Our reasons for diving vary. For many of us, diving represents freedom; for some, it's a form of escape. Most of us at Just Gotta Dive (JGD) agree though, that among the reasons we love to dive, encounters with marine life top the list. Don't get us wrong - there are incredible encounters to be had in all kinds of places, from pole to pole; some though, really do stand out from the rest. With no further ado, here are our company's favorite marine life encounters.
Manatees in Crystal River, Florida
Crystal River is home to a manatee population numbering approximately 250 individuals. These large, seal-like creatures are friendly and curious, with expressive faces. They weigh about 1,000 pounds on average and usually grow to be 9 to 10 feet long, though they can grow to be as long as 13 feet and weigh in at over 3,000 pounds. Manatee calves are born weighing just about 40 pounds and during their first year of life, they gain a stunning 700 pounds - that's more than 13 pounds each week! These mammals surface to breathe, and they communicate via squeaking and grunting noises.
There are a number of dive operators that offer guided Manatee encounters; these normally begin early in the morning, and last for three to four hours, including travel time. Even non-divers can snorkel with the manatees, and those not wishing to leave the dry, warm confines of the boat can stay onboard and get a good look at the animals. During your dive briefing, you'll receive instructions about interacting with the manatees. Be sure to follow the rules to the letter since any action on your part which constitutes harassment will leave you subject to a stiff fine! Most of all, enjoy this interaction. Manatees are among the world's rarest creatures - the fact we get to see them and swim with them is simply incredible.
Cod at Cod Hole, Australia
If you think Cod are only suitable for eating, it's definitely time to rethink your position on these intelligent fish! One of the world's best cod encounters is to be had at a dive site called Cod Hole in Australia. Located at the north end of Queensland's Great Barrier Reef, on ribbon reef ten, the site is named in honor of the massive potato cod that live there. Whether you choose to feed them or not, they will come up to you in anticipation of a handout. Some of these cod weigh in at sixty pounds or larger; in fact, it is not uncommon to encounter fish as large as you are while you're on this dive. The site itself is stunning, with shallow sunlit acropora coral gardens and steep sided gullies where the fish wait eagerly for the next group of divers to arrive.
Stingray at Stingray City, Grand Cayman
If you want the opportunity to interact with southern stingrays, one of the best places to do it is at Stingray City, a dive site located along a series of shallow sand bars in Grand Cayman's North Sound. This natural channel passes through Grand Cayman's barrier reef, and it attracts stingrays by the dozen. At first, they came here to feed on fish entrails dropped by fishermen cleaning their catches. Soon, people realized that the rays would show up whenever they heard boat engines in the area, and divers began to arrive, bearing little food gifts to keep the rays interested. Today, divers of all ages and abilities - and even some snorkelers - get to interact with the rays; for non-divers, there are also glass bottom boat trips available.
When you dive Stingray City, you'll be overweighted so you remain on the bottom easier, and you won't be wearing fins as fin kicks could harm the excited rays. All you have to do is relax and enjoy this one of a kind encounter!
Great White Shark on Guadalupe Island, Mexico
Want to meet an apex predator? This is your chance! Not only can you get up close and personal with great whites at Guadalupe Island, Mexico, you can do so from the safety of a steel cage. Guadalupe Island is located off the beaten path - over 160 miles west of Ensenada, in the path of migrating great whites. While the water is cool at 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit, it is exceptionally clear, with visibility often reaching or even exceeding 100 feet; if you've ever watched films featuring Great Whites, you should know that some of the best footage has been captured here.
Diving with Great White Sharks at Guadalupe Island is a real adventure; part of that adventure includes a long boat trip lasting well over 24 hours each way. There are only a few operators offering these excursions, and they try to keep groups fairly small in order to maximize the amount of time each diver gets to spend in the cage. Once you reach the area where the sharks congregate, you'll be able to enjoy several dives in the cage, instead of just one trip down into the water.
While anyone - even non-divers - can enjoy cage diving with sharks to a certain extent while breathing from hookah supplied air from the boat, only certified divers get the chance to be lowered to a depth of about 30 feet, much further down than the standard cage dive allows for. You'll be surrounded by water on all sides, and you're guaranteed to encounter sharks. This experience is at once humbling and amazing.
Jellyfish in Jellyfish Lake, Palau
If you think the idea of swimming with millions of jellyfish is one that's less than intelligent, relax! The jellyfish inhabiting Jellyfish Lake in Palau do have some stinging cells - but not enough to harm you unless you are exceptionally sensitive to jellyfish stings.
Jellyfish lake is located on the island of Eil Malk, which is part of Palau's Rock Islands. The lake is connected to the ocean via a series of tunnels and fissures; it is one of approximately 200 saline meromictic lakes known to exist on the planet. Each day, millions of golden jellyfish migrate across the lake, following the sun's rays.
You may not dive Jellyfish Lake; instead, you'll be snorkeling. There are a couple of reasons for this; first, your bubbles can harm the jellies; second, a lower anoxic layer of water can harm you, actually poisoning you through your skin. Don't worry - this layer of water won't affect you while you are snorkeling as it begins at a depth of about 15 meters. All known life in this lake lives at depths of 15 meters and above, including a layer of purple algae, a few fish, the golden jellies, and some moon jellyfish. While a massive die-off occurred in 1998, jellyfish lake's jellyfish population is back to pre El Nino levels.
Several tour companies operating out of Koror offer trips to Jellyfish Lake; after a 45 minute boat trip and a short hike, you'll be able to take part in this this once in a lifetime experience.
