Scuba diving doesn’t need to be relegated to saltwater locales, there are freshwater sites around the world where you can see amazing things. While the salty depths provide vibrant, colorful vistas, freshwater diving offers unexpected sights and new perspectives.
Clean, clear water
10. Lake Baikal, Siberia
As you gear up to enter the freezing cold waters hidden beneath the ice, the winds whip around you. Once your mask breaks the surface of the water you are taken to a completely different world. Kept warm and cozy in your drysuit, you are surrounded by icy blackness and shadowy figures, a peaceful yet intimidating scene. The unique and incredible ice formations you will see will blow you away.
If you come during the warmer months, you will be treated to a world that is relatively unexplored. Bizarre corals and rock formations are frequented by weird coldwater fish. Even in the summer, water temperatures are cold, and while wet suit diving is possible, dry suit diving is recommended.
The dive shop at Lake Baikal offers certifications in ice and dry suit diving, in addition to many others. There is also a liveaboard option for those who want a fuller experience. The cruises can last anywhere from 2 to 12 days, and you can do up to four dives a day.
9. Mermet Springs, Illinois
The plane’s tail is found at only 15 feet (4.5 meters), and because the jet rests on an incline, the nose sits at 50 feet (15 meters). Because of its shallow depth, this makes for a great dive any diver, from beginners to tec. This is a great place to pick up some certifications.
There is a dive shop on site that is open year round, as well as a small town with restaurants and hotels. All you need to enjoy a weekend away is at your fingertips. St. Louis and Nashville are only a couple of hours from here, so Mermet Springs makes for a great day trip.
8. Capo d’Acqua, Italy
There are two mills and an old paint factory to explore. The first mill is more in ruins than its neighbor, but it still boasts the blades that once moved the millstones. The second mill is ornate, with gorgeous architecture. It was damaged in an earthquake in 2009, but the rooms and main structure is still in good condition.
Divers can expect visibility up to 230 feet (70 meters), and fantastic submarine flora and fauna. The unbelievable visibility is due to the fact that Capo d’Acqua is a high altitude, spring-fed lake. You can see fario trout, and other small creatures scuttling among the submerged trees and houses, twisting down quaint boulevards.
7. Freshwater Caves, Florida
Near Williston, Florida, the Blue Grotto is a warm cave with crystal clear water. You can dive straight down into the deep cavern, and experience the gorgeous nature in the caves within. With precarious rock formations, fragile from eons of erosion, diving in the cave is a dreamlike experience. No matter your diving level, you will come across fascinating highlights.
Florida also boasts Crystal River, a gorgeous river that winds through the mangroves. Here, you can dive with manatees. Gentle and docile, manatees are also known as sea cows. For the best encounters, visit from November through March.
Many other freshwater cave systems are found in the Suwannee River Valley, and some others can be encountered in the Panhandle. Telford Spring is a particularly memorable spot.
6. Okavango Delta, Botswana
The adventurous dive company will pick you up from the airport and take you on a six night safari adventure. You will head to Ikoga Island, where you will reside for the next five nights. You stay in an individual dome tent that is spacious is comfortable. There is a tent for dining, as well as a tent where you can charge your electronics and camera equipment.
Out on the water, guides “hunt” for crocodiles. Once they are spotted, you are sent into the water. You can get up as close to the massive reptiles as you dare, but please remember that these crocodiles are 100% wild. If you can muster up the courage to take the plunge you will be rewarded with unbelievable photographs and memories to last you a lifetime.
5. Silfra, Þingvellir National Park, Iceland
Lowering yourself into the fissure is an incredible event. The visibility reaches 330 feet (100 meters), making you feel as if you are floating around in an alternate reality. Jagged rocks stack beside you, and the beautiful blue chasm before you seems to never end.
Your tour leaves from Reykjavik, Iceland, where you’ll head out into the Thingvellir National Park. Surrounded by the windswept tundra, the lake is a picture perfect sight. Geared up in your cozy dry suit, you’ll lower yourself into the 40°F (4°C) water, where a unique geologic waterscape awaits you. There are three main areas that you can explore, where hollows form interesting formations.
4. Shi Cheng, China
Interestingly enough, scuba diving is relatively new to Quiando Lake, so the ruins of Shi Cheng are ripe for exploration. Check in Shanghai to arrange a diving trip to this surreal destination to this amazing city that dates back to the Eastern Han Dynasty.
The lake itself is clean and refreshing, so much so that you can drink the water without treating it. Because of its clarity, it is even bottled by a Chinese water company.
3. Cenotes, Mexico
As the cool water envelopes you, you are taken to another world. You can make your way through the eerie passageways to mysterious rooms and openings. Air pockets sometimes form beneath the earth’s surface, and you can stop and take a break, appreciating the unique darkness and solitude you can find within the quiet cave.
Some of the most beautiful cenotes are the Dos Ojos and Angelita:
Dos Ojos, Spanish for “two eyes,” is an appropriate name for these stunning cenotes. Two cerulean blue cenotes interconnect with one another, making for an exciting dive. The bubbles that huddle together on the cavern’s ceiling are reminiscent of pooling droplets of silvery mercury. Using your dive light, you can illuminate the stalactites and stalagmites, setting the scene for eerie underwater photography. You can even hear and see the bats that reside in one of the cenote’s chambers.
Angelita is far off the beaten path, down a dirt road and jungle trail. The cenote leads to a tremendous cylindrical limestone formation, filled with endlessly transparent water. At the bottom of the cylinder, there is a murky hydrogen sulphide layer. As a team, you descend through the murky layer together, being reborn into a fresh bottom layer, clear and clean. The previously unexposed bottom reveals itself as a tangle of tree limbs and rocks. Haunting and beautiful, Cenote Angelita is not to be missed.
2. Green Lake, Austria
The surrounding area is a gorgeous mountain wonderland. Tragoess, a small town is nearby, where you can explore traditional Austrian culture. Towering peaks surround the lake/park, making for some remarkable scenery in this high-altitude environment.
There aren’t many places where you can swim along the same trail that you hiked on several months earlier. Bring your underwater photography equipment to snag some unforgettable photographs.
1. Verzasca, Switzerland
The surrounding mountains are covered in snow until June, so come in the summer when the water temperature reaches around 50°F (10°C) for a truly comfortable ride. Snowmelt in the spring can lead to dangerous river conditions, so stay posted and plan your dives according to the weather. For the absolute best conditions come when the weather has been clear and stable for a couple of days, as there won’t be any silt washed down from the mountain streams.
One famous location is the Roman Bridge, where a gorgeous bridge spans the river. From below you can see epic views of the rocky chasm and bridge above. Amslerbecken is another great site, where the stones have been smoothed by time. The dive is named after a famous photographer, so be sure to bring your camera with you.
Unique freshwater destinations
Diving in freshwater is a much different experience than salt water diving. You can see man-made masterpieces, ancient underwater civilizations, and cave systems that stretch for miles. Weird and wonderful creatures await you, hiding in matchless formations. Open your mind and your dive book, and head to some of these outstanding freshwater dive sites.
This blog was originally written by Bridget Pearson and published on the Diviac Magazine.
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