The popularity of scuba diving is increasing every day, with millions of people participating in the activity because it makes them feel like they are part of the exhilarating marine life while moving freely underwater.
Scuba dive allows you to swim without restrictions and become an underwater explorer, hence more people are interested to become certified divers. If you interested to join the club and dive in the ocean here are the most popular destinations for scuba diving.
Maui Lahaina, Hawaii
Nestled between the West Maui Mountains and the coast, Lahaina Maui is undoubtedly one of the most popular destinations for scuba diving. It offers incredible diving opportunities for enthusiasts of underwater photography.
You’ll find three major dive sites in Lahaina located 10 to 15 minutes from the Kapalua resorts and hotels and 5 to 10 minutes away from Kaanapali hotels.
Ranked as one of the best dive sites in Lahaina, Mala Wharf is a great place to see green sea turtles and whitetip reef sharks. Constructed in 1922, the concrete pier collapsed during the powerful Hurricane Iniki.
Located on Maui’s west shore and 10 minutes north of the end of Lahaina town in Kaanapali, Black Rock is a wall dive featuring a coral reef ending at 32 feet in depth. On the epic dives, you’ll find turtles.
Ideal for certified divers and beginners, the Airport Beach has a 2-foot shallow inner reef and an outer reef ending at 47 feet. Scuba divers will get a chance to see beautiful coral, sea turtles, and fish passing by and feeding.
To get the ball rolling with scuba diving on the Airport Beach, check out In2Scuba Diving Maui Dive Co. This reliable company offers scuba classes for non-certified and first-time scuba divers who want to dive in Lahaina.
The course includes full scuba diving on a reef, and you do not need previous experience to join their scuba classes, which only take 30-40 minutes to complete. After taking a class, you’ll scuba dive under the supervision of your instructor.
Jupiter, Florida
Situated in southeastern Florida, Jupiter offers several world-class dive sites. With a thriving marine life, healthy coral reefs, good visibility, and warm water temperatures, it is obvious why scuba divers keep flocking to this northernmost town in Palm Beach County.
Because most of the dive sites in Jupiter are more than 70 feet deep, they are ideal for experienced scuba divers who often come here to seek out shipwrecks. You may come across 8-foot, 700-pound goliath groupers during the summer.
Oahu, Hawaii
Not only is Oahu well-known for its beautiful beaches, but it’s also a great place to go scuba diving. It’s home to Waikiki Beach and Honolulu, and there is a wide variety of excellent diving opportunities around the island. Considered The Wreck Capital of Hawaii, Oahu has approximately ten great wrecks that recreational divers can access.
The Corsair Plane Wreck is an advanced dive site that requires boats and a guide. The wreck lies around 115 feet in an area with strong and swift currents. Divers who explore this spot will get an opportunity to see the airplane that crashed and sank in 1946. Several artificial reefs were also sunk to create new dive sites, and they are home to a range of marine life, including pufferfish, sea turtles, and eagle rays.
Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida
Ideal for nature lovers, this secluded and remote destination is located 70 miles from Key West. The coral reefs are pristine, and the water is crystal clear, with some coral structures rising 50 feet.
The wealth of shallow waters have loads of exciting things for divers to see. They can venture deeper around Long Reef Key and Texas Rock. Due to the easterly flowing gulf current south of the park and the remote location, scuba divers will undoubtedly discover a greater abundance of marine life.
Monterey Bay, California
With its quality deep dives, tons of kelp beds, colorful anemones, nutrient-rich waters, and seal and sea lion rookeries, Monterey Bay is one the best destinations for cold-water diving. This marine sanctuary is also home to the 8.83-square-mile Point Lobos State Marine Conservation Area, one of the richest marine habitats in California.
Because it has clear waters and sheltered coves, experienced divers and beginners can all venture underwater at this spot. Some sites, including Bluefish Cove and Whaler’s Cover, restrict scuba diving activity to 30 individuals per day. That means you can enjoy a thrilling crowd-free scuba diving experience. Divers will also see abalone, harbor seals, rock cod, and leopard sharks in their undisturbed natural habitats.
Puget Sound, Washington
Puget Sound offers a variety of dive sites, from reefs and shipwrecks to walls and caves. While water temperatures often remain at 50 F throughout the year, water conditions can vary dramatically. It is 10 miles wide and has a length of 100 miles, with a maximum of 930 feet in depth.
With over 75 shore-diving sites, some of the conic marine life you’ll find here include small spiny lumpsucker fish, wolf eels, the giant pacific octopus, and a range of nudibranchs.
Pingback: Five Tips For Making The Most Of A Seaside Getaway | My Beautiful Adventures
Pingback: Scuba Diving 101: Begin your First Scuba Diving Trip in 2023 – Green Record
Pingback: The Environmental Benefits of Scuba Diving: How It Can Help You Become a More Conscious and Responsible Traveler - Trending Sol