Hi & Dive Suggestions for Kyushu in June?

[Diver Stan]

Hi,

I've been reading some of the posts here on diving in Japan, but they don't scratch my itch.

My wife and I are joining her mom and pop and several other family members for a tour of their ancestrial haunts in Kysuhu. We're taking trains out from Fukuoka, Kumamoto, and will end up in Kagoshima, and fly out the second week in June.

My wife is third generation Sensei Japanese American and doesn't speak Japanese. I don't speak Japanese either.


I'd like to escape on my own for an overnighter and do some scuba diving (my wife doesn't dive and isn't interested.) I'm traveling light, so will leave my dive equipment at home.

The southern most section of the island seems like a good place to dive. And I could probably make my way over to Kagoshima by train on my own without getting totally lost.

Water temps seem fine. I'm used to diving in the chilly waters of Monterey Bay and North California.

I saw an English speaking group on the internet (travelman.jp) out of Sata that does beach and boat dives and they seem OK.

But, getting to Sata would be difficult for me: no car, no language skills, not much time.

Any suggestions? Warnings? Recommendations?

Cheers,

Stan

 

[jagfish]

Hi Stan
Kim on the board is from those parts and should have some good suggestions for you. There is a group that dives out of Kumomoto, but sounds like you'll be a ways away from there.

Best of luck...

 

[Diver Stan]

Hi,

I'm flexable. We we be in Kumomoto for a couple of days.

Just received an email from the folks in Sata. They said its still rainy season in early June and it is unlikely that they could get enough divers interested to make a weekday dive worth their while.



Thanks.

 

[Kim]

Well.....June IS the rainy season so it's going to be pretty hit and miss - you might get lucky. I don't know anything as far south as Kagoshima.....I mean....I know it's there but not where or what. If the weather was OK I might be able to set something up in Sasebo (Nagasaki) - if the weather turns though they cancel just like that so it's not ideal. I live close to Fukuoka.

 

[Diver Stan]

Hi Kim,

I read some of your posts about dive sites in Japan. The shallow Fukuoka dive you described in one post reminded me of diving out of Breakwater in Monterey, California. A sheltered place to dive when other areas are too turbulent.

I'm flexible. My relatives are spending a day in Sasebo, then returning to Fukuoaka. We will be taking a week radiating out to different areas by train from Fukuoka. I could depart from them, take a train and dive if decent conditions prevail.

Still checking around, but would I set something up in advance? Then wait to see if weather cancels?

Thanks for your reply!

Cheers,

-Stan