This is not a fish...

Want to dive surrounded by lots of rich history and few other divers?  Then Turkey is the place for you.  Scuba diving in Turkey is relatively new and slowly developing, which means the facilities are there, but not the crowds. The warm weather in Turkey makes scuba diving possible all year round; however, the true scuba diving season begins around April when average water temperature in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Turkey is 18C. The height of the scuba diving season in Turkey occurs in August where the waters reach temperatures of 30C (86F).

Turkey offers a wide variety of scuba diving options including reef diving, wall diving and cavern diving for divers with all levels of skills. The underwater scenery is varied and interesting, with tunnels, caverns and rocky pinnacles providing divers with plenty to explore. There are also many diveable wrecks along the Turkish coast, both historical and modern.  Diving conditions are excellent throughout the diving season with clear blue waters and visibility of up to 100 feet.

This isn’t the Caribbean, though.  Not all dives will yield profuse and colorful fish like in tropical seas, but on most dives one will encounter an interesting range of species of fish including nudibranches, octopus, groupers, morays, barracuda, moray eels, seahorses, sting rays, and sea bream.  Though rare, there is also the possibility of seeing dolphins and turtles depending on the dive site.

For me, the true appeal of diving in Turkey is the chance to encounter glimpses of prior civilizations that the sea has gobbled up.  The area is rich with underwater historical artifacts.  The most common items divers encounter are broken amphora and pottery, but a wide range of ancient artifacts, even shipwrecks, exist in shallow water and deep water alike.  Formal underwater archaeological sites, however, are strictly controlled and diving at these sites is not open to the sport diver.  But, plenty of informal opportunities exist to see relics lost long ago.

Although there are some scuba diving sites on the Black Sea resorts of Turkey, scuba diving is especially popular around the Mediterranean and Aegean seas. Most tourist resorts on the Southern coast of Turkey have scuba diving sites and offer scuba diving trips. Some of the most popular locations in Turkey include Alanya, Antalya, Bodrum, Kas, Kalkan, Marmaris, Fethiye and Gallipoli. All of these scuba diving destinations have plenty of non-diving related things to do too, including yachting and sailing.   

Bodrum

Bodrum is a wildly popular vacation spot on the Aegean Sea.  On land, Bodrum boasts both trendy modern amenities and historical treasures to explore.  Diving is particularly nice here due to the warm, calm waters of the Aegean that are free of tides and strong currents. For those who want to dive beyond the bays and beaches, rugged, volcanic offshore islands provide some very diverse locations including hot springs, caverns, reefs and spectacular drop-offs. It is not uncommon to come across evidence of ancient civilizations, such as artifacts and wrecks, on almost every dive.

With sea temperatures ranging from 14 to 25 degrees between summer and winter, Bodrum is a great location for diving holiday at any time of the year. Just to be on the safe side, recompression facilities and the services of a hyperbaric doctor are on 24-hour call in Bodrum.

Marmaris

Marmaris is a popular resort town located in the south-west coast of Turkey where the Aegean and the Mediterranean Sea meet. Marmaris is a natural harbor that provides a safe haven for a variety of water sports including diving. Its clear sea waters range in temperature from 18 to 25 degrees C.

Marmaris offers a good variety of diving, located largely in the Bay of Marmaris. Around Yildiz Ada and the smaller Keci Ada (respectively Star and Goat islands) groupers, octopuses, jacks and sea breams are commonly seen. At the western tip of another small island, Bedir Ada, divers can see the remains of an 800 year old Ottoman wreck. Another interesting aspect of diving in Marmaris is the numerous underwater caverns: Baca Magara, the chimney cavern of Yildiz Ada, the entrance of which is at 14m and the exit at 3m below the surface, makes a stimulating second dive.  Further out at Kadirga Point, divers can spot broken amphora on the sea bed up to a depth of 30m.

Alanya

The interesting flora, the variety of underwater marine life and especially the enticing underwater caverns and caves have made Alanya a popular dive. Most of the dive sites are situated around the coastline of the Alanya Castle, the steep cliffs of which turn to dramatic drop-offs under the surface of the sea. The close proximity of these dive sites makes them easily accessible even by inflatables and diving three or four times a day is possible with the option of returning to base after each dive. The sites are also very suitable for night dives.

Like Bodrum and Marmaris, Alanya doesn’t disappoint when it comes to things to see underwater.  Several sites, like the Aquarium, host an incredible array of fish in a small area.   Creatures such as snails, mussels, octopus, black scorpion fish, moray, soldier fish, grouper, thornback rays and pıgfish are all easy to spot.  Looking for evidence of prior civilizations?  Well, that’s here too.  At the spot named Amphora, divers can see…amphorae, mostly broken pieces, but plenty of them.  And at Pirate Cave, an ancient mill stone sits easily accessibly on the ocean floor.

Kas

Kas packs a one-two punch of dense underwater life and extremely clear water, with visibility extending past 100 ft on good days.  There are around 30 different dive spots, all reachable within 30 minutes starting from the harbor of Kas. Wreck diving, cave diving, underwater canyons, stone reefs, swim throughs, tunnels, and night diving are all options in this area.  Kas even boasts its own blue hole with an incredible array of sea life.

