[ad_1] Scuba diving is adventurous and fun, allowing visitors to discover new submerged environments and the animals that live in them, all while breathing effortlessly underwater. But traditional scuba experiences are just the tip of the iceberg. This exciting activity is constantly expanding to new horizons, letting travelers come in contact with more and more
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Scuba diving is adventurous and fun, allowing visitors to discover new submerged environments and the animals that live in them, all while breathing effortlessly underwater. But traditional scuba experiences are just the tip of the iceberg. This exciting activity is constantly expanding to new horizons, letting travelers come in contact with more and more of the aquatic world.
Today’s cutting-edge experiences bring humans face to face with underwater animals ranging from massive to minuscule and everything in between. And these pioneering excursions are allowing scuba divers to venture into previously unexplored environments made by man and nature alike. Ready to try an entirely different kind of adventure? Read on to discover 10 totally unique underwater experiences, many of which are already available in some of the world’s best scuba diving destinations.
Believe it or not, most aquatic animals emit a faint fluorescent glow that can be seen by other oceanic species, used for camouflage, hunting, and even attracting mates. Under normal circumstances, this light spectrum is invisible to humans, but Fluo diving uses special lights and mask filters to allow us to see it.
Watch the reef come alive in a rainbow of neon shades, with all kinds of organisms, from corals to anemones and even fish displaying their own unique hues. With proper filters for an underwater camera, Fluo diving also presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for underwater photography.
Best for:
Divers of all skill and comfort levels
Know before you go:
Fluo diving requires special lights and mask filters, so a guided service is absolutely required.
Millions of years ago, earth’s oceans were roamed by far larger species than one can find today, including the massive Megalodon. While these creatures may have died out eons ago, evidence of their existence remains in the form of fossils. And, at a few places in the United States, scuba divers can take the plunge, hoping to find their own ancient keepsakes.
Diving for fossils is different from a traditional day underwater. There are no buddy teams, and the chances of spotting wildlife are low. Instead, individuals head straight to the bottom, where they dig and sift through the sand in hopes of finding a massive meg tooth and other fossilized specimens.
Best for:
Advanced divers who don’t mind a solo experience and deep water
Know before you go:
Wildlife encounters are unlikely during these trips – the sole focus is on fossil finding
Most oceanic organisms begin their lives in the open sea, drifting along with the current until they reach the perfect reef to call home. Blackwater diving allows scuba fanatics to observe these pint-sized creatures, illuminated by powerful underwater lights, as they float in giant clouds of marine snow.
Ideally, blackwater dives are held in the shallows over deep marine trenches. This allows larger organisms from the ocean depths to float up toward divers’ lights. Expect to see fish larvae and juveniles, squid and octopus, jellyfish, salps, and plenty of plankton. Larger pelagics are also possible, as they’re drawn to feed on these small animals.
Best for:
Advanced and adventurous divers with excellent buoyancy control
Know before you go:
Blackwater diving isn’t only about the small stuff – pelagics like sharks occasionally turn up, too
Iceland’s Silfra Gap is the only known place on our planet where visitors can don a drysuit and take the plunge, scuba diving in the small space where two continents meet. Found in the Thingvellir National Park, this formation plunges to at least 200 feet (60 meters) in depth, but most divers will explore near the surface where there is plenty of light.
This isn’t a traditional dive site, but there’s still plenty to see! Visitors won’t encounter much in the way of wildlife, but the crystal-clear water makes it easy to see a variety of underwater formations. Explorers here will need to wear a drysuit or super thick semi-dry wetsuit, and most in-water experienced run a bit shorter than traditional hour-long excursions.
Best for:
Mixed groups with divers and snorkelers
Know before you go:
The water in Silfra is a frigid 35 to 39° F (2 to 4° C)
Mexico’s cenotes are among the country’s top tourist attractions, with options for swimming, snorkeling, and even scuba diving. But this wasn’t always the case. The Mayan people who originally inhabited this land believed that cenotes were the gateway to the spiritual underworld known as Xibalba.
