jeremyl
Contributor
I decided to give up on my attempt to break the record for most deliquent TR, so here it is. Went to Okinawa to visit my sister - military stationed there for the past couple years, but leaving soon so I had to take advantage of free place to stay to explore the underwater wonders of Okinawa and the Keramas.
My sister was supposed to hook me up with some of her diver friends to do mostly cheap shore dives, but true to her nature she didn't organize anything so I got there and had nothing planned.
First dive was April 14th (after a week on mainland Japan split between Kyoto and Tokyo). Its low season so most dive op's dont go out to the Keramas. Enter Miho at Reef Encouters to save the day. They dont take their boat out in the low season (waves can be too much) but she found me room on an all Japanese boat (they usually dont take tourists) and sent me out with Jim Winter - who was nice enough to rent me a camera since I decided not to lug mine across the globe as this was a sightseeing trip more than a dive trip. Jim served as a great dive buddy and guide. On the trip out he shared quite a bit of history of the Islands, as well as about the dive sites and so forth.
Because of the weather (it had been kinda stormy) we were somewhat limited on dive sites (also the boat was filled with "students". I use the term loosely as apparently they take people out to dive with exteremly little training.) We went to Gisshippu Island, where Jim explained that there are three sights next to each other but all totally different. First dive was Coral Gardens (Akaya). Saw my first Sea Snake (a few of them), white tip, and some freakin' amazing Giant Clams. I have done mostly Carib diving and a few trips to Hawaii, so there was some very new stuff for me, and while the best is yet to come, I was pretty happy. After a break (which included Jim drying off because he didnt fully zip his dry suit) instead of going to a different place we dove the adjacent Sand Triangle... and true to Jims description it is quite different. More sea snakes, some cool nudi's. Then after some killer soup and lipton tea we dove the third of the sites - Tamana Farm. This is where the turtles hang out. Its right between the other two but the turtles are rarely seen at the other sites. There were several and they were friendly.
I took the next day off because of weather and to visit with my sister and Bro-in-law. On the 15th I went for a shore dive with Miho! Just a hop-skip-jump from the dive shop we went to Tsunami Bay 1 (right side). It was pretty choppy but eventually we decided to go for it. Good idea! Lots of nudis (I'm a nudi-freak), several Orangutan crab (Miho is an Orangutan crab-freak), more sea snakes. A spectacular dive with walk up access. But then things changed. We did the left side. WOW! Soft coral galore. This looks like the photos I have seen from Fiji and such. Ok, those who have been to both might say its not all that, but since I havnt been to Fiji I will just live with my memory that it was simply amazing. As far as coral goes, best dive of my life!
I needed more, and fortunatly SB came to help. I had posted to see if anyone to take me out to dive. Scott Marbut (Baracuda Dive) said he was going out on a night dive and invited me to join. We met at Kadena North (another very easily accessible spot 10min from my sisters place). A decent length surface swim to a channel marker and drop down. Turned into a great dive... octopus, sea snakes, scorpion fish, and the usual assortment of night critters. We stayed under for most of the way back to the shore, which got pretty rough going - wasn't quite expecting that but I'z all good.
The next day I went out to the Keramas again thru Reef Encouters, with Jim as a guide. We went to Kuroshima North "Twin Peaks" for the first dive. Honestly after the amazing soft coral fields of the last dives I was not as blown away, but it was still a great dive. The second dive was back to "Sand Triangle" - aka turtle town from the first day. Since we were guests on a Japanese boat we didn't have too much say in where we went (although Jim did put in a couple requests) - I think it was much more dictated by current than anything else. Still a great dive, with more turtles, nudi's, and I found a cool Scopion Fish that was good enough for Jim to snap a photo. Third dive (after yet another killer soup) was "Nozaki" on Tokashiki Island. Tons of fish! Some really nice hard coral, and a Spotted Eagle Ray came to visit.
Since my sister took the week off, and my wife was with me I spend the rest of my week on Okinawa visiting with them. Did all the tourist things - glass factory, pottery factory, Pineapple Palace, Pie in Sky Pizza, and of course the Aquarium. Freakin killer aquarium. I lived in Baltimore for years. Been to Montery Aq. several times. This is impressive. Go there.
I promised Scott I would report back on how amazing the diving is in Okinawa... better late than never, eh Scott. As he says - they really do have it all. There are beautiful fields of soft coral, turtles, sharks, seahorses... everything. I just wish my sister wasnt leaving in the spring so I could go back and dive with free lodging. But mark my words, I will be back. Soon. Now that I have had a taste of what it offers, I want to see it all! Thanks to all who helped show me the sites. I wish I had written this TR right when I got back and memory was fresh. All I can vividly remember is the beautiful giant clams, the spectactular soft corals (complete with anemonefish) and telling my wife that it was the best dive of my life after a simple shore dive with Miho. So I appologize for not going into glorious detail as I know is justified. But go dive it yourself and see...
Jeremy
My sister was supposed to hook me up with some of her diver friends to do mostly cheap shore dives, but true to her nature she didn't organize anything so I got there and had nothing planned.
First dive was April 14th (after a week on mainland Japan split between Kyoto and Tokyo). Its low season so most dive op's dont go out to the Keramas. Enter Miho at Reef Encouters to save the day. They dont take their boat out in the low season (waves can be too much) but she found me room on an all Japanese boat (they usually dont take tourists) and sent me out with Jim Winter - who was nice enough to rent me a camera since I decided not to lug mine across the globe as this was a sightseeing trip more than a dive trip. Jim served as a great dive buddy and guide. On the trip out he shared quite a bit of history of the Islands, as well as about the dive sites and so forth.
Because of the weather (it had been kinda stormy) we were somewhat limited on dive sites (also the boat was filled with "students". I use the term loosely as apparently they take people out to dive with exteremly little training.) We went to Gisshippu Island, where Jim explained that there are three sights next to each other but all totally different. First dive was Coral Gardens (Akaya). Saw my first Sea Snake (a few of them), white tip, and some freakin' amazing Giant Clams. I have done mostly Carib diving and a few trips to Hawaii, so there was some very new stuff for me, and while the best is yet to come, I was pretty happy. After a break (which included Jim drying off because he didnt fully zip his dry suit) instead of going to a different place we dove the adjacent Sand Triangle... and true to Jims description it is quite different. More sea snakes, some cool nudi's. Then after some killer soup and lipton tea we dove the third of the sites - Tamana Farm. This is where the turtles hang out. Its right between the other two but the turtles are rarely seen at the other sites. There were several and they were friendly.
I took the next day off because of weather and to visit with my sister and Bro-in-law. On the 15th I went for a shore dive with Miho! Just a hop-skip-jump from the dive shop we went to Tsunami Bay 1 (right side). It was pretty choppy but eventually we decided to go for it. Good idea! Lots of nudis (I'm a nudi-freak), several Orangutan crab (Miho is an Orangutan crab-freak), more sea snakes. A spectacular dive with walk up access. But then things changed. We did the left side. WOW! Soft coral galore. This looks like the photos I have seen from Fiji and such. Ok, those who have been to both might say its not all that, but since I havnt been to Fiji I will just live with my memory that it was simply amazing. As far as coral goes, best dive of my life!
I needed more, and fortunatly SB came to help. I had posted to see if anyone to take me out to dive. Scott Marbut (Baracuda Dive) said he was going out on a night dive and invited me to join. We met at Kadena North (another very easily accessible spot 10min from my sisters place). A decent length surface swim to a channel marker and drop down. Turned into a great dive... octopus, sea snakes, scorpion fish, and the usual assortment of night critters. We stayed under for most of the way back to the shore, which got pretty rough going - wasn't quite expecting that but I'z all good.
The next day I went out to the Keramas again thru Reef Encouters, with Jim as a guide. We went to Kuroshima North "Twin Peaks" for the first dive. Honestly after the amazing soft coral fields of the last dives I was not as blown away, but it was still a great dive. The second dive was back to "Sand Triangle" - aka turtle town from the first day. Since we were guests on a Japanese boat we didn't have too much say in where we went (although Jim did put in a couple requests) - I think it was much more dictated by current than anything else. Still a great dive, with more turtles, nudi's, and I found a cool Scopion Fish that was good enough for Jim to snap a photo. Third dive (after yet another killer soup) was "Nozaki" on Tokashiki Island. Tons of fish! Some really nice hard coral, and a Spotted Eagle Ray came to visit.
Since my sister took the week off, and my wife was with me I spend the rest of my week on Okinawa visiting with them. Did all the tourist things - glass factory, pottery factory, Pineapple Palace, Pie in Sky Pizza, and of course the Aquarium. Freakin killer aquarium. I lived in Baltimore for years. Been to Montery Aq. several times. This is impressive. Go there.
I promised Scott I would report back on how amazing the diving is in Okinawa... better late than never, eh Scott. As he says - they really do have it all. There are beautiful fields of soft coral, turtles, sharks, seahorses... everything. I just wish my sister wasnt leaving in the spring so I could go back and dive with free lodging. But mark my words, I will be back. Soon. Now that I have had a taste of what it offers, I want to see it all! Thanks to all who helped show me the sites. I wish I had written this TR right when I got back and memory was fresh. All I can vividly remember is the beautiful giant clams, the spectactular soft corals (complete with anemonefish) and telling my wife that it was the best dive of my life after a simple shore dive with Miho. So I appologize for not going into glorious detail as I know is justified. But go dive it yourself and see...
Jeremy