Many critters call Kas home.  Barracuda, stingrays, turtles, rare snails, dorado, jackfish, soldierfish, octopi, eels, trumpet fish, huge groupers, trigger fish, anemones, crabs, and even soft-corals.

Kalkan

Kalkan has at least 14 excellent dive sites including islands, reefs and walls.  The visibility at all of the dive sites is usually quite good, often in excess of 25-30m. Water temperatures range from about 18oC in April to 30oC in August. Kalkan’s tides are modest, and easy to navigate by divers.

A large variety of marine life is found in the area: groupers, sardines, moray eels, turtles, stingrays, barracudas, sea bream, rainbow wrasse, damsel fish, bonita, sea mullet, starfish, octopus, dolphins, nurse sharks, squid, mackerel and more.  Other items of interest include ancient pottery remains and an old wreck of a steamship.

The Vandenburg

There is more to Key West than dive bars.  Most people don’t realize that one of Florida’s biggest party towns actually has a lot of scuba options if you can stay sober long enough to seek them out.  Key West’s largest and most pristine reefs are located several miles off shore, making a dive boat a must.  Those willing to venture a little further still can also enjoy the dive opportunities in the Lower Keys, especially pristine Looe Key Reef, a protected site teeming with sea life that know nobody is going to eat them.  Interesting sites include:

Looe Key Reef – The coral reef of Looe Key has been afforded special protection since 1981. Since then, all spearfishing, coral collection, and even lobstering have been banned there.  The site’s namesake, the frigate H.M.S. Looe, accidentally ran hard aground there in 1744; remains of the ship lie between two fingers of coral near the eastern end of the reef although only the ballast and anchor are visible.  One unusual aspect of Looe Key is that a complete reef ecosystem is found there, from a rubble ridge of ancient fossilized corals, to a reef flat comprised of turtle grass, to a fore reef made up of large star and brain corals arranged in a spur-and-groove coral formation sloping from 20 to 40 feet. There is even a deep reef which slopes to more than 100 feet, providing a great opportunity to view the pelagic species of the Florida Keys, including eagle rays, turtles and every once in awhile a whale shark or manta ray.  But don’t miss the main attraction looking for big game: more varieties of tropical marine species are found at Looe Key than perhaps anywhere else in the hemisphere, placing most of the of action right in front of your mask. 

Adolphus Bush – This former island freighter was purchased by the local dive community with the generous assistance of Adolphus Busch IV, and sunk upright and intact in just 100 feet of water some seven miles southwest of Big Pine Key in December 1998.  Before sinking, the ship was well cleaned and prepared for divers, including the opening of several large holes for penetration. The ship is 210 feet long and the maximum depth is 110 feet, making it an Intermediate to Advanced level dive.  There is some marine growth on the wreck, but the highlight is the ship itself, as well as the schools of fish that are starting to use it as a playground.

Sand Key – From the surface, Sand Key looks like a pile of shells topped with a jaunty red lighthouse hat.  But, underwater the view gets much more idylic.  The reef itself consists mostly of rock fingers and gullies with sandy bottoms between cliff-like structures and extensive areas of staghorn and elkhorn coral.  This site reaches to 65 feet and teems with endless expanses of colorful tropical fish and macro photography opportunities.  Though popular, this location is so large that dive boats can spread out, and fish always outnumber divers.

Alexander’s Wreck – commercial salver Chet Alexander purchased this ship from the Navy and sunk it to form an artificial reef.  The wreck lies on its side and is broken in half, with the stern section lying 150 yards or so north of the bow, which is awash on most tides.  The hull is covered with Leavy oysters and the surrounding waters teem with what seems like unending schools of tropical fish.

Joe’s Tug – This classic tugboat sits totally upright in just 65 feet of water, and offers a great opportunity for close encounters with Goliath Grouper, spotted morays, barracuda, and horse eye jacks.  Open access to the wheel house and aft deck make this an enjoyable dive.

The Cayman Salvor -This 180-foot. steel hulled buoy tender, also known as the Cayman Salvager, was intentionally sunk as an artificial reef in 1985. She now sits upright with cavernous open holds providing refuge for baitfish and grunts, as well as a resident jewfish and green moray eel.

Hoyt S. Vandenberg – So, how long to do you plan on staying in the Keys to dive?  At 523 feet in length and 10 stories high, the Vandenberg, the Key’s most famous artificial reef, will take you some time to explore.  Vandenberg sits upright approximately seven miles off Key West in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, its keel buried at 145 feet. The tops of the bridges, the communication center and the ship’s dish antennas are 40 feet from the surface of the water, perfect for beginning divers or deco stops. All dive spots along the top structure are open, free from obstruction and are easy to maneuver over and around during a dive.  The decks are 45 to 90 feet below the surface. There are holes cut measuring 8×10 feet on each side to allow divers to penetrate the decks horizontally. There are 18 stair towers, 11 elevator shafts and cargo hold shafts to give divers vertical access to the wreck. The 25 foot tall rudder and prop is a great deep dive at 150 feet for the advanced diver.

Since being sunk to the bottom in under two minutes’ time on May 27, 2009, the second-largest ship in the world to be sunk as an artificial reef sits encrusted with species of soft corals.  Some 48 different species of shallow water and reef fish have taken up residency, such as parrotfish, goliath grouper, yellow and blue tangs, barracuda as well as deeper water dorado and the occasional sailfish attracted by clouds of bait that frequently school around the wreck. Gray angelfish and butterfly fish are routinely seen circling the anchor chain, while arrow crabs treat the whole thing like a jungle gym.

