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Diving the Pacific Northwest

Diving the Pacific Northwest is diving in cold, emerald green waters. This area is home to a spectacular diversity of marine life, where you’ll find the Giant Pacific octopus, the largest of its species in the world, the Wolf Eel, the Pacific Whiteside dolphin, and the enormous Puget Sound King Crab.

Tides and currents can be complex in the Pacific Northwest. Learning the differences between Stand Water Time (high/low tide) and Slack Water Time (zero current) is important. You should also be aware of rip tides, down drafts on walls, and back eddies within coves.

Best time to dive

Diving in the summer is good because it’s warmer, both underwater and on the surface. The best visibility is during the spring and fall. The most popular diving months are March, April, September, and October

Visibility

Visibility averages 5 to 50 feet.

Water temperatures

Water temperatures average between 45 and 52 °F.

Weather and climate

The weather is very mild. During the summer, the temperature ranges from 60 to 80 F and in the spring and fall, you can expect the temperature to range from 40 to 70 F. This area gets a lot or rain throughout the year.

Language

English

Passport/Visa requirements

U.S. entry: Canadians do not require a visa, only a valid passport or a birth certificate or citizenship certificate if arriving directly from Canada. Valid passports are required for all other nationalities. Visas are required for many nationalities. You should check current requirements before traveling as requirements can change very quickly. Visitors must have return or onward tickets and the necessary documents for further travel.

Canadian entry: Although a passport is the ideal identification, U.S. nationals do not require a passport to enter Canada if holding other identification to establish citizenship, such as a birth certificate and at least one photo ID card. European passport holders do not require a visa. A valid passport, a return ticket, and sufficient funds to support yourself and your dependents are required. International travelers may require a visa to enter or transit Canada. You should check current requirements before traveling as requirements can change very quickly.

Currency

U.S. Dollar – Get exchange rates at http://www.xe.com/ucc/

Electrical current

110 volts AC, 60 cycles. Plugs are mainly the two, flat-pin type, though three-pin plugs are also widely used. European appliances without dual-voltage capabilities will require an adapter, which can be purchased in most major departure airports.

General information

The Northwest region is bound by the Pacific Ocean to the west, passes over the Rocky Mountains and extends east to the Great Plains. The heart of the Northwest is the states of Washington and Oregon and Canada’s British Columbia.

Map

Get a map of the Pacific Northwest area from WorldAtlas.com.

Get another Pacific Northwest area map from WorldAtlas.com.

Diving Hawaii

Scuba diving in Hawaii’s choicest locations is an unrivaled experience. Each of Hawaii’s eight main islands has outstanding dive spots with an array of unique marine animals, colorful corals, and bizarre lava formations. Most diving occurs on the calmer, leeward coasts of all the islands. Five types of underwater habitats — coral reefs, lava tubes, caves, and caverns, sandy bottoms, drop-offs, and basalt boulders — create Hawaii’s underwater terrain. Boat diving is one of the easiest ways to experience Hawaii’s underwater wilderness. Diving from the shoreline is dictated by ocean conditions and is not recommended in high surf.

Best time to dive

June through September

Visibility

Visibility averages 50 to 100+ feet.

Water temperatures

Water temperatures range from 73 °F in January and February to 80 °F in August and September.

Weather and climate

Hawaii’s climate is warm throughout the year with temperatures ranging between 68 to 85 °F. The rainy season is between December and March; rain can be heavy in the mountains but elsewhere it is confined to short showers.

Language

English

Passport/Visa requirements

Canadians do not require a visa, only a valid passport or a birth certificate or citizenship certificate if arriving directly from Canada. Valid passports are required for all other nationalities. Visas are required for many nationalities. You should check current requirements before traveling as requirements can change very quickly. Visitors must have return or onward tickets and the necessary documents for further travel.

Currency

U.S. Dollar – Get exchange rates at http://www.xe.com/ucc/

Electrical current

110 volts AC, 50 cycles. Plugs are mainly the two, flat-pin type, though three-pin plugs are also widely used. European appliances without dual-voltage capabilities will require an adapter, which can be purchased in most major departure airports.

