Ishigaki Island, Okinawa dive report

[Benkun]

Hey guys,

Just got back from a short trip down to Ishigaki Island. Only stayed for 2 days, 6 dives total.

The weather was beautiful. Typhoon passed through a couple of days before I arrived so I was a bit worried about visibility but when I dived, most places seemed to be reasonably clear, about 15-20m but some of the sandy bottom areas were pretty bad. I think this was mainly due to groups before us kicking up the sand. The DM told me that some big landmarks at some divepoints had shifted due to the typhoon and it was messing up his navigation a bit. Water temperate was around 27-28C, dived in a 5mm wetsuit. No big problems but got a bit chilly on 2 of the dives when we hit streams of cold water currents.

The highlight was definitely Manta Scramble. We were lucky enough to have 5 manta rays visit us, circling above us for about 20 minutes. On the swim back to the boat another one appeared and swam around below us. Fantastic!

So many people had told me what an amazing place Ishigaki Island was for diving so to be honest, I was a bit disappointed at the other points. It was indeed beautiful but there weren't quite as many fish as I was expecting. I only did a few dives so I might be wrong but considering how much it costs to get to Okinawa (I'm in Tokyo) and how much diving costs in Japan (can't do much about that) it seems to me like it might be better to save your pennies a bit and head overseas. Seeing the manta rays were, however, completely worth the whole trip.

Anyway, I'm at work at the moment but will put up a full report and some pictures when I get home. Can't remember the names of the points so I need to have a look through the logbook.

P.S The reports about coral dying around Ishigaki Island are true. I was suprised and saddened to see how much of the coral is starting to bleach white.

Ok some photos below, realized I left my logbook at my girlfriend's place so will add details later...
Other than the dive at Manta Scramble, the dives were mostly macro with lots of nudibranches as you can see below. These dives were down around Kuro Island (i think, will check later)

Manta Rays!

Taken from about 24m, so you can see the vis is pretty good

 

[Geoff_H]

Thanks for the report Benkun Which dive shop did you end up with? Would you recommend them?

I am looking to go to Ishigaki soon.

Re: costs of diving in Japan - sadly I don't think flying to anywhere close is any cheaper... if it is, please let me know where and when!

PS - 27-28 degrees C in a 5mm? I would be in dive shorts and nothing else......

 

[Benkun]

Geoff,

I dove with a little shop called 'Kukuru'. It's pretty new (opened in Feb I think) so the gear is all new. It's run by a husband and wife couple but they have a nice big boat and they are properly organized. They don't speak any English however. I can speak Japanese and my gf found the shop on the internet. I paid about ¥35,000 for 6 dives renting BC and reg. I liked diving with them, they were really nice and I saw a lot of dive shops using these tiny boats. The surface is a bit rough in some places, the dive sites usually take about 30mins to get to and you eat lunch on the boat so it's nice to have one you can move around in.

If you need an English speaking DM this place might have one: DIVING SCHOOL UMICOZA - Manta ray watching - Ishigaki island in Japan - (the website is written in terrible English though).

I went diving in the Philippines (Alona Beach, Bohol) in July, if you're going to be there a while (for example a week) it works out cheaper I think, especially if you can land a good deal on a flight. One boat dive there costs around ¥2,000 and accommodation is about ¥3,500 for a double room.

About the water temp, it felt a lot colder than 28, I was surprised myself that I felt cold at times but that's what both me and my gf's dive computers said.

Anyway, have a great time diving down there!
Ben.

 

[The Mushroom King]

Nice Pics !!! I particularly like the frog fish!

I was in Ishigaki back before golden week and I'm saddened to hear about the coral. tragic.
When I was at manta scramble I couldn't help notice a half dozen boats all anchored to the coral. I assume its like that everyday - I should think they could do a lot to preserve the coral at that spot by setting up a mooring or two...

I'll be heading to AmamiOshima (kagoshima) next week, so I'll report back and see if the bleaching has affected that area.

 

[japan-diver]

The bleaching seems to be mostly on the islands south of Okinawa this year. The lack of really good typhoons hasn't brought the water temp down much this year and I think the coral is paying for it. Here on Okinawa the water temp is a little cooler and we haven't seen as much bleaching as on Ishigaki and some of the other islands this year. In fact I would say this has been a good year for the reefs here, I have seen alot of new coral growth and not just in the areas where people are planting it.

 

[Benkun]

Mushroom King, yeah I was surprised too that there weren't any moorings. I did notice though that (as far as I could see) the boats never 'dropped' anchor but always had a guide dive down and 'place' the anchor as well as go to pick it up. That's a lot of effort for every point, every day so I was quite impressed.

I'm looking forward to hearing about AmamiOshima, I might be heading down to Kyushu next year and I'm curious as to what the diving is like around there!

 

[Geoff_H]

I'll be heading to AmamiOshima (kagoshima) next week, so I'll report back and see if the bleaching has affected that area.

In Guam, I just dived with a marine biology student from Kagoshima.. she just sent me an email today with some info on diving down there. I am actually tempted to go next week after getting back from Shikinejima.....

Anyway, here are her recommendations - not sure if any of these are near AmaniOshima but if they are they come recommended!

If you will come to Kagoshima,my recomend diving places in kagoshima are Bounotu(坊&#27941,Kasasa（笠沙）,Iou-island(硫黄島）,Take-island(竹&#23798,
Kakeroma-island（加計呂麻島）,and Sakurajima(桜&#23798.
Sakurajima is my diving club's main point.
Please you must to come to Kagoshima!

 

[The Mushroom King]

Anyway, here are her recommendations - not sure if any of these are near AmaniOshima but if they are they come recommended!

I think those spots are all near the mainland of Kyushu (but I could be wrong) AmamiOshima is a string of islands between kyushu and Okinawa. Actually when I first saw them on a map I thought it was okinawa, but its a part of kagoshima I've been told. Looking forward to it and will definitly report back on how it goes...

There is certainly a lot of great places in Japan to dive that we have yet to try eh! If only you could get big tanks (and filled to 200+bar) and nitrox <sigh>

 

[Geoff_H]

170 bar is enough for anyone Well, for the majority of people who are happy to do 2x35 minute dives a day.......

I think the compressors in Japan must have long lives!

Have fun in Amani Oshima!

 

[TJO]

Amami is great diving (according to one of our Halcyon dealers who establish an operation there). I only heard good things about that island and one of my best friends are from there. Should be some wreck and caverns/caves there as well. It is only one island though... The one to the south (can't remember the name) offers the best diving. Have fun! (You should be working on your DM test now!!!)

Thomas