Dinner time!

With approximately 700 islands, over 2,500 cays, and 100,000 square miles of ocean, the Bahamas collectively comprise a massive scuba paradise.   Grand Bahama Island, long one of the hubs of Bahamian tourism, is currently being rediscovered by divers and developers alike. Commerce and tourism has always centered on Freeport, the second-largest city in the Bahamas. But in the past few years, West End, Grand Bahama, is getting significant attention as well. Still, Freeport remains the home of most of the dive activity, and a true jewel in the crown of Bahamian diving.

Diving Grand Bahama is a lesson in diversity, from outrageous walls to high-octane animal encounters, shallow- to medium-depth reefs, excellent wrecks and even freshwater caverns. There is also an array of specialty dive programs like shark feeding dives, dolphin dives, diving with rebreathers, and riding underwater scooters. While the walls bordering the island’s south coast are accessible to casual divers, depths can exceed recreational limits. Most diving is done on shallow- to medium-depth reefs, where several excellent wrecks are found. Winter water temps drop to the 70s, while summer temps peak in the high 80s. The seas are calm year-round, except during winter storms. Visibility averages 80 to 100 feet.  Some of the dive highlights around Grand Bahama Island include:

Cave Diving – The expansive Lucayan cavern system honeycombs Grand Bahama and offers several points of access at both inland and oceanic blue holes. Advanced divers can explore spectacular sites such as Ben’s Cavern, a sinkhole located in the Lucayan Caves National Park.  Here stalactites and stalagmites provide dramatic underwater scenery while migratory bats steal the show topside. Other caverns to explore include, Owl’s Hole and Mermaids Lair.

Shark diving/Shark feeding – In scuba diving circles, the Bahamas are pretty well known for their sharks.  Divers commonly see black tips, white tips, grey reef, and nurse sharks on dives.  The only way to pack more of them into a dive is to feed them, which is what several companies have started offering in the Bahamas.  Venture to a depth of 50 feet where instructors in protective chain mail lure dozens of sharks into close range with tasty tidbits.

Dolphin experiences – A company called UNEXSO offers “The Dolphin Experience,” the chance to scuba dive with one or more of its resident dolphins out in the open ocean.  The company houses 16 bottlenose dolphins maintained in an enclosure at Sanctuary Bay, 10 of which have been born in captivity.   If wild dolphins are more of your thing, White Sand Ridge north of West End, Grand Bahama won’t disappoint.  Here, bottlenose dolphins are commonly seen rooting around in the shallow sand bank, and a resident pod of spotted dolphins is frequently seen.

Theo’s Wreck – Purposefully sunk in 1982 to create an artificial reef, Theo’s Wreck is located just east of Xanadu Beach.  The wreck is about 230 feet long and rests on a flat sandy patch of the ocean floor on its port side, between the deep reef and the drop-off at a depth of about 101 feet. Over the past two decades the structure has become a haven for a mass of marine life. The wreck is intact and is covered in a blanket of yellow and orange cup corals and pink and red sponges, as well as colorful algae. The bow anchor chain in particular has splendid gorgonian sea fans. The shaded part of the hull is completely smothered in orange false gorgonians.  Sea life found here includes barracuda, parrotfish, angelfish, snappers and moray eels. At the nearby reef drop-off, divers are likely to find larger fish and turtles.

Lounging Lionfish

Jacques Cousteau once said “The Red Sea is a corridor of marvels – the happiest hours of my diving experience have been spent there.”  Even today, many divers still agree that the dark blue waters of the Red Sea produce top-notch scuba experiences. 

Where is it?  The Red Sea is located between Asia and Africa. At its most northerly point forms the Sinai Peninsula and stretches over 1000 miles south to join the Indian Ocean, between Ethiopia and Yemen. In the north and west are desert plains, while in the south mountains reign.

How’s the water?  Water temperatures in the Red Sea remain unusually constant year round at about 72 degrees F. The open sea’s cooling effect creates an interesting temperature pattern: maximum summer temperatures are lower in the south while minimum temperatures are higher in the north with the opposite occurring during the winter. The coldest moth of the year is January and the warmest months are July and August. The Red Sea is notorious among seafarers for its high speed surface winds with aggressive irregular motions. Though it is usually calm on the inward shore, journeys to exposed sites like The Brothers islands, a remote off-shore site east of El Quseir, can be perilous.

What kind of sea life lives there?  There are over 1000 species of invertebrates and around 200 recorded coral types to be found. Moreover, the Red Sea boasts over 1000 species of fish, more species than any other proportional body of water. Encounters with schools of jacks, manta rays, napolean wrasse, large groupers, tunas, oceanic whitetip sharks and a variety of reef sharks provide some world class excitement. Ever-present lionfishes, angelfishes, butterflyfishes, tangs, anemone fishes and colorful groupers along with untold numbers of invertebrates give macro photographers plenty of first class subject matter.  In places, the reef stretches way out to sea, forming a elaborate system of caves, lagoons, gardens, and plateaus. Some of these coral summits plunge dramatically thousands of feet to the ocean floor.

