Top 5 Extreme Places To Dive May 25, 2016 by lukesheppard

There are some divers that prefer the safe and easy life. They are content to leisurely explore in shallow depths in easy to access locations. Then there are some that crave a little more. These adventure seekers tend to shy away from the ordinary dive spots and instead seek out somewhere with an element of danger. If you are one of these people who are looking for their next adrenaline rush then we have a list to get your heart pounding. Below are five of the most extreme places to dive. Quick note: Some of these dives can be dangerous; therefore we do not urge readers to attempt these dives without the correct training and supervision.  

ROCK ISLAND TUNNELS, PALAU

First up we have the Rock Island Tunnels in Palau also known as Jellyfish Lake. With a name like Jellyfish Lake it is pretty obvious what you are getting…penguins. No it is a swarm of jellyfish, which migrate across the lake daily. You can glide straight through the horde of jellyfish, which looks both beautiful and terrifying at the same time. Although these jellyfish have lost their sting it can still feel very eerie as they float around your body. The lake has a length of four hundred and sixty metres and a depth of thirty.  

VALHALLA MISSILE SILO, TEXAS

Next we have a location that wouldn’t feel out of place in a James Bond movie. The Valhalla Missile Solo is a decommissioned nuclear missile silo in Texas. As you explore this one hundred and seventy two foot chamber you will feel like you are swimming straight through a super villains lair. Valhalla is named after a hall in Norse mythology where the dead could find peace in the afterlife. A fitting name as you feel like your are being watching exploring this creepy silo. The site was once home to nuclear Atlas missiles but was abandoned by the US government. It is now used for controlled facility technical diving training. It is sixty feet in diameter and is one hundred and thirty feet deep.  

SHARK DIVING IN NASSAU, THE BAHAMAS

Lurking beneath the beautiful blue waters of the Caribbean are schools of sharks. This dive site in the Bahamas is a popular spot for shark watching due to the large variety of sharks. Operators offer numerous shark dives including cage diving, and you can even feed the sharks with professional wranglers on the ocean floor. Watching the sharks eat is an incredible experience as they cruise inches away from your head. The site in Nassau is home to Tiger sharks, Hammerheads, Lemon sharks, Silky sharks, Nurse sharks and Bull sharks. A few of which are considered some of the most dangerous species of sharks.

CENOTE ANGELITA, MEXICO

The Cenote Angelita is a cavern near Tulum, Mexico. As you descend into this hundred foot deep cavity you will see an incredibly thick layer river of Hydrogen Sulfide. The Hydrogen Sulfide hovers at 30 to 60 metres deep forming a dense cloud. The natural formation occurs when hydrogen sulfate mixes with saltwater causing it to be much heavier than regular salt water. The mixture sinks to the bottom, forming a distinct layer that flows like a river. The bottom of the sunken cave is littered with twisted trees that sprout out of sand and rocky shores.  

ICE DIVING AT MCMURDO SOUND, ANTARCTICA

Finally we have ice diving in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. You can actually dive beneath the vertically barren landscape where temperatures easily drop below -40°C. Divers have to break through three metre deep ice and snow to enter the icy cold waters. The crystal clear waters under the ice have a visibility of up to three hundred metres. The effort will be rewarded as you are greeted by marine life seen in no other place in the world.  

What are your favourite extreme diving spots? Have you ever been to any from our list?