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My Scuba Bucket List

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Every so often, I randomly click on a ’10 Best Divesites’ blog post; there are loads out there and 60/70% of the contents are often the same so it got me wondering… what are the top dives that I want to do?

Of course, there are the iconic ones that many of us would love to dive but there are some less obvious ones which are experiences rather than specific dive sites. So, here they are, in no particular order:

  • I want to dive with seals – don’t care where, but I’d prefer the water to be as warm as possible :-)
  • Ditto for manatees; but not with a dive shop that harasses them – that’s important.
  • Having already disclosed my preference for warmer waters, this one may be surprising – the tectonic plates in Iceland. Gin clear water, amazing visability diving between 2 continents.
  • Bonaire – just Bonaire.  I love the idea of bowling up to a beach with a couple of tanks on the back of a hired truck and just wading in from the shore.  No worries about other divers, no need to keep up with the group, you can just take your time and enjoy the diving at your own pace.  Perfect.
  • Truk Lagoon.  Now, I should declare that wrecks aren’t my first choice for a dive but Truk Lagoon is different.  Not only is it in a beautiful part of the world, there’s a time bomb ticking.  As the wrecks deteriorate, tonnes of thick black oil, contained in their hulls, threatens to disgorge into the lagoon so it may not be around forever.  [Source: Mark Willacy, ABC News]
  • The Sardine Run – now, strictly speaking, this may not be a dive for me.  If I ever get there, I may just stay on the boat.  It seems that being in the middle of a pelagic feeding frenzy might not be for me. (I have a history of dangerous dive avoidance having politely declined the chance to dive the Blue Water Mangroves in Misool, Raja Ampat. Why? Simple.. saltwater crocodiles!)
  •  Ari Atoll in the Maldives, for the chance to dive with whale sharks, manta rays and hammerheads.

The jury’s out on:

  • Stingray City in the Caymans.  Part of me likes the idea but part of me doesn’t  I just wonder if this is a tourist attraction now which has altered the behaviour of the animals.  Any comments or experiences would be appreciated.
  • The Xenobia – again, advice please.  I’m not big on wreck diving but the Xenobia is heralded as one of the top diving wrecks in the world.  I have this image of hundreds of divers on her at the same time which is a perfect recipe for stressful diving (in my world, anyway).
  • Jellyfish Lake (snorkelling only) – thousands of years ago, these jellyfish became trapped in a natural basin on the island of Eli Malk.  With no natural predators, they have evolved so that they no longer sting.  It looks amazing but might be spooky.
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  • -hh

    Seals … the Galapagos is pretty warm, and lots of other interesting stuff.  Its a long ways, so don’t just do a dive liveaboard:  do a standard one too, so as to get the topside stuff.  Frankly, I found it more interesting than the UW…

    Bonaire … the appeal of unlimited shore diving does require a bit more work than falling off of a boat, but it is a nice element of freedom.  Unfortunately, Bonaire still has a chronic problem with thieves who will peruse your rental car’s contents while you’re away.  Now that I’ve gone digital, I’d make it a point to NOT take my laptop with me on my next trip to Bonaire (if I do it again)…some hassles simply aren’t worth it.

    Stingray City … I’ve not done it either, for similar concerns for behavior modification.  I head over to the Brac and pass it by…I have heard the local news (official and otherwise) which have revealed to me that if I ever do go do it, I’ll make it a point to not go out if the site has been closed by bad weather for a few days – - the rays are notably more aggressive if they don’t get their daily handout of squid.  

    -hh  (Sept 2011)

    • http://www.scubadviser.com Jackie Hutchings

      Useful feedback and, yes, I’d heard the same about Bonaire.  I guess the temptation is just too great for the locals.  Thanks for taking the time to comment – much appreciated.

  • Coxy749

    OK Xenobia (or is it Zenobia) in Cyprus – been there done that, it’s pretty good, but not helped by my rather rapid descent!  It’s deepish so time on wreck is short – exciting to see trucks/lorries literally tipping off side of wreck, quite scary in fact and the scale is huge.  There are a lot of divers but it’s big so not crowded.

    My bucket list includes Venezuala coast, Belize, Truk Lagoon of course, but mainly I want to see whale sharks, ideally West Coast of Oz, dive with seals and dolphins, and turtles again and again.  Also Coral Sea in Oz and oh yes, Zanzibar – beautiful, luxurious and a bit special!

    • http://www.scubadviser.com Jackie Hutchings

      Ah, now you’ve inspired me to add a few more to my list, especially Zanzibar :-)  Update on my list …. diving with seals this summer!  

  • Balbulican

    I realize I’ve had a pretty good dive career – of your list I’ve done Truk, Jellyfish Lake, seals, Bonaire, and Stingray City.

    Truk remains the best wreck diving I’ve ever done: don’t miss it. Bonaire is a comfort dive trip for my wife and I – we go back every three years or so for a two week stay that gives us thirty or forty dives. It’s SO easy, and it has a bit of everything.

    Jellyfish Lake was as cool as it looks. A few of the snorkelers (diving not permitted) in our party found it a bit unnerving, because you really cannot avoid contact with the jellies. But they’re stingless, and if you don’t flail in the water, you won’t hurt them. The hike in – over a 45 degree hill on a slippery, irregular limestone trail – is a bit wearing for older divers.

    Stingray City is pretty theatrical, and you will no doubt find yourself sitting in a circle with a group of inexperienced and uncomfortable newbies kicking up sand. But it’s as close as you’ll ever get to the rays.

    Just got back from two weeks in Palau – best walls ever.

    • Anonymous

      I’ve got the seal dive booked.  Cornwall in the summer :-)  Bonaire appeals as well; anything which is easy and relaxed does it for me :-)  Thanks for sharing.