Words: Gentleman's Journal
If you’re looking for a water-based exploration, the muddied waters of the Thames simply won’t cut it. We’ve rounded up some of the best diving spots in the world, and what lies beneath the surface is bound to take your breath away.
GREAT BLUE HOLE, BELIZE
Simply looking at the Great Blue Hole from above is incredible, and only sheds a glimpse of light on what lies beneath. At roughly 400m in diameter and 145m deep, the Great Blue Hole is ringed by fringing reef. While aquatic life is absent, you’ll be left in awe of the marine stalactites that have formed up to 15m long that draw divers from all over the world. The Great Blue Hole is a Unesco World Heritage-listed ocean sinkhole, and its definitely one worth exploring.
MANTA RAY VILLAGE, HAWAII
The name of the dive site may have given you a strong hint; yes, just off the Kona coast of Hawaii you can find a dive that specialises in the sightings of Manta Rays. What makes the dive even more exciting? They are always conducted at night. This way, dive operators can shine strong lights into the water attracting plankton. These then draw in the impressive Manta Rays, that can grow up to 23 feet in from wing to wing. The sights you can see on this dive are incredible, especially when lit by the moon, but be wary that Manta Ray sightings are unreliable. The best time, it seems, to go on a Manta Ray dive is during the new moon.
COCOS ISLAND, COSTA RICA
If it’s sharks you’re looking for, it’s sharks you’ll find at Cocos Island. Sitting 600km off Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, Cocos Island played host to some of Jurassic Park’s most graphic scenes. Below the water, hammerhead sharks shoal in expansive numbers, making sightings a certainty. In fact, they’re known to let the divers get a pretty close look. The largest shoals can be found around the submerged mountain at Alcyone, which also homes white-tip reef sharks, and a few whale sharks. It’s truly teeth-galore. Divers should bear in mind that they are required to visit on a liveaboard boat, as no one is permitted to stay on the island.
COCKLEBIDDY CAVE, AUSTRALIA
One for the more experienced diver, Cocklebiddy Cave in Australia’s Nullarbor Plain is deceiving upon first glance. Though the plain may look waterless, the limestone surface conceals a series of caves below, including Cocklebiddy Cave. Stretching four miles in length, the straight tunnel is almost completely flooded, and stands as one of the world’s most prestigious cave dives. Diving here isn’t taken lightly though, and a permit must be obtained from Western Australia’s Conservation and Land Management department in order to be able to explore the cavernous depths. The World’s Longest Cave Dive took place here in 1983, when French divers explored Cocklebiddy end to end.
NAMENA REEF, FIJI
Local Fijian village chiefs are to thank for preserving the thousands of species of coral and marine life in Namena Reef. They have set up a system whereby any operators visiting the dive sites within Namena Marine Reserve require an admission fee which must be paid in advance. This is used to maintain the mooring buoys, as well as any other preservation costs that keep the reef vibrant and healthy. This makes for an even more enjoyable dive, as the waters are impeccably clean. Once you have descended, you’ll enjoy swimming amongst schools of barracuda and gliding smoothly over 1000-foot vertical drop offs. The thrill all divers seek when at Namena Reef is riding the currents up chimneys with coral snakes quietly following you – a once in a lifetime experience that gives you serious diving points.
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