What are the dive sites?  Featuring the national park of Ras Muhammed, just south of Sharm el Sheikh and Naama Bay, most of the diving in the Sinai is enjoyed on the walls bordering the east coast of this world-famous peninsula. Many other excellent sites are accessible from land from the city of Hurghada, however, live-aboards provide the best access to more remote locations and the most thrilling dives in the Straits of Tiran and at The Brothers.  The dive sites of the Red Sea are numerous, and vary greatly in terms of topography and sea life.  Since a discussion of Red Sea scuba opportunities could go on forever, this article focuses on just one part of this diving haven, the Gulf of Aqaba, the finger of water that extends northeast of Sharm el Sheikh to Elat in the north.  Saudi Arabia borders this gulf on the east while the Sinai Peninsula borders is on the west.  This part of the Sea can be divided two parts: Dahab in the south part of the gulf and Nuweiba in the north.

Dahab

Dahab lies alongside the deepest section of the African rift, the giant crack in the earth’s crust that formed the Red Sea. The jagged mountains above continue at much the same angle underwater, forming a dramatic seascape of valleys, canyons and caves. Most of Dahab’s dive-spots are geologically unique. Dahab diving is mainly shore based with easily accessible reefs right on the shoreline amongst the maze of coral islands. Due to the slightly colder water, coral growth is quite different than in Sharm El Sheikh. The dominant species are acropora, brain, stone, leather and black corals. Only occasionally you will come across soft corals. Marine life includes reef fish, blue spotted rays, jacks, snapper, barracuda, lionfish, turtles and an occasional reef shark. There are gentle reef slopes and coral gardens for beginners and some more challenging sites such as the Blue Hole or the Canyon for the more advanced. Some sites are so remote, they can only be reached by camel, thus prompting some local dive operators to offer one- and two-day camel-dive safaris.
Blue Hole – El Bells
Situated 12 km north of Dahab, this is one of the most famous dive sites in the Red Sea. The Blue Hole has an almost circular shape 150m wide and 110m deep and connects with the sea through a tunnel 26m long at a depth of 52 meters (for technical divers only). The best way to enjoy this dive site is by doing a drift dive starting at El Bells (situated 250m north) and finishing the dive in the Blue Hole. El Bells is a half open chimney that reaches a depth of 30 meters with a fantastic underwater arch. The wall there is covered with a rich growth of black corals, elephant ear sponges and sea fans. Divers who remember to peer into the deep blue behind them can spot yellowfin tuna, orangespotted trevally, and schools of red sea fusiliers, and the resident napoleon wrasses. The saddle which allows the entrance to the inside of the Blue Hole is only 7m deep and hosts a coral garden teeming with life. The garden is a great way to end your Blue Hole dive by keeping an eye out for octopus, starfish and scorpion fish.

The Canyon
This site takes its name from a long, narrow canyon that runs north to south from the shallow reef just offshore to depths of around 50m. Access to the site is through a shallow 3m lagoon lying a few steps from the shoreline. The entrance to the canyon is marked by a large coral mound lying some 10m out from the reef face, in around 12m of water. A diver-sized opening gives onto the top chamber of the canyon, a fishbowl-like enclosure. From here the canyon drops through various twists and turns to a depth of 50m; open water is visible along most of its length through the narrow opening in the ceiling, but there is no opening large enough to exit through until 30m depth. The progression through the Canyon is easy and the light effect caused by the sun rays is surreal. Outside the canyon, the reef has good coral cover but within the canyon itself, there is little if any coral growth. Among the large range of reef fish here, some notable residents include the butterflyfish, pufferfish, cornetfish, unicorns, snapper, grouper, basslets, juvenile barracudas, lyretail cod, coral grouper and rabbitfish. Jacks can often be seen along the reef, and jewel-like schools of glassfish inhabit the canyon.

Eel Garden
Though the name lacks punch, this site is actually an exciting dive filled with excellent photography opportunities.  Entry to this site is through a small lagoon which descends from the reeftop to an exit point on the reef at about 7m. Little more than 1.5m wide at some points, this entry lagoon can act as a funnel for wave surge or runout from falling tides, so a strenuous swim may be necessary.  Once outside the lagoon, a wide sandy slope leads off to the north, covered with literally thousands of garden eels swaying in the gentle current. Across the sand lies a sloping reef wall with scattered coral heads on the sand at its 20m base; south of the sand, the reef continues with lots of fine coral growth but no exit point until the lighthouse.  There is an excellent selection of coral growth along both reef sections, with stony and soft species including acropora, antler coral, plate, cabbage, elephant ear sponge, Dendronephthya and Xeniids. Anemones are also pretty common here.  The site boasts large numbers of small grey morays, lionfish, bluespine unicorn, scorpion fish, damsels and baslets, parrots, grouper, lyretail cod, and plenty of sand gobies.  The rare batfish can also be found here.

The Lighthouse
This is a fine dive, with a good range of features and depths to suit all levels of diver. Located just offshore at the lighthouse in Dehab bay, it features a sloping reef extending north around an outthrust point of land. Large pinnacles with huge cabbage coral and coral heads extend out from the point, reaching depths of more than 25m before tailing off to a series of smaller coral heads with a diverse fish life of big trumpetfish, rock cod, lionfish surgeon and unicornfishes, wrasses, triggerfishes, breams and morays.  Turtles and rays are also frequently spotted here.  The reef then gives way to a wide, sandy slope containing seamoths and shrimps before reaching a second sloping coral wall to the north.  A shallow lagoon cuts the reeftop at this reef’s southern edge, hosting a varied fish life including cornetfish, angelfish, spanish dancer nudibranches, goatfish and schools of common bigeyes feeding in the mild current.

