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United KingdomThe Lord Stewart
(33m) 248ft long, torpedoed by UB-104 in 1918. Stands 9m proud and has an iron prop and a small stern gun. Warning: phosphorus wedges have been found on the wreck, do NOT remove, as they ignite in contact with the air!!!
You can dive this wreck from the dive boat Sunfish. You can contact Mike of Sunfish Charters on 07968-262421 or email
click here to email or visit
website Never been on Sunfish before, then check out our Testimonial page on
website more info about Lord Stewart including maps, reviews, and ratings...
United KingdomThe Dutch Barge
(8m) locally known as 'The Pipes'. The barge is not there anymore, but it's cargo of 20ft iron pipes are. A nice scenic / wreck dive, lots of life living in and around the pipes. Usually good viz.
You can dive this wreck from the dive boat Sunfish. You can contact Mike of Sunfish Charters on 07968-262421 or email
click here to email or visit
website Never been on Sunfish before, then check out our Testimonial page on
website more info about The Pipes/Dutch Barge including maps, reviews, and ratings...
United KingdomThe Perrone
(30m) 320ft long, torpedoed by UC-65 in 1917. An interesting dive as the wreck lies in two halves, with the stern section lying alongside the starboard side, can be difficult to see the whole wreck on one dive. Some nice swim-throughs on this wreck, can be dark.
You can dive this wreck from the dive boat Sunfish. You can contact Mike of Sunfish Charters on 07968-262421 or email
click here to email or visit
website Never been on Sunfish before, then check out our Testimonial page on
website more info about Perrone including maps, reviews, and ratings...
United KingdomThe Galicia
(18m) 400ft long, hit by a mine in 1917, then 'dispersed' in 1923. As a result she is fairly flat despite coming up to 5m proud of the bottom, but is a large site and a nice dive. Well worth a good rummage, still 'ship shaped' bits to see, various things are still on her (although ideally not removed). Lots of congers, pollack, usual pout, wrasse etc.
You can dive this wreck from the dive boat Sunfish. You can contact Mike of Sunfish Charters on 07968-262421 or email
click here to email or visit
website Never been on Sunfish before, then check out our Testimonial page on
website more info about Galecia including maps, reviews, and ratings...
United KingdomThe Britagne
(28m) 232ft long, sunk in 1918 by being rammed by another ship (you can see the gouge in the starboard side). Sits upright on a shell bottom. A little bit of superstructure, but generally whole. Still has it's prop & rudder, with a spare prop on the stern deck.
Ideal for all levels of diver, whether it's a non-stop 20min dive or a full 60min dive (in 60mins you will see ALL of it). For advanced divers there are some nice penetrations. Lots of fish (and snagged fishing line), HUGE crabs live near the bow.
You can dive this wreck from the dive boat Sunfish. You can contact Mike of Sunfish Charters on 07968-262421 or email
click here to email or visit
website Never been on Sunfish before, then check out our Testimonial page on
website more info about Bretagene including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Kiribati PacificGrapple Rocks was an expansive pinnacle which peaked at forty-five feet. A dive to sixty feet revealed boulders and rock formations with increasing coral density approaching the summit. Flame angels abounded, as well as rabbit, trigger and filefishes. Large anemones with delicate, lacy, pink-tipped tentacles could be seen, and dozens of juvenile three-spot damsels danced before their anemone hosts. A common encounter is inquisitive green, leather back, or hawksbill turtles.
more info about Grapple Rocks, Christmas Island including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Kiribati PacificKiribati's Christmas Corner is the premier dive site in kiribati. With hundreds of schooling big eye trevally, barracuda, and several napoleon wrasses swimming within feet of divers. Even from the moment you do your back-roll off the boat you are surrounded by playful bottlenose dolphins who stay with you until you descend to the bottom of the ledge. This is definately a drift dive with a nice sloping wall that begins at 50ft. and descends to 90ft. Tons of nice caves to explore along the wall with spiny lobster and emperor angelfish hiding in the crevices. Reminds me of Palau's Blue Corner... Divers will come back year after year just to dive Christmas Corner.
more info about Christmas Corner, Christmas Island including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Israel Mediterranean SeaOne of the best dive sites found on the Northern coast of Israel. An Italian WWII Sub. sunk by the British Navy lies upright at about 32 meters.
more info about R.Smg. Scire' Haifa Bay including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Kenya Indian OceanHave ben diving at Shark Point several times with Peponi Divers. Its a PADI and BSAC diving centre. Shark Point was my No.1 dive site because it was very colourfull and there is a wide range of under water life. We had a good chance to spot 5 White Dip Reef Sharks, 2 Green Turtles and a big range of different fish at the same time. Also we spotted a huge Patatoe Grouper. The top of one dive wes to see a Whale Shark on the surface. We could swimm with the giant for about 10 to 15 minutes. I can really recomend the diving at Mombasa North Coats as it was my first time to dive in Kenya. I will deffenetly go back there to enjoy some more wonderfull dives.
