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.

Bigfoot would never be seen in the ocean - he doesn't like getting his hairy feet wet.

The myths and stories surrounding the oceans color our view of the beauty (and the horror) of the saline depths.  Legends such as Ahab and the Whale, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, The Bermuda Triangle, Jaws, James Bond, and Jessica Alba in a wetsuit/scuba gear have all played a part in shaping our modern day perception of the seas, for better or for worse.

The idea of scuba diving in the oceans seems to elicit particularly strong opinions from most people, usually falling into two categories: “way cool” or “hell no.”  Though I am probably biased, the people falling into the “hell no” category usually rely upon a scuba or ocean misconception to support their perspective.  Below are some of the better ones I have heard.

I don’t want to try diving because…

“Sasquatch of the Sea may come get me.”

It is silly to think that man is aware of everything that lives in the ocean.  New species are being identified all the time.  But the notion that an aquatic version of Sasquatch is going to pop out from behind the next coral head is more cinema than science.  Sailors swearing they saw mermaids most likely viewed narwhals.  The Loch Ness Monster was a cardboard cutout.  I’m not being cynical, just logical (unless of course I’m on a night dive, then all bets are off and I’m sure Nessie is right behind me.)  And, if (on the off chance) a mystical beast does live in the seas, surely it has something better to do than to look for me or another diver, like avoiding photographers from the Enquirer.

“I will be eaten by a giant ______.”  (Fill in the blank: octopus, shark, man-eating conch, radioactive seahorse, etc.)

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.

“Banana hammocks and wet suits are required to go diving.”

To many, scuba garb can be more intimidating than jumping into a sea of sharks.  Contrary to popular (but misinformed) belief, a nut-hugging speedo and fat-magnifying wetsuit are not required to scuba dive, though some divers do embrace the look.  Most divers just wear what is comfortable to them.  After all, the fish really don’t care what you look like and most dive boats are happily devoid of mirrors.

“If it isn’t the Great Barrier Reef, it isn’t worth diving.”

Talk to an enthusiastic non-diver, and they will eventually ask you if you have dived the GBR, apparently the perceived Shangri-la of diving sites against which all destinations pale.  Since when did the Great Barrier Reef become the Magna Cum Laude of the diving world?  Perhaps it was 30 years ago when that was the pinnacle of dive options.  Times have changed, mate.  Is the GBR nice?  Sure.  Are there other destinations across the globe that are better?  Yes!  A diver can explore fascinating, historic wrecks in places like the Baltic Sea and off the coast of the Carolinas.  We can swim with pods of manta rays in Yap and dolphins in Puerto Rico.  The Cenotes of Mexico bring a whole mystic vibe to diving while the ruins that sit in the water off of Alexandria, Egypt allow a diver to bubble inches from a Wonder of the Ancient World.  The world is full of great dives, some tough, some scenic, all fantastic.  Chances are, great diving exists right in every diver’s backyard, no passport needed.

“Divers all have 3-day old stubble, a bad crew cut and a tattoo that says Mom.”

I’m pretty sure that the people holding this belief also mentioned the GBR thing.  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?

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.

Vinnie the Venomous Fish

Great White sharks get all the press when it comes to discussion of the ocean’s deadliest killers.  But, plenty of other things in the sea are just as mean and nasty, if not more so.  A selection of some of my favorites:

Vinnie the Venomous Fish – Imagine being a lowly fish, armed only with the ability to school and a sense of sea humor.  Now add a little venom to your arsenal, and suddenly you are a Big Bad Swimming Machine.  Venomous fish like stonefish, lionfish and scorpion fish produce their own toxins then generously share it with the rest of the aquatic world via their already unpleasant spines.  My favorite is the stonefish, who are at their deadliest when lying on the ocean bottom doing nothing at all except looking like…you guessed it…an ugly stone.  All it takes is a passerby with a naked foot and a bad aim and bam, you get one unhappy tourist (and the fish is a little flatter for the experience as well.)

Octopussy – James Bond proved one could overcome their enemies by throwing a Blue Ringed Octopus on their face in this classic 1980’s spy movie.  Theoretically I suppose this could work, though you are likely to get bitten in the process.  Since it injects neuromuscular paralyzing venom that can kill a human in minutes, you won’t really get to enjoy your victory over the forces of evil for very long.  Better to remove the bad guy’s shoes and point him in the direction of some stonefish instead.

They Freak Me Out On Land, Too – Sea snakes tend to favor the warm, fish-filled tropical waters that most scuba divers also like.  Though shy unless provoked, a single snake produces enough poison to kill not only you, but the rest of the folks on your dive boat, too.  Most are a normal snake size, but a few can grow to seven feet or more.  I personally am sure that if I ran into a seven-foot sea snake while diving I would give up the sport right then and there.

It’s the perfect gift for the diver who has every trinket known to man.  Of course, with a $164k price tag you really have to like that diver.  This product uses an internal-combustion engine to reach a dive site, then, at a touch of a button, takes the person onboard under the waves up to a depth of 100ft.  There’s no pressurized cabin, so don your gear before pushing button or you’re in for a nasty bath.  Computerized “automatic depth control” ensures that the Scubacraft won’t descend or climb too quickly, enabling the captain to avoid a nice case of the bends.

I’m not so sure I’m buying this device anytime soon, however.  There is something to be said for the traditional scuba process of motoring out to a dive site with fellow divers on a clunky dive boat, going through the group ritual of suiting up, then returning to the boat afterwards to decompress (literally!) on the way back to the dock.  I frequently find myself wanting not to speed up my scuba experiences, but rather slow them down so I can enjoy them longer.

Vinnie the Venomous Fish

Great White sharks get all the press when it comes to discussion of the ocean’s deadliest killers.  But, plenty of other things in the sea are just as mean and nasty, if not more so.  A selection of some of my favorites:

Vinnie the Venomous Fish – Imagine being a lowly fish, armed only with the ability to school and a sense of sea humor.  Now add a little venom to your arsenal, and suddenly you are a Big Bad Swimming Machine.  Venomous fish like stonefish, lionfish and scorpion fish produce their own toxins then generously share it with the rest of the aquatic world via their already unpleasant spines.  My favorite is the stonefish, who are at their deadliest when lying on the ocean bottom doing nothing at all except looking like…you guessed it…an ugly stone.  All it takes is a passerby with a naked foot and a bad aim and bam, you get one unhappy tourist (and the fish is a little flatter for the experience as well.)

Octopussy – James Bond proved one could overcome their enemies by throwing a Blue Ringed Octopus on their face in this classic 1980’s spy movie.  Theoretically I suppose this could work, though you are likely to get bitten in the process.  Since it injects neuromuscular paralyzing venom that can kill a human in minutes, you won’t really get to enjoy your victory over the forces of evil for very long.  Better to remove the bad guy’s shoes and point him in the direction of some stonefish instead.

They Freak Me Out On Land, Too – Sea snakes tend to favor the warm, fish-filled tropical waters that most scuba divers also like.  Though shy unless provoked, a single snake produces enough poison to kill not only you, but the rest of the folks on your dive boat, too.  Most are a normal snake size, but a few can grow to seven feet or more.  I personally am sure that if I ran into a seven-foot sea snake while diving I would give up the sport right then and there.