From the Caribbean to Saudi Arabia, these are the most memorable dives I’ve taken.
(The advanced certification allows me to dive in deeper waters and partake in more specialized dives.)
Fast forward to today, and I’ve logged 107 dives so far … and counting.
Credit:Courtesy of Erik Trinidad
For those in the divemaster community, dive counts can be in the thousands.
And these 12 dives have left a lasting impression on me.
(According to theNational Park Service, such sightings are frequent here.)
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It’s also aTravel + Leisurefavorite island.
On a port-of-call landing during aVia Croatiayacht cruise, I dove off the coast here.
The lack of coral was compensated by the closest octopus encounter Ive ever had.
Courtesy of Erik Trinidad
The mollusc climbed a rock and I watched it camouflage itself with the texture while hunting for prey.
I dove at the “Man O War Shoals,” which is near Sabas iconic Diamond Rock.
It is home toover 2,000 speciesof plants and animals, including 145 endemic species.
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During my dive here, the abundance of giant kelp looked like submerged woods from fairy tales.
Not surprisingly, these giant kelp are collectively called a “forest.”
(Mnemba Atoll is a tiny island a few miles from Unguja, the largest island in Tanzania’sZanzibararchipelago.)
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Now, divers may see a bead on the ocean floor and it’s a symbol of that emancipation.
That said, locals say you shouldn’t search for a blue bead, as it finds you.
In the scuba community, the centennial dive is done nude and I followed through.
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Courtesy of Erik Trinidad
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Courtesy of Erik Trinidad
Courtesy of Erik Trinidad
Courtesy of Erik Trinidad