All the best to Chris, the owner of Peponi Divers Mombasa
more info about Shark Point including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Costa Rica PacificOne of the best land based dives in Costa Rica is at the Catalina Islands between the months of November and May. That is the best time to have an opportunity to see giant Pacific manta rays. These are not just ordinary manta rays but Manta birostris . This species of manta ray can have a wingspan of up to 24 feet (about 7 meters) and weigh up to nearly 3,000 pounds (1,360 kg). These enormous animals feed primarily on the microscopic plants and animals found in the plankton that is so plentiful at Catalina Islands.
They glide by you in no particularly hurry allowing you to get a good view and take prized photographs. The distinctive patterns on their bodies provide a personal signature for each manta. Some are nearly all black, while others sport white chevrons on their backs. The patterns and sometimes scars make the mantas easy to recognize.
The manta’s mouths are bracketed by two flexible cephalic lobes that look almost like horns when rolled up. During feeding, these lobes unfurl in a downward direction like two arms and appear to sweep plankton toward the mouth. When not feeding the lobes roll back up or are held in a relaxed gesture beneath the mouth with the tips nearly touching. Mantas do have teeth. To be more precise, they have rows of tiny pinhead-sized teeth along the lower jaw. The teeth are probably no rougher than the sandpaper hide of the manta are useless as a defensive tool. During mating the male grasps one of the female’s wingtips in his mouth as he swims under her for a brief belly-to-belly 90 second interlude in which the eggs are fertilized. It probable that the teeth help hold the female in position much like sharks do during mating.
During the manta ray season at Catalina Islands the water is cooler than normal and you should wear a full 3MM wet suit or maybe even a 5MM if you chill easily. If the water is not cold enough for a 3MM then it is probably not cold enough to see schooling, giant manta rays. You should make reservations in advance for Catalina Islands as you don’t want to miss this opportunity to swim with the giant manta rays.
Bill Beard
website more info about Gulf Of Papagayo including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Indonesia Timor SeaTo quote a dive guide's words: "This site is the ancestor for pelagics!"
This is a seamount in the middle of a narrow strait. First time I dived here it was a hand to hand grasp on the baren rock to get across the top of the seamount at around 12-14meters. Once you get over the northern side of the seamount it is a drop off with a ledge around 25-35 meters. During good season; april to november, the visibility is incredible; 25meters +. At first you see shadows - big shadows. And it materialized... huge dog-toothed tunas, each as big as a cow! These can number in the 30s or more. The corals are mostly short and mixed with soft corals, very colorful, but with all the pelagics around you forget it existed. Just to sum it up, big-guys I've seen here: Napoleon wrasse, eagle rays, cheveron barracudas, big-eyed trevally, giant trevally, giant grouper, black-tipped, silver tip, white tip sharks, thresher shark (this one was huge!), and ofcourse the ever-present dogged-toothed tunas. Side note: I read in a guide book about the giant grouper here, 2 meters and not a cm smaller. yah, right. Right? But guess what? I did see it. no kidding, big as an VW bug! even them grey reef sharks kindof stay away from it. However it was on its way somewhere though, didnt stay around too long.
However this site isn't for the faint of hearts. You'd first of all need a very good guide who can determine the best time to dive here, as you may wait up to 1/2 hr or more here just to wait for the current to slow down. Even while waiting you might think you're in the middle of a white-water rafting trip in a river rapid! besides that you can even see wake on the anchor line! Once it settles down (not completely, because you want to arrive in the ledge at min current) you go down the line hand-on-hand to the top of the mount and grasp the baren rock to move forward. But once you're on the ledge it's calm enough, even to move around. This site isn't like other sites where you constantly move about, more like staying put on the norther ledge which is about 30 meters long, between 20-38 meters. Watch your air-carefully as you may go deep here and you'd definitely needed the safety stop here. Obviously this site ain't for beginners. I'd suggest min experience of 100 dives or more. Another thing: having a glove helps...
