Article: Diving the Andaman Islands - India
By John Flanders, Master Instructor / Instructor Trainer
December 18, 2008 - Posted to
AcademyOfScuba.com
jflanders@academyofscuba.com
There is no greater adventure than diving in a
far off exotic destination. It feels like you are a true explorer of
centuries past. Whether you are novice, or whether you were been
diving for many years, there is always something new, fascinating or
challenging about venturing into the underwater world. Doing it in a
place that most of your friends have never heard of, makes it extra
special. Your mind may be mesmerized by clouds of colorful fish, your
curiosity raised by the mysterious remains of sunken ships or your
creativity awakened by the art of underwater photography. Your diving
interests may range from a casual pastime pursued on vacation, to a
constant passion, or even an obsession. Diving offers something new
for everyone.
Diving in Andamans is a unique lifetime
experience. The coastal water surrounding theses islands is the abode
of one of the richest coral reef ecosystem is the world. What's really
unique is that, here the coral reefs and underwater formations are
undamaged by human activity. It's as close to virgin waters as you
will ever see. The best season for diving is from December to April.
Water temperatures remain pretty constant at the surface ranging from
26 – 29°C (79 – 84°F). Be careful of the rainy season from May through
October.
Many of the islands are surrounded by fringing
reefs, often several hundred meters wide and separated from the shore
by a lagoon of similar width. There are also more steeply undulating
hills of raven volcanic lava, which makes for some unusual diving.
There are plenty of steeply sloping and shallow reefs suitable for
snorkeling during your surface intervals. Large pelagics are plentiful
in these waters, as are a variety of sharks. Large schools of
hammerhead often patrol the waters away from the reefs and Grey,
Whitetip, Nurse and leopard sharks are found closer inshore. Silvertip
and Ocean Whitetips also sometimes appear out of the deep blue beyond.
Enormous manta Rays are also often seen.
Dive India
Located in the Bay of Bengal about 900km from
India, the Andaman & Nicobar Islands are one of the few undiscovered
gems that have escaped the clutches of mass tourism. There are no
concrete-and-glass resorts offering all-inclusive deals, no
nightclubs/discotheques, no shopping malls and no fancy restaurants.
There aren't even any street salesmen offering to sell you trinkets at
“a special price, my friend - just for you.” When you arrive, it'll
feel like you stepped back to the beginning of Scuba diving. What's
important: Don't feel like this serenity and lack of commercialism is
going to spoil your dive vacation. You can rest assure that the
Andamans are set up to accommodate divers! That's where you'll meet
our good friends at Dive India!
The Andamans have a lot to offer; warm water,
large variety of coral and fish life, and visibility that is near
perfect. But one of the most special gifts you will find is the
experienced dive professional at Dive India. They were the first PADI
Dive Center in the Andamans and the first SSI Dive Center in all of
India. Their service is world renowned, offering daily scuba diving
trips to the best dive sites in Havelock.
The Andamans are a magical place. Life moves more
slowly here, untouched by commercialism and modern intrusions. Unwind
after a day's diving by relaxing on a hammock or sunning yourself on
the beach. You are in one of the most beautiful unspoiled dive
destinations on earth. Spend your days diving the worlds finest reefs
and spend the evenings dining on the “catch du jour” around a bonfire.
This is what diving is all about!
For more information, please visit
www.diveindia.com
