SPOTLIGHTSPOTLIGHT
HIGH DIVE
The world of scuba can be a closed book to the uninitiated, but we twisted the arms of some dive-masters to come up with the goods on the ultimate places to get wet behind the ears
Some would argue that the ultimate dive site must be a shipwreck - the eerie, ghost- like shape that looms out of the infinite blue telling stories of lost souls through a decaying shell; covered with coral, barnacles and pulling in all manner of marine life, the wreck is certainly an
SIMILAN AND SURIN ISLANDS, THAILAND
alluring option and the dive of choice for many an old pro and amateur alike. It is a transient thing, ever-changing and often epic in grandeur.
These wrecks become artificial reefs and indeed some old ships (particularly ex-Navy vessels) are sunk for this purpose. These artificial reefs, however, don’t hold a candle to the real thing - the sheer scale of the reef itself and the rich and diverse ecosystem they create are without equal. At these reefs that creatures have been coming to to feed for time immemorial, all manner of life from the minute to the massive congregate - and what a sight to behold this is.
And then there are the natural phenomena - the one off or short- lived events that require a diver to be in exactly the right place at the right time to witness one of nature’s great events.
A lot depends on personal preference - whether you are prepared to put up with the icy depths of the waters off British Columbia which purport to hold some of the most beautiful, peaceful dive sites in the world, or you prefer the bath-tub warm waters of the coastal seas of Thailand, teeming with an overwhelming amount of life, or the shorty-wetsuit aquarium-like dives of the famous Sharm El- Sheikh. Read on for our top picks.
Between the Thai and Burmese borders, this remote string of islands lie in the Andaman Sea. Pinnacles rise from the deep attracting groups of very large game fish, manta rays, whale sharks and leopard sharks. Due to its location, live-aboards are a must.
WRECK OF THE THISTLEGORM, EGYPT
BIKINI ATOLL, MARSHALL ISLANDS
This gargantuan wreck is probably the busiest of its kind in the world, although donÕ t let this put you off. The Thistlegorm is a 400ft long WW2 container ship - and her hold is filled with motorbikes, rifles and even trucks.
The site between Australia and Honolulu was made famous during ther 50s as the location for American atomic testing and if youÕ ve seen the footage, youÕ ll know that plenty of warships were sunk here including the USS Saratoga which, alone, was longer than the TItanic. Bikini Atoll is host to some of the most unexplored dive sites of the world and only a few divers are allowed here each year. The islands, themselves, are inhospitable due to radiation, but the sea is rich with all manner of marine life. These incredible dives come at a price though, starting from around £3500 pp ($5300) per week including flights.
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