Another reminder, this site is also not for those who don't listen to their guides; or for those who thinks they know everything, no matter how many dives you had. With this sort of attitude you definitely could get into trouble here. You basically dive during tide-interval, and they varies. When the tide changes, you have to get out of there, and I don't care how much air you got left. If you think you don't get your dive worth (air/time wise), suck it up on the boat! Once the current gets moving, even boats can't move forward here! (I have seen; not just once but many times, boats moving backwards here. An experience skipper would go very close to the island [kepa island] where the current subsides or move in opposite direction) not to mention a diver!!!
Alor area dive sites are excellent by any standard. Straight walls full of corals down to 50meters plus with vis up to 30M or more. But once you've been here and seen the pelagics, thats it. Its like narcotics, you just want to come here again and again. One trip me and my mates were diving here for 4 dive days I think, gues how many time we dived here? 6 times!
For those of you who like to dive here can get in touch with me: blueplanetbali@indo.ne.id. With 4 trips and about 40 dives + in this area, I can say that I know quite a bit about this area...
more info about Kal's Dream, Alor islands including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Brazil Atlantic (South)Situated in the Região dos Lagos, the city is famous among the scuba divers and those who love the sea. White sand beaches and crystal clear waters are an invitation to relax.
Arraial is strategically located near to Cabo Frio and the sophistication of Búzios. All this intense night life is close to the charming comfortable pousadas of Arraial.
Distance (approximately): 180km from Rio de Janeiro. 15min from Cabo Frio and 30min from Búzios.
How to arrive:
Bus: regular lines leave the Terminal Rodoviário Novo Rio (bus station)
Car: use the Via Lagos highway until Cabo Frio, then take the proper exit to Arraial do Cabo.
More than 40 dive points scattered around the small bay formed by the continent and the Cabo Frio Island. The map above indicates just a few of these points.
Depths can vary from 12m to more than 50m in some spots.
During the dives you will be able to observe turtles, moray eels, large schools of fish, sea horses, rays, octopus and much more.
For the experienced diver we offer the chance to explore underwater caves, historical shipwrecks and submersed canyons.
The rocky bottom is covered by rigid and soft corals, sponges of many different shapes and colors.
Making the submarine scenario very special.
Dive Center:
Dive Point Atividades Subaquaticas
click here to email website If you fly into Rio de Janeiro and have a little time, it definitely pays to visit this dive shop before planning your diving in Brazil.
The friendly staff will gladly help you book your trip and can tell you about other great dive destinations in Brazil as well.
more info about Arraial do Cabo including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Italy Mediterranean SeaPool Diving offer the best cave diving in the Mediterranean Sea at very low prices. We are open all year around and we have 1 large steel boat (17mts) and 2 dinghies. We provide a transfer service and we also help our customers to choose the most suitable accommodation according to their needs. For more info: 0039 079 979229; mailbox@pooldiving.com;
website more info about Alghero and its dive sites including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Portugal AtlanticIt's THE MAGICAL PLACE. At 13 meters you have a seamount with hidrotermal activity. This brings lots of live to the surface and unique life forms in shalow vents. Schols of Barracuda, tunas, bonitos and other pelagic fish are a certain! Be carefull with boilling water, gas, ammonia and currents or swells. Once I broke a camera there! Check out some photos at http:andrebarreiros.blogspot.com
more info about D. João de Castro Bank including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Ireland AtlanticFungi the dolphin was there in 2005 when I went.
The local dive centre said he wasn't really interested in divers and you would be lucky to get a dive with him.
There's a lot of competition with the local fungi watching boats during the day anyway
But you can be reasonably sure of snorkelling with him if you get up early enough. Don't bother paying for a guided snorkel, just go to the bay next to the lifeboat station as early as you can. If he's there, you might get lucky
more info here
website more info about Fungi the Dingle Dolphin, Ireland including maps, reviews, and ratings...
MexicoSitting in the middle Baja California Sur's premiere marine reserve, this site sits in shallow water giving plenty of bottom time. On a good day, all that bottome time is needed to fully take in all there is to offer at this site. The water temperature ranges between 60F and 90F, giving an amazing variety of life during a year.
You can find everything from the tiniest Nudibranch and shrimp, to the largest Whale Sharks and Manta, depending on the time of year.
Shoals of a variety of fish abound, including shoals numbering well into the thousands of Jacks. Occasionally Sea Lion grace the waters as they feed in the waters.
A large variety of Eel, and tropical fish are to be found on the reef all year round.
Rays of several varieties, including impressive shoals of Bat Rays, Golden Cow Nose Rays and Mobula Manta can be seen during the year.