The Islands
The Islands is a dense concentration of coral pinnacles and patch reefs in a sheltered location along the Dahab shore – a labyrinthine range of peaks, valleys, corridors, sand patches, bowls, amphitheaters, deep wells and coral peaks. This intricate seascape is densely covered with absolutely pristine coral, offering the most diverse and well-preserved selection of coral in the Sinai area. Every conceivable hard coral is present, including porites, brain corals and acropora table corals.   A diversity of soft corals exists as well. The fish life is even more amazing than the coral: huge schools of barracuda, box fish, crocodile fish, blue fin trevallies, snapper, surgeon and unicornfish vie with vibrantly-colored reef species for a diver’s attention. Sea bream, emperors, big triggerfish, rabbitfish, birdnose wrasse and many other species round out the picture, with an occasional turtle, too. One particular highlight is a large, sand-bottomed amphitheater halfway along the reef, where giant schools of juvenile barracuda congregate in whirling circles.

The Caves
This site is the last of the series of sites on the southern coast of Dahab before the Gabr El Bint National Park. It centers on two shallow and large open front caverns, deeply undercutting the reef table close to shore. They are well worth a visit: covered with soft corals, sponges and black corals and inhabited by huge pufferfish and shy peppered morays.  On the south side, a very contoured shallow reef section with many inlets and surf tubes leads onto the sloping body of the main reef, while to the north, a deeply undercut extension of the cavern leads down the side of the sandhill to the northern continuation of the reef slope. The reef sections are as interesting as the caves, where a large cover of hard and soft coral and lively population of reef and schooling fishes are present.

Nuweiba

The diving from Nuweiba runs from Devils Head and in the north to Abu Gallum in the south and is mainly accessed from the shore by jeep or even camel due to the lack of jetty facilities or safe anchorages for boats. Conditions are ideal and there is plenty to see: gardens of hard and soft coral and interesting fish species like razor fish, shrimpfish, stonefish and pegasus fish. Those with a keen eye for detail can spot the elusive frogfish, the delicate seahorse and the multihued nudibranch. There are house reefs and coral gardens to explore, as well as two marine parks: Ras Mumlach, with a 70m wall covered in hard and soft corals, and Ras Abu Galum, with a drop off to over 90m.  Some of the more interesting dive sites in this area include:

Abou Lou Lou House Reef
The house reef lies just to the left of the jetty, off the hotel’s private beach. The main reef lies between 5 and 20m of depth.  It is an ideal spot for both for beginners and experienced divers because of the concentration and diversity of the fish life there. Puffers, morays, groupers, surgeonfish, shrimps and crabs are just a few of the highlights. Lionfish practically overrun the reef here, with 20 or more commonly seen on any dive.  This site is great for night dives as well, when the ocean’s evening entertainment comes out to play in droves.

M.F.O.
M.F.O. is an abbreviation for Multi-National Force and Observers.  This site contains two desalination pipes that were put there by the Israeli Army in the late seventies. Both pipes start at 5m and stretch out horizontally, sloping gradually down to 12m and 20m respectively. The pipes are around 5m apart and over the years have become overgrown with soft corals and small table corals. This has attracted an abundance of fish to shelter around the pipes.  A short swim north from the pipes produces a reef at a depth between 14 and 20m with a collection of small pinnacles, coral heads and masses of soft corals blanketing the bottom. The fish life is abundant with jackfish, grouper, parrotfish and sometimes leopard rays making an appearance.

Ras El Shetan – Devils Head
About 30 minutes drive north of Nuweiba lies a Bedouin Camp, a perfect base from which to dive Ras El Shetan. The southern side of the reef starts at 12m, and is covered by an incredible variety of hard corals before dropping down sharply to a depth of 40m to a canyon full of octopus, puffer fish and moon groupers. The northern side of the reef offers a completely different experience, providing a bed of sea grass and a healthy coral garden that includes impressive table corals ranging in size from an inch to 3m in diameter. Along with various other hard and soft corals, this part of the site is home to many small, tropical fish including the brightly colored lemon goby and the blue green puller.
Ras Mamlach
Situated in the Abu Galum National Park, this site is spectacular. The reef starts at 12m, with a beautiful coral garden, then gives way to a steep wall that bottoms out at 70m. Brightly colored  fan and table corals as well as soft corals sit against the backdrop of the intensive blue of the Gulf of Aqaba, where schools of barracuda, jacks and groupers play.

Jell-O at Jellyfish Lake

In the 1960’s Jacques Yves Cousteau claimed Palau’s underwater walls, reefs and drop offs as the world’s best.  Forty+ years later, divers still agree with this assessment.  Palau, formally known as the Republic of Palau, or Belau to native Palauans, is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean about 2000 miles south of Tokyo, but with less baseball.  The Spanish, Germans, Japanese, and finally the Americans have all played Gilligan’s Island in Palau, leaving a pinch of customs, language, and technology here and there.  Palau was a part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, which the U.S. headed at the end of World War II.  In 1994 the Republic of Palau moved out of their parent’s basement and became independent.

