Diving is perhaps one of a few activities
that integrate excitement with serenity and relaxation which is why
it's become a favorite hobby all over the world.
The activity gives traveling a whole new
meaning, allowing a person to be able to have a new perspective about
how he relates to this surroundings and to the planet in general. Diving
in the best dive sites in the world is one of the common dreams that are
shared by thousands of diving enthusiasts out there.
Here we'll endeavor to provide some narrative
pictures about some of the best dives sites in the world. The totality of
a certain dive should be seen to appreciate it. Don't look at a dive site
in terms of the aquatic wild life, or the clarity of the water, but also
look in to the history and the culture that is embedded in the
waters.
Yongala
The Yongala dive site is perhaps the
best dive site in Australia, or perhaps in the world. It's actually
a shipwreck and the stories behind it are what make it a very good
dive site.
In the early 1900's, the ship was
wrecked by a horrendous cyclone in Queensland. The unfortunate
event cost more than a hundred people and a famous racehorse. The
109 m. long shipwreck was officially protected as a historical site
during the 1980s.
As one diver puts it -- "The
Yongala is all about the fish!" One can see teeming aquatic life
beneath the surface of the site’s waters. Sea snakes, manta rays,
turtles, octopuses, tiger and bull sharks, corals, you name it, the
Yongala has it.
For those people who are interested in
taking a peek inside the shipwreck, there's some bad news. Divers
are forbidden to enter the ship and it would cost dearly if the rule
is broken. The mystery of the shipwreck adds to the value of the
dive site.
Tubbataha
The Tubbataha reef in the Philippines
is also a very popular diving destination. Why? Because the
biodiversity in this dive site can compete with any of the dive
sites in the world. The Tubbataha reef, in fact, was named as one of
the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization’s World Heritage Sites in 1994.
If you want to take a dip in the
Tubbataha reefs, then you should set your schedule ahead of time
because the diving season in the reef is only from the middle of
March up to the middle of June. This is to protect the vast amounts
of fish species that feed on the reef during the other times of the
year.
Barracuda
Point
It's a dive site that is located in the
small island called Sipadan that is near Sabbah. One will have to
take a boat ride from Semporna that will take about an hour to get
to the dive site.
Divers love this spot because of the
swarming schools of fish (especially the barracudas) that swim
around. A negative comment about it is that the currents can be too
strong sometimes but nonetheless, it's one great dive
site.
The best time to dive at the Barracuda
Point is from December to February.
Florida
Keys
Perhaps the best dive site in the
United States is the Florida Keys. The main reason why divers go
here is that it has the longest reef in the western world. The
waters are crystal clear down to more than a hundred feet. There are
around 500 shipwrecks that can be explored. There’s also an
underwater hotel! Would you believe that?
There are many resources in the area
that can help you with your diving needs. You can hire a
professional guide or rent video equipment from the nearby shops at
the dive sites.
Illes Medes
Illes Medes is located in L'Estartit in
Costa Brava, Spain. It's approximately 135 kilometers from
Barcelona. The temperatures there are very conducive for diving. The
fish are somewhat friendly because they aren't that frightened of
humans and they actually come close to the divers. The peak season
for diving here is August.
These are just some of the wonderful
dive sites in the world. Take your pick now and dive your way
towards the heavens under the seas.