There’s diving, and then there’s night diving. Night divers see and experience things daytime divers never can. Nervous about diving into dark waters? Read on and learn about what you’re missing by not being a PADI Night Diver.
Nocturnal animal sightings
Think you know your local dive site? See it in an entirely new way under the cover of darkness. Lobsters, crabs, eels and octopuses (yes, octopuses) all become more active after the sun sets. See familiar fish sleeping in holes, and encounter new critters you may not have seen during the daytime.
Plan your next dive trip to experience epic night dives like mantas dancing in the moonlight. Or visit squid breeding grounds and see the seafloor transformed into a white carpet of eggs. Make a night dive during coral spawning season and you’ll experience something so amazing it was in the documentary Blue Planet.
Fluorescence diving (also known as glow diving) is another unique nighttime experience. With the aid of a UV light, the reef explodes into incredible, glowing colors. There’s also a good chance of experiencing the “underwater Harry Potter” effect. Read more about the magical side of night diving.
Incredible photo opps
Nighttime is a surprisingly good time to shoot underwater photos and video. If you enjoy muck diving: stargazers, ghost pipefish, blue-ringed octo’s and other “bucket list” animals are active at night.
Try black water diving to discover the strange and eerie creatures that drift up from the deep. The experience is often described by divers as “like being in outer space” or “other-wordly.” Black water diving originated in Hawaii, but can now be experienced in other parts of the Pacific and also Florida.
Even if you can’t travel very far, a night dive has reliably spectacular photo opportunities. A sunset over the water, or a full moon rising above the horizon never fails to impress.
Experience tranquility
Divers who are initially nervous about night diving later describe how tranquil it can be. Even if there are other divers around, they’re hard to see. So night diving can feel as though you and your buddy have the whole place to yourselves.
That said, it’s important to learn the do’s and don’ts of night diving. One of the things you’ll learn in the PADI Night Diver Specialty course is how to use a dive light. Just because you can’t see other divers, doesn’t mean they’re not there. Avoid underwater fisticuffs by learning to utilize a dive light without blinding others.
In the Night Diver course you’ll also learn night dive planning and techniques. For example: how to keep track of your buddy, and methods to manage buoyancy.
Search for a PADI Dive Center or Resort to sign up for a PADI Night Diver Specialty course, and you’ll experience the sport you love in a whole new way. If you’re still feeling unsure about diving in at night, try a night adventure dive as part of your Advanced Open Water Diver course.