This island nation has cultivated their underwater tourism by encouraging hotel development around the capital city, Koror, and by establishing numerous dive operators.  But the true fuel of the dive trade in Palau isn’t manmade: the nation boasts 100+ pristine dive sites and healthy, diverse, and prolific sea life. Palau has over 1500 types of fish and 700 coral and anemone species. Most of the dive sites are sure to produce sightings of the 6 different kinds of sharks and 5 different kinds of turtles found there.   While there are too many fantastic dives to name, below are a few of my favorites.

Read moreBlue Corner – Listing this site is not surprising, as it is the most famous one in Palau and is lauded in dive magazines and books alike.  But, it is hands-down my favorite dive in the whole world, so it gets the top spot on the list.  Here a finger of land extends out into deep water off the southwestern area of the Ngemelis Islands, creating a unique outcropping of rock and coral.   Sand gullies cut through the reef, which drops down to a large ledge in about 50ft, before disappearing into the endless blue.  A wicked current usually whips around this point bringing tasty nutrients and hungry fish.  Local dive guides invented the “reef hook”, a lanyard that attaches to your BC and hooks into dead piece of coral.  By slightly inflating the scuba vest and facing the open ocean beyond the edge of the wall, divers can watch the activity unfold without getting tired and using up all of their air. Visibility is good, ranging from 60’ to 90’.If conditions are at their best then expect to see swirling schools of barracuda and jacks, snapper and bass, huge Maori wrasse and dozens of whitetip and grey reef sharks.  On several dives there, the most curious of the sharks would swim right towards us, veering off at the last moment before we soiled our wetsuits.  I imagined them picking each of us off one by one, in Goldilocks and the Three Bears style: that diver is too thin, that one’s got too much gear, that one’s just right.  Other sea life highlights at this site include: pink and violet coral, pyramid butterflyfish, spotted eagle rays, square anthias, yellowtail fusiliers, sargent majors, moorish idols, emperor angelfish, midnight parrotfish and stingrays.

Jellyfish Lake – Jellyfish Lake is on one of the rock islands, Mecherchar.  The lake is completely isolated, although the limestone allows for an exchange of salinity with the ocean.  The lake is filled with mastigias and moon jellyfish.  Because of their isolation from predators these jellies have lost their ability to sting, so they have adapted to feeding on symbiotic algae instead.  It is an excellent study in evolution, an example of function driving form that Darwin would have loved.  Of course no adventure in Palau is an easy one, but if you can get over the difficulties of accessing the site, it is completely worth it.  In order to get to the lake one has to hike 20 minutes up and over the lip of the island.  In some places the trail is good and even has a rope to steady the climber.  In others, it is just a mud slide.  Along the route there are several instances of an indigenous tree that leaks poisonous sap.  And, of course, every once in awhile there is the tour bus of saltwater crocodiles that seem to appear at all the good Palauan activities.  Scuba is not allowed in the lake because of a toxic layer of hydrogen sulfide found at 50 feet, so technically this is a snorkel, not a dive.  But, inconveniences aside, swimming through the water with the jellies is like pushing handfuls of Jell-O.  It is an experience like no other in the world.

Wreck of the Iro – This wreck, the most famous in Palau, is located at Urukthapel Bay. It is 470ft long and weighed 14,050 tons.  The Iro was one of a fleet of 10 Shiretoko class freighters.  She sank on 31 March 1944 and rests upright on a silt and sand bottom 130ft below the surface. When you descend, you’ll come across a large gun mounted on the bow. The deck is still relatively intact as is the starboard anchor. The bridge has easy access, but the crews’ quarters underneath require you to penetrate the hull. There is a gun that is still fixed to the stern.  Divers can peer into the engine room because its ceiling had been demolished. The masts and kingpost have attracted a wide variety of invertebrate life; from sponges, to staghorn coral, sea whips, black coral, giant clams and oysters. Batfish, large pufferfish, 8-banded butterflyfish, orangebanded butterflyfish, and small big-eye trevally are commonly found along the ship.

The Blue Holes- This site consists of four uniquely formed blue holes in the reef that drop into a large cavern which then opens out on the reef wall into the surrounding ocean. In the inside of the cavern, visibility ranges from 45 to 120’. On sunny days great shafts of light beam down through the upper openings, lighting up interior all the way to the bottom at 110ft, like a large cathedral. In inner walls are covered with a variety of cup & stylaster corals and huge whip corals sprout from the cavern roof.  Look for fish swimming upside down  on the ceiling of the cavern.  But, this geological anomaly delivers not only a cavern dive, but also a drift and wall dive once divers exit through one of two openings on the reef face. Grouper, napoleon wrasse, triggerfish, moorish idols, butterflyfish, anemones and turtles are all found here.