Some cenotes are appropriate for less experienced divers, but the real showstoppers require advanced certification and a high comfort level with enclosed environments. Explorers will have a chance to spot freshwater wildlife, fossils, and fascinating underwater phenomena, including thermoclines and haloclines.
Best for:
Advanced and adventurous divers who don’t mind tight, enclosed spaces
Know before you go:
Most cenote dives that are open to the public are held in caverns, but the region is also home to sites suitable for technical cave exploration.
Divers should never enter a cave without proper training and certification.
Sometimes called bluewater diving, this experience drops scuba enthusiasts in the middle of the big blue, with no underwater formations or seafloor in sight. Then, the group picks a direction and swims. In most cases, there are a few local species that they hope to find. But, in the open ocean, literally, anything might turn up.
In most cases, bluewater divers hope to encounter large animals like schooling hammerheads or mobula rays. But the open ocean is where life begins for most reef species, so it’s also common to spot juvenile wildlife and even rare deep sea creatures. Just be sure to stay with the group and maintain neutral buoyancy at all times.
Best for:
Advanced scuba divers who can maintain their buoyancy with no visual references
Know before you go:
Photographers should carry wide-angle equipment, with a chance for all kinds of crazy pelagic species to appear.
Imagine hovering motionless in a pitch-black ocean landscape, surrounded by millions of sparkling blue lights. Diving with ostracods is often described as surreal, unbelievable, and even psychedelic. And, it’s only possible in a handful of destinations around the world, like Bonaire.
Ostracods are a rare type of bioluminescence, only visible for a few nights after the full moon – and then only for a brief window of time each evening. Enter the water and switch torches off before the main event begins to avoid missing part of the show or disturbing other divers.
Best for:
Divers of all skill levels who have mastered buoyancy control perfectly
Know before you go:
Ostracods are only present for a short window of time, around 20 minutes, just after sunset
The USS Oriskany, sometimes referred to as The Mighty O, was purpose sunk in 2006 to become the planet’s largest artificial reef and one of the most epic dive sites in Florida and the Southern United States. It’s also one of the sport’s most photographed sites, thanks to a massive American flag found at the crow’s nest.
This Essex-class aircraft carrier served in both the Korean and Vietnam wars, earning multiple battle stars, launching more sorties, and flying more missions than any other US Navy Carrier. Today, divers can explore the ship’s superstructure or interior, with dozens of different routes open for exploration.
Best for:
Advanced and experienced wreck divers who can stay and play for multiple tanks of exploration
Know before you go:
This is a deep dive, ranging from 84 to 146 feet (25 to 44 meters)
Divers should never enter a shipwreck unless trained and certified to do so.
This experience takes the polar plunge to a whole new level, with scuba divers exploring below a solid sheet of ice. First, a human-sized hole must be cut in the thick surface ice so that explorers can enter the water. Then, divers are lowered in and allowed to swim as far as their safety line will allow.
Ice diving requires a high level of skill and special safety protocols because there is no direct access to the surface during the experience. But, the challenge is totally worthwhile, thanks to the otherworldly scenes and fascinating wildlife that can only be found in this harsh environment.
Best for:
Advanced and experienced divers who don’t mind confined spaces or the cold
Know before you go:
This experience is only open to Advanced Open Water divers who are 18 years or over and have dry-suit experience.
Kneeling gently on the seafloor while dozens of massive manta rays swoop and dive overhead? Yes, please! The Kona Manta night dive is one of the planet’s most iconic underwater experiences, with nothing similar found anywhere else in the world. And it’s open to divers and snorkelers alike.
Before divers arrive, a large circle of lights known as a bonfire or campfire is placed underwater and switched on. This attracts the mantas’ favorite food – plankton. Then, divers are invited to sit back, relax, and watch the show, spending 25 to 45 minutes in passive observation before surfacing.
Best for:
Mixed groups of divers and snorkelers
Know before you go:
Stay where guides indicate to avoid being bumped or even slammed into by a hungry manta.
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