Sea Lions in Channel Islands, California
One of our favorite marine life encounters takes place just a short distance off the coast of Southern California, at the Channel Islands National Park and Marine Sanctuary. Here, there are not only sea lions, there are three other seal species, including northern fur seals, harbor seals, and huge northern elephant seals.
There are many dive sites in Channel Islands which offer divers the opportunity to view these amazing animals in their native surroundings; in addition, rangers offer guided walks to sites such as the rookery on San Miguel Island, where thousands of elephant seals congregate.
Not only are there more seal and sea lion species present here than at any other site known to exist, but this is one of the largest gatherings of wildlife anywhere in the world. Annually, the population increases to include 70,000 California Sea Lions, 50,000 elephant seals, 1,100 harbor seals, and about 5,000 northern fur seals. Underwater, they hunt fish in splendid kelp forests, and often, they'll come very close to divers as though wondering what we're doing in their world.
Though you can take day trips to dive the Channel Islands, this area is best explored by liveaboard. Pack warm clothes and don't forget your camera - whether you use it above or below water, you'll be able to capture some incredible images to remember your trip by.
Manta Rays in Kadavu, Fiji
Located along Fiji's Great Astrolabe Reef, Kadavu lacks busy resorts and some other fixtures of Fiji's more populated areas. Here, you'll find massed stands of pristine hard coral in beautiful colors, plus you'll find incredible marine life large and small. What stands out here are the Manta rays! Kadavu is a hot spot for these creatures; there are a number of manta ray cleaning stations and submerged pinnacles that attract them while providing divers the opportunity for one encounter after another. While you're here, don't miss Manta Reef, where mantas with 20 foot "wingspans" are often encountered.
You can dive with Manta Rays at Kadavu year round; the best visibility is to be had between August and October, while warmer water temperatures make diving between November and April equally enjoyable. There are small resorts on Kadavu, and you can also visit by liveaboard. Either way, you'll find the manta encounters you enjoy here are truly impressive.
Whale Sharks in Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
Despite its name, the whale shark is neither a whale, nor is it a predatory shark. Its mouth, capable of attaining a width of four feet, is designed to take in plankton, which forms the bulk of the fish's diet. The largest of all shark species and the biggest fish to share our planet, the whale shark is dark grey in color, with random spotted and striped patterns in a yellowish - tan. It is impossible to misidentify one of these sharks; they can grow to be over forty feet long.
During the cold season, when the Galapagos Islands are washed by the Humboldt Current, whale sharks are commonly encountered around Darwin and Wolf Island, two of the remotest Galapagos Islands. While encounters are likely any time between June and November, the best time to visit is between August and September, when encounters at Wolf and Darwin islands are almost guaranteed. This being said, whale shark encounters are possible around any of the islands, at any time of the year - but not likely. Careful planning on your part will greatly increase your chances of encountering these awe-inspiring animals.
Penguins in Antarctica
Not only do we love penguins for their whimsical ways, we love them because they're capable of diving deeper than any other bird. While they occasionally go deeper, most of their dives have been tracked at depths of 100 to 200 meters; Antarctic scientists tracked one penguin's dive at a depth of 565 meters! These dives normally last anywhere from 3 to 6 minutes, with some lasting much longer - one penguin studied stayed beneath the surface for a record 22 minutes.
Luckily, you don't have to dive deep to encounter penguins in Antarctica! Most of the dives you'll experience here will take place in just 30 to 60 feet of water, and in addition to the penguins, you'll see Antarctic ice fish, crabs, sea butterflies and jellyfish, starfish, sea hedgehogs, and seals. The combination of spectacular ice formations, bright summer sunlight, and brilliant blue-green sea water filled with so much life is simply incredible. Dive Antarctica just once, and you'll see why the experience is gaining popularity with divers from all over the planet.
Humpback Whales in Silver Bank, Dominican Republic
Last, but not least, we want to tell you about a world class whale encounter that's possible in just one place - the Dominican Republic's Silver Bank. Humpback Whales have been protected here since 1962, and in partnership with the Smithsonian Institute, the Nature Conservancy, and many other leaders in marine conservation, the Dominican Republic works to study and protect these incredible marine mammals. Even more exciting is the fact that the Silver Bank Sanctuary was enlarged in 1996; though many people continue to call it "Silver Bank," it's official name is now "Sanctuary for the Marine Mammals of the Dominican Republic."
Here, humpback whales come to breed and calve, free from harassment. With that in mind, it is possible for visitors to observe and interact with the whales in their natural habitat. Underwater, you'll hear the sounds of humpbacks courtship songs and feel their vibrations tingle in your chest. From the safety of a boat, you will witness rowdy males breaching, fin slapping, and lob tailing to attract female attention. Some males will ram one another or even breach on top of one another; sometimes groups of males can number six or more individuals.
If your group encounters a mother and calf pair, you'll likely be allowed to snorkel with them; the whales are interested in human contact here and often spiral around you while maintaining precise control of their motion through the water. The courtship and calving season takes place roughly from December to the middle of April each year, and as many as three to five thousand individuals traverse through the Silver Banks area during that time.
As you might imagine, all of these encounters are in high demand. Scuba Divers Travel Network recommends you really do your homework when selecting a dive operator to work with for any of these excursions, and we recommend you take equal care in deciding which dates to reserve. With careful planning and a pinch of good fortune, you can enjoy encounters with some of the most amazing animals on earth.