German Channel – Located with Ngemelis Island on the left and Ngedebus Island on the right, German Channel was built in the 1900’s, when the German administration blasted through the reef to complete the natural channel and allow ships to pass from the southern islands of Peleliu and Angaur to Koror. Today it is used as passage through the south-western barrier reef to many of the outer dive sites. It is not actually in German Channel that people dive, but at the entrance to the channel at an area usually known as German Channel Wall or Drop-Off. Here, some 200 yards from the entrance to the channel itself, the seafloor, at a depth of 50-60ft consists of a sandy substrate interspersed with large individual coral formations. This dive is popular for its manta cleaning station, where the manta and the occasional reef shark come to be cleaned by cleaner wrasse. You can also see other kinds of rays including sting rays, spotted eagle rays, and ornate eagle rays.

Ulong Channel – This drift dive site is situated on the west coast of Palau, close to Siaes Tunnel. The entrance is covered with coral gardens and the channel itself stretches some 500m – at an average width of 33m – to the lagoon. There is a sandy bottom at the entrance where shark gather together to feed on the fish that are swept inside.   The bottom varies in depth from between 10-15m and is clear of coral, but the sides are decorated with soft coral and sea fans. Diving Ulong can only be done on an incoming tide; fresh, clean water is pushed into the channel and you essentially hitch a ride and go with the flow. If the current is really ripping then you have almost no chance of back tracking if you see something of interest. About half way the channel splits into two – the left hand route is the best, as a huge stand of green lettuce coral grows along the flank of this section; amongst the corals large anemones are home to clownfish and shrimps. The right hand route also has some good fan corals, but is not as good. After 20 minutes drifting down the channel it breaks out into the lagoon. Divers will be able to see tons of plate coral that houses squirrelfish, glasseyes and soldier fish.  If the current is strong there will be as many or more sharks concentrated at the mouth of the channel as at Blue Corner on a good day.

Saies Tunnel – This site is an enormous underwater cavern with three openings into the chamber from the side of the reef wall. The entrance to the cavern starts at approximately 100 feet and the bottom is over 140 feet.  The sheer wall that starts at the surface drops down to 200 feet and beyond to the open ocean. Often, sleeping whitetips and stingrays can be seen relaxing at the back of the cavern. The roof and walls of the cavern are covered in a variety of cup corals, black coral, stylasters and hydroids.  The bottom slopes up toward two large sea fan-covered windows that allow light to penetrate the cavern and provide exit points to the reef wall.  The bottom of Saies Tunnel is deep – about 130ft – so time spent in the interior is short, but upon exiting there are rewarding opportunities along the reef itself – wonderful hard corals, sea fans and tropical fish, including pyramid butterfly fish and brightly colored anthias.  A great dive, but not for novices.

Peleliu Cut – Peleliu Cut is part of a vertical wall, which runs along the western side of Peleliu Island, turns and extends to Peleliu Corner at the most southerly point within the main island group of Palau. This section of the reef, which includes Peleliu Wall, is the deepest reef structure in Palau. The top of the reef is a plateau that gradually drops from 30 feet in front of the WWII monument to 90 feet where Peleliu Expressway and Peleliu Cut merge to create Peleliu Corner.  The top of the plateau hosts large numbers of tropical fish including pyramid butterflyfish, square anthias, moorish idols, sergeant majors, yellowtail fusiliers, palette surgeonfish, bumphead parrotfish and purple anthias. It is also common to see large congregations of jacks, batfish, and snapper.  Dense concentrations of bright yellow soft corals, long strands of cable corals, big bushes of black corals and sea fans decorate the sheer reef wall.  An insane amount of pelagic fish have been seen at the Cut and the Corner, including sperm whales, whale sharks, tiger sharks, bull sharks, orcas, sailfish, and blue marlin.  The swift, unpredictable currents here make this an advanced dive not appropriate for the faint of heart!

Blue Hole, Gozo

Unlike the cold European waters to the north, the Mediterranean Sea is frequently thought of as a scuba diver’s dream destination.  Many places in the Med offer great diving with the added bonus of some very interesting topside cultural experiences.  Some interesting sites in the Eastern Mediterranean include:

Cypress

The Zenobia is a 178 meter long ferry that went down in 1980 with over 100 large vehicles onboard, giving this dive plenty of exploration possibility and making multiple dives here a must.  It lies on its port side which starts at a depth of 15m and descends to 42m.  Visibility is usually quite good; some days it stretches to 35m.  Experienced divers can penetrate the wreck to see the interior, including two trucks still hanging upside down from their chains, but visibility can drop drastically in the confined spaces.  Though the wreck is the main attraction, triggerfish, barracuda and enormous grouper can also be spotted here.

Manijin Island is a very scenic dive with a wall, a spectacular algae covered cave and a swim-through with a blowhole to keep a diver continuously engaged through the dive.  This dive is ideal for beginners as well as experienced divers with dive depths ranging from 5m to 24m.   Marine life highlights include slipper lobsters, big grouper and large shoals of saddle bream.  Also, octopi are relatively common around Cyprus, so taking the time to peer into the nooks and crannies on this dive is frequently rewarded with at least one good critter sighting.

Egypt

Alexandria boasts no significant reefs or colorful tropical fish, but rather a wealth of archeological treasures such as sunken cities, palaces and numerous wrecks.  Experts estimate that some 7000 monuments belonging to the Pharaonic and Roman dynasties are preserved under Alexandria’s waves.  The Underwater city of Cleopatra and her Palace, located just inside the Eastern Harbor, dates back to 300 BC, and was built by Alexander the Great.  The city collapsed and fell into the sea after several earthquakes. Divers can see Cleopatra’s royal districts, the statue of Mark Anthony, Cleopatra’s sun boat and the wreckage of a 2nd World War plane that exists inside the ruins. Various monuments, carvings and building ruins can be seen throughout the site.

