enough to store something like the thousands of waiver papers a shop would collect in a year. I am sure there are parrot cages all over the globe that are lined with these liability releases.
We boarded the dive boat and set up our gear. I knew the divemasters were assessing our skills based on how our knowledge of the hoses, gauges and straps that are involved in a scuba setup. I suspected they might insist I wear water wings after I tried to set up my tank backwards. Twice. I finally got my gear set up correctly, and then contorted myself into my wetsuit, an activity I perform as graceful as a sailor swearing.
The divemaster took us on a whirlwind underwater tour of Terraces Reef, patiently pointing out large sea life like turtles and small creatures like decorator crabs. I acted like paparazzi at each stop, snapping picture after picture of starlet starfish with my camera. I learned when developing my pictures from Bora Bora that fish swim, frequently out of focus or out of the frame altogether. By looking at my pictures, one would assume Bora Bora had a lot of empty water. I had prepared to practice my underwater photography skills more on this trip.
I had not prepared for the new and fascinating sea life that revealed itself to us on this trip. Most notably were the green moray eels anywhere from five to ten feet in length. Morays have dorsal fins that extend evenly from their head all the way to their tail and very large teeth, making them look like angry green vipers with full body mohawks. I saw moray eels in French Polynesia, but they all hid in the reef with only their faces and fierce-looking mouths exposed.
In Belize the Morays were free-swimming, something that most types of eels usually do only at night. These long, green ribbons of muscle undulated through the water like Cruella De Vil’s feather boa. Because of their notoriously poor vision, morays are not known for biting humans offensively, usually reserving this defensive tactic for when a diver’s hand or foot is put mistakenly into their hole in the reef. Seeing the full length and body power behind the large teeth as they cruised around the reef gave me the creeps; their full exposure expanded their menace exponentially. Although the two dives were fascinating, I was glad to end my time with those particular reef residents.