Capital

Honolulu

General information

Hawaii is known as the Aloha State. Hawaii lies 1,470 mile north of the equator and 2,500 miles southwest of the nearest continental land mass, North America. The six main islands are part of a 128-island archipelago stretching 1,523 miles from Kure Atoll in the northwest to the Big Island in the southwest. The main islands include Oahu, and the neighbor islands of Maui, Kauai, the Big Island (Hawaii), Molokai, and Lanai. The islands are the tips of massive mountains, created by a crack in the earth’s mantle, which has been spewing molten rock for 25 million years.

Map

Get a map of the Hawaiian Islands from WorldAtlas.com.

Diving the Gulf Coast

Diving the gulf coast from Mississippi to Texas includes wreck diving, ledges, and big oil rig platforms. The oil rig platforms are garden spots of marine life and fish. Marine growth on the rigs is colorful and plentiful. Tropical fish as well as large palagics habit these rigs, making spearfishing very popular. At times, you may also see eagle rays, sharks, whale sharks, dolphins, and tarpon. Oil rig diving comes in various forms from coastal rigs to offshore rigs ranging in depth from 80 to 400 feet deep. Charter services throughout this area often hit the rigs, which is a must if you’re going to dive this area.

The Flower Gardens off of Texas are also an extremely popular dive location. The Flower Gardens is national marine sanctuary and is the U.S.’s northernmost coral reef. The reefs include tropical fish, hard and soft corals, and many great palagics. The Flower Gardens are very popular with the live-aboards due to their distance offshore. For more information on the Flower Gardens, go to http://flowergarden.noaa.gov/.

Best time to dive

May through September

Visibility

Visibility averages 20 to 100+ feet

Water temperatures

Water temperatures are 85 °F in summer months and fall into the low 50s in the winter.

Weather and climate

The area has semi-tropical climate. Temperatures average in the 50s F during the winter and mid to upper 80s to 90s during the summer months.

Language

English

Passport/Visa requirements

Canadians do not require a visa, only a valid passport or a birth certificate or citizenship certificate if arriving directly from Canada. Valid passports are required for all other nationalities. Visas are required for many nationalities. You should check current requirements before traveling as requirements can change very quickly. Visitors must have return or onward tickets and the necessary documents for further travel.

Currency

U.S. Dollar – Get exchange rates at http://www.xe.com/ucc/

Electrical current

110 volts AC, 50 cycles. Plugs are mainly the two, flat-pin type, though three-pin plugs are also widely used. European appliances without dual-voltage capabilities will require an adapter, which can be purchased in most major departure airports.

Capital

Florida: Tallahassee

Alabama: Montgomery

Louisiana: Baton Rouge

Mississippi: Jackson

Texas: Austin

General information

The Gulf Coast is bordered by the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and the states of Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas to the north. The gulf coast is a beachers paradise. Miles of warm water beaches run this entire coast. The popular cities of Biloxi, Mississippi, Mobile, Alabama, and Galveston, Texas are just a few of the popular areas to visit. The gulf coast states and cities are rich in heritage, culture, and bring tourists from around the world. The area boasts some of the most scenic areas in the country and offers everything you could want on a vacation. Accommodations, food, nightlife, beaches, sun, sand, fun, diving, etc. all await you.

Diving the Great Lakes

Great Lakes diving include Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, and Lake Huron. Scuba diving in the Great Lakes means wreck diving. The fresh water has preserved shipwrecks that would have disappeared long ago in saltwater. There are thousands of wrecks both charted and yet to be found. Marine parks and preserves are scattered throughout the lakes, and the removal of any object from a shipwreck in any of the Great Lakes is illegal. Intact wooden ships, 100+ year-old wrecks, and large steel hulled ships litter the Great Lakes. If you are an avid wreck diver, then the Great Lakes is your area. These dives can be very advanced do to the depths and temperature of the water. If you haven’t dived the area, try to start off diving with local divers or local charters familiar with the area.

Best time to dive

Summer months when the water is warmer.

Visibility

With the accidental introduction of Zebra mussels, visibility has increased significantly in the lower lakes. Visibility ranges 5 to 50 feet.

Water temperatures

Water temperatures range from 32 to 50 °F.

Weather and climate

The weather can change daily and very quickly in the Great Lakes region, especially in the spring and fall. That’s because the region is affected by both warm, humid air from the Gulf of Mexico and cold, dry air from the Arctic. In general, the north experiