Your Top Three Dives

[Maxpcf]

Hey everyone,

This is a response to:
Recommendations? 50 Places to Dive
I thought NetDoc had a great idea.

I figured each person could post their top three dive sites, then after a month(or some period of time) I could collate everyone's results and post it as a PDF for everyone to enjoy.

A few considerations:
1. You must be able to post GPS coordinates or directions to the dive site: "this great spot in the Philippines" won't help anyone.

2. It must be a 'typical' experience at the dive site, ie: no "well this is a pretty mundane spot, but these Mantas came through and it was absolutely amazing."

3. Try to keep your write up simple and short, ie: "easy entry, tons of beautiful life, great ledge sloping to 130 ft"

I think this would be a fantastic resource for us to have.
I will go first (in no particular order):

1.
Name: Blue Heron Bridge, FL
Location:26°46'59"N 80°2'38"W
Why: Exceptionally easy entry & easy dive, diverse life, low depth

2.
Name: Hilma Hooker, Bonaire
Location: 12.1039° N, 68.2895° W
Why: Easy entry, mid-size wreck in good condition (2015), great for light penetration, decent marine life surrounding

3.
Name: Jackson Blue Cave, FL
Location: 30°47'25.7"N 85°08'24.2"W
Why?: Easy entry, gorgeous cave, strong outward flow, not too silty, well-laid line

 

[The Chairman]

I love it!

OK, here goes...

Speigel Grove, Key Largo, Florida
25°4'0.0"N, 80°18'39.6"W

​

Isla Socorro aboard the Nautilus Belle Amie (Revillagigedo Archipelego)
18°48'N, 110°59'W
The only way to dive this is on a Liveaboard with the proper license from the Mexican Government.

​

Buford SInk, Florida
28° 38' 0" N, 82° 35' 26" W

You can see the clouds from 140'. It's a rough trek through swamps to get there, but it's worth it.

(Not my picture)​

 

[robint]

1. German Channel, Palau.... never seen so many fish in one spot in my life. Amazing, mantas swooping over our heads, black tip and white tip sharks napping down below us on the bottom, other reef sharks swimming around in the middle, and a wall of thousands of other large fish hanging out together, blocking out the sun, as they ate the same plankton as the mantas. Mind blowing, did this dive twice, same both times.

2. Palancar Pinnacles/Bricks, Cozumel... done this dive a dozen or more times, never dissapoints. Incredible hundred+ ft tall coral pinnacles. Like the rocky mountains underwater, weaving in and out of them makes you feel so small in the world. Coral and sponges of every size and color, just love it. Can do this dive over and over, never get bored.

3. Night dive, Paradise reef, Cozumel.... so many fish, so many fish, so many fish. Eels of every shape and size all out hunting, lobster of every shape and size out hunting, crabs of every shape and size out hunting. Octopus, octopus, octopus... on and on. Can't beat it for a 30-40' deep dive for 60 minutes of continuous fun. Never bored, so much to see, done it at least a dozen times, would never turn it down as a night dive.

It is so hard to pick just 3 dives... I have had so many incredible dives... many in Palau that same trip, many in several trips to Calif channel islands, many to other destinations. Cozumel ranks right up there with almost every dive site though. NC wreck dives = so many fish and sharks. Roatan we had so many seahorse, and that Prince Albert wreck shore dive.... it is just so hard to PICK just 3 favorites.

 

[ronscuba]

GPS coordinates ? I think you are asking for details most will not be able to provide.

I also cannot just pick 3 dives, so I will pick 3 destinations:

1. Galapagos Islands
2. Raja Ampat Indonesia
3. Maldives

All via liveaboard

 

[WetLens]

Like others, picking only 3 is difficult. In no particular order:

1. President Coolidge - Luganville, Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu (15º 31.42 S; 67º 14.1 E). Only made two dives on it, but the last one was epic. The tour included seeing The Lady, chandeliers, aircraft drop tanks, flashlight fish and more. Truly an amazing experience.


2. Darwin's Arch - Darwin Island, Galapagos (1º 40.4 N; 91º 59.4 W). We made several dives here, each very special. Highlight, of course, was swimming with whale sharks. Several hammerheads and schooling jacks were a bonus.


3. Browning Wall - Browning Pass between Nigei and Balaklava Islands, Vancouver Island, British Columbia (50º 50.84N; 127º 38.64W). If there is a #1, this would be it. Unbelievable density of marine life and lots of critters. When visibility is great, it is even a better dive. Seven Tree Island is a close second, so I should just say Browning Pass rather than specify Browning Wall... I've done Browning Wall 5 times and Seven Tree Island 8 times - can't imagine it ever getting old.

 

[The Chairman]

These are great... he asked for coordinates or directions. So getting to a destination sounds like sufficient directions to me!

 

[ibj40]

1. The Terrace, Turneffe Atoll, Belize

Approximately 17°30'34.62"N, 87°50'36.37"W

Why? The vista from the wall, looking out over a flat area, which appears to be down another 100’ or so, is simply spectacular. On a dive there, we saw three Spotted Eagle Rays in the distance, flying in formation, and we will never forget it.


2. The Bat Islands, Costa Rica

Approximately 10°51'13.35"N, 85°55'52.86"W

Why? The Bull Sharks at the Big Scare, and plus the swirling balls of fish as you circle Black Rock, and then you never know what else you will see, either on the surface or underneath it.


3. Maracaibo, Cozumel, Mexico

Approximately 20°15'53.59"N, 86°59'49.29"W

Why? Isn’t this where Scuba diving was born (not seriously)? Well worth the longer boat ride to experience the vista, and if your drop is lucky enough, you can dive the Arch.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

1. Norris Rock, BC, Canada (stay with Hornby Island Diving). Amazingly playful sea lions. A must do for any cold water diver
2. Tacoma Narrows Bridge, Tacoma Washington state, USA. A freaking roller coaster of a drift dive. I was yelling "Woo!" like Terry Tate, office linebacker. Do a boat dive with Oceanquest or Bandito.
3. Fish Rock, South West Rocks Australia. Lots of nurse sharks, a really interesting swim through cave, lots and lots of fish. Go with John who owns Fish Rock Dive Center.

No coordinates, but I think anyone can find it.

 

[nickbutcher]

1. HIJMS Nagato - Bikini Atoll - 'cos it's a 225m long intact battleship
2. USS Saratoga - Bikini Atoll - 'cos it's a 270m long aircraft carrier sitting bolt upright
3. TBC.....

 

[robint]

I do not have the GPS settings.... he can look them up, all the sites I listed are MAJOR dive sites.