There is a variety of both hard and soft coral abounding the structure surrounded on all sides by sand. The site is not the largest, however there is so much to see that you have more than used your botom time before coming to the end.
The people at Vista Sea Sports, located in Buena Vista (about 1 hour north of San Jose del Cabo) are a great friendly bunch and are willing to help in any way they can.
website For the non diving member of the group, they offer snorkelling trips to a nearby remote beach. The ride is about an hour by "Panga", and during the cooler season, whales are often seen on the journey. Dolphins occasionally make their apearance in the waters on the way to and from the dive sites.
Although El Bajo has the most life, there are several other fascinating sites in the area. All dive sites in the area are very distinct from one another in their structure.
more info about El Bajo, Cabo Pulmo Marine Reserve including maps, reviews, and ratings...
French Polynesia Pacificthis dive is amazing. starting outside the pass (during the incoming tide) the zodiac drops you into the blue. by the time you meet up with your buddies under the boat, the sharks are already arriving, usually oceanic silvertips, silkeys and reef. dropping down to about 40 metres you will probably see a great hammerhead or two cruising the outer edges of the pass , usually they trail the large schools of eagle rays that cruise the area. if the visability is good you'll be able to see literally hundreds of sharks circling a submerged seamount below you. catching the tide you'll pick up speed as you "fly" through the pass , as hundreds of barracuda, the resident dolphins and some really big mantas glide past. ducking into one of the small caves is a great way to get out of the current and watch the amazing show , its also where you'll find the "sleeping" sharks . as you drift through the pass you'll be gradually getting shallower until you arrive in the lagoon and the end of an amazing ride . and like all great rides the first thing you want to do when its over is do it again.
more info about Rangiroa atoll including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Costa Rica PacificGreat site with lot's of surprises. Manta's; giant schools of Rays (Mobula; Pacific Stingray, Eagle etc.); Schooling Jack's. If you're lucky you've got the dive of your life! Dive with "Summer Salt".
more info about Catalina Islands including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Australia PacificBrilliant dive site, safe for all levels, has a cave going right through the rock. Deep enterance is at 23 meters that comes up to about 16 meters inside the cave, dark for about 40 meters or so and light for the rest, come out at about 10 meters at the shallow end. The cave is about 100 meters or so long with turtles, crayfish, sharks, lots of tropicals, normally houses three to five large black cod. Plenty of soft corals, cowries and nudis and spanish dancers.some very friendly bat fish and blue grouper. Other sites in the vicinity are Murrays Passage, which is great for deep diving and some penatration. The aquariam, which is 8 meters to 17 meters or so that houses schooling fish small tropicals, turtles and sharks and nudis. Great machro site. King wrasse corner, shark gutters, fish and chips are deeper sites, all on the southern, eastern and western side and when the conditions are good, the pinnacle on the northern side is an awesome dive for big fish and sometimes up 70 sharks, great tropicals and brilliant vegetation. I know this sounds a little amazing, coz it is. I have been diving there for about 10 years and it never ceases to amaze me. Green Island has much the same life, depth is about 12 meters to 17 meters, the island houses the red indian fish, anglers, nudis, sharks, turtles, schooling drummer. Black rock, 12 metes to may be 15 meters if you have a shovel, once again plenty of tropicals, turtles, hordes of wrasse and blue angels, butterflies everwhere. Bait reef, 9 to 12 meters and ladys reef, 10 meters, awesome machro.. Temp ranges from normall 22 degrees to 26/28 degrees over summer.
The boys at South West Rock Dive Centre have 3 boats, accomodation, hire gear, guided tours and great diving.
0265 666474
website has all the info.
more info about fish rock cave, south west rocks including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Costa Rica PacificMurcielago or Bat islands
This dive spot is for experienced divers and really worth taking the 1 hour and 15 minutes boat trip.
A free decent and you are in a wonderfull place. In the season May - November this place is famous for it's bull sharks.
My firts trip to these islands was awesome.....16 bull sharks!
The biggest Murene eels and big schools of rays. It's just a magnificent place to dive!
Your saftey stop has to be made in mid water without reference, this can be tricky because sometimes the currents are strong; therefore the experienced dive certification.
If you plan to go, be prepared, bring a saftey tube for the boat to spot you.
Bat islands is a national park and an entrance fee of $6 needs to be paid, make sure you take a diveshop that has legal permission because alot of divecenteres will take you on this trip and then you end up returning without any dives because the coast guard interfered with the plans.
One of the dive shops with a permit is Rich Coast Diving in playa del Coco.
website more info about Bat Islands including maps, reviews, and ratings...