Crete, Greece

Navagio Wreck, the wreck of a German WWII Messerschmitt 109 fighter, lies 20km West of Agia Pelagiaat at depth of 24m. The wings and fuselage are intact and you can see inside the cockpit. One of the machine guns is clearly visible with one of the ammunition belts lying on the sea bed nearby.  Though the plane’s parts are still identifiable, they are covered in a wide variety of coral and sea life, with groupers and moray eels calling the place home.  A healthy reef covered with anemones and small colorful fish schools sits nearby in shallower water, offering the diver an interesting way to work off some of the nitrogen after the deeper wreck portion of the dive.

Malta

Cirkewwa offers 7 different dive sites amongst crystal clear blue waters. One in particular, the Rozi tugboat wreck, offers more to see than a diver can possibly accomplish on one dive.  The boat was sunk in 1991 as an underwater attraction by a company offering submarine trips.  Lying in a depth of almost 40m, the wreck can be seen completly due to the exceptional visibility which is frequently over 30m.  This wreck can be dived from shore or by boat.  The abundant sea life in the area includes: barracuda, morays, octopus, cuttlefish, wrasse, bream, nudibranchs, scorpion fish, morays and even dolphins.  Some parts of the wreck can be penetrated, but with so much going on around it, you may forget to do so once you get down there.

Blue Hole, Gozo is a hike to get to in your gear, but worth the trip.  Divers drop over the lip into the calm blue waters, surrounded by fascinating underwater topography of rocks worn down by the tides of time.  At about 5m deep, an opening leads to the sea.  Outside the opening divers can see coral gardens, small caves and plenty of sea life, but the star of this show is most certainly the natural formation.

Water visibility ranges from 80 to 150 feet, depending on the site.  There are a wide variety of underwater opportunities to cater to every taste, including drift dives, shallow reefs and deep reefs, walls, tunnels and swim throughs, and even blue holes to explore. Expect to see large ocean-going fish like sharks, eagle rays, barracuda, along with standard reef fish and invertebrates like colorful nudibranches.  Healthy stands of black coral, elkhorn coral, and staghorn coral can be found at numerous sites.

A dramatic drop-off runs parallel to the islands along Exuma Sound on the eastern side. The wall starts in about 50 feet of water and plummets to several thousand. The edge contains huge caverns, tunnels, and large fish of numerous species.

Just inside the wall are areas of reef formations in 20-60 feet of water. These reefs vary from shallow coral gardens to tall coral heads on white sand. These shallower dives yield hundreds of species from the smallest nudibranchs and shrimp to the larger reef fishes such as barracudas and sharks.

To the west of the Exumas, the Great Bahama Bank ranges 40 miles. Only 40 feet deep, these shallow coral reefs teem with tropical fish. The tidal flow creates strong currents between the islands – ideal for drift dives over a mile in length.

Some of the more interesting dives include:

Thunderball Grotto – This impressive hollowed out island close to Staniel Cay is an underwater paradise teaming with tropical fish, rare sponges and corals. This setting was used for scenes from James Bond’s “Thunderball” and “Never Say Never Again” as well Disney’s “Splash”. Weave through the grotto’s many entrances and passageways, then escape to the outside through its holes. Gaze skyward when inside the amphitheater to see light streaming through the roof where rain has eroded natural skylights.

Wax Cay Cut – A high velocity drift dive, considered by many to be one of the finest in the Caribbean.  Fly like Superman at speeds of over 2 knots past vibrant corals and sea fans. You will see rays, sharks, eels and numerous fish as you drift with the current in this cut between the islands. The sheer density of staghorn, pillar and finger corals is amazing. There are several other drifts dives in Exuma such as Hammerhead Gulch and Coral Cut, but none quite as impressive as this.

Dog Rock Wall –  Hundreds of Atlantic spadefish call this spot home.  Glass minnows choke the swim-throughs that lead to the wall.  Massive black coral trees decorate the wall face.

Angelfish Blue Hole –  Just off Elizabeth Harbour, rising and falling tides create an ever-moving current through this cavern, attracting a huge variety of fish. The site drops from 30 to 90 feet before entering a cave system best left to certified cave divers. However, the schooling fish and large angelfish that occupy the blue hole are magnificent.

Amberjack Reef – A patch reef where you are sure to see a number of different types of sharks including Caribbean Reef sharks and nurse sharks due to the numerous operators who feed them. Large black groupers also ply the area looking for a handout.

The Washing Machine – The strong incoming tide takes scuba divers through a narrow cut where water drops off a ledge and then makes a sharp bend to the left. This causes the water to swirl like the water in a washing machine, sometimes tossing scuba divers head over heels. After passing through the cut, divers swim out over a large patch reef filled with typical tropical fish and coral.

The Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park – This site is part of the Bahamas National Trust, encompassing 176 square miles of pristine diving in which all living creatures are protected.  These waters have been managed as a no-take marine fishery reserve since 1986. This has allowed populations of commercially important species such as queen conch, Nassau grouper and spiny lobster to thrive. In addition, sea turtles swim throughout the coral reefs that teem with marine life.