The phrase "best dive site" means different things for everyone, but when you look at the sheer size and mass of these fish, the title of the best dive site in Okinawa goes to this place for me.
We took a boat trip to the Kerama Islands to do 3 dives around the islands the other day and a few girls from OIST (Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology) were joining this day trip to catch the last of the remaining summer sun. This dive site was our second destination that day, but other than the crew and guides, no one really knew where were we heading, as this location is in the middle of the blue ocean, far from the beaten path and the main islands of Zamami and Tokashiki. Definitely not one of the "commercial" dive sites.
Getting closer to the dive spot, the only thing you could see is a tiny rock surrounded by white cap waves and deep waters, so nothing was indicating the surprise, that was waiting for our customers below.
After the initial setup and pre-dive safety checks, everyone has lined up on the boat deck in excitement to enter the water, like paratroopers jumping out of the plane. Did I forgot to mention that it was a drift dive? Anyway, after careful maneuvering, the captain gave the green light " go go go" and we disappeared below the surface within seconds.
When you jump in from the boat there is not much to see from the surface other than the endless ocean with 100m+ visibility, but as you start descending and drifting towards the main part of the dive site, your heartbeat goes up a notch, as suddenly things start moving in the distance on the bottom. Resembling to a swarm of bees at first only so you question yourself if you really see something in the distance or you just got narced, but then as you get closer you realize, it's a massive cloud of ever moving fish of many different species from Red Snapper to Giant Travelly and they all just circling around this massive underwater oasis.
This little rock on the bottom of the ocean is a meeting point for some of the biggest fish you can find in Okinawa, including Manta Rays every so often. The water around the dive site is very deep, it's full of nutrition and constantly moving, providing the perfect conditions to these massive groups.
While this dive site at the Kerama Islands is one of the more advanced one, there are many more options to choose from around the islands if you are planning to do some scuba diving in Okinawa. We often take first time divers here as well as part of their Discover Scuba and you can also upgrade your Open Water Diver course to dive here. Just ask.
If interested about diving at the Kerama Islands, or just looking for more information about the diving around there, please contact us by:
Email: info@sunkisseddivers.com
Mobile: +81 804691-5036
More about the Kerama Islands in Okinawa:
sunkisseddivers.com/kerama-is...
8 ноя 2020
