Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Blackwater dive?
A Blackwater is a pelagic (open ocean) night dive done in deep waters far from shore to observe several species of pelagic critters that glow a rainbow of colors in our lights. Click Here for more Details
What kinds of things will I see on the dive?
That's the beauty of Blackwater diving, you never know what you're going to see. Many of the animals we see have never been identified before! But we typically see many species of jellies, and larval fish.
Is it scary?
Well, we'll be honest, this dive is not for the faint of heart. Being that far from shore or the bottom, and drifting aimlessly in the dark can be a bit disconcerting. But once you start to see the amazing critters you usually forget all about your concerns.
Do the Jellyfish sting? Does it hurt?
Some jellyfish do sting, but many of them don't. Just because you see a jellyfish doesn't mean it's going to sting you. Often you'll see them coming from a ways off and be able to easily avoid them. In the chance that you do get stung it usually feels like a light zap. Some are quite painful, but very few dangerous jellies exist here and are rare to see.
BLACKWATER NIGHT DIVING
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This page will be constantly updated as more questions are asked.
Do you have a question I haven't answered? Ask it below, and I will get back to you ASAP -Josh
Is the Blackwater Dive dangerous?
All forms of diving have their inherents risks and Blackwater diving is no different. We have spent many hours under and above water making sure to mitigate those risks as much as possible. While no type of diving is entirely safe, with proper experince and guidance the blackwater is a fun dive not to be missed! To date noone has been seriously injured during the dive.
Why so many prerequisites?
Because this dive is totally different from anything most people have done, we do requie certain minimums to be met before doing the dive.
Why do a "2-tank" Blackwater dive?
Because there are so many new species to see, no two blackwater dives are the same. The more time underwater means the more likely we are to see new and rare animals.
What is this website for?
To educate people about what blackwater diving is, and act as a portal into this world.
Have you seen sharks?
While we are not out there to see them, yes ocassionaly they do show up. Most of the time they show up then dissapear as quickly as they came. Sometimes they do not. Here's a video shot by Matthew D'Avella of a rare but exciting occurance on a blackwater.
Why dive with Josh?
Joshua has had more than 500 blackwater dives and is one of the most knowledgable and experinced Blackwater DMs on island. He is also personable, excited and passionate about this dive. He is also willing to teach all about things we will see and how to photograph them.
Do we go really deep?
Though we are over deep water the tethers limit our depth to 60ft.
Can I dive without a tether?
Unfortunately due to liability and the extremely isolated nature of this dive we require all non-crew dive tethers.
Can I get out whenever I want?
You can end the dive when ever you want. Because we are attatched to the boat you never have to wonder where you are. Just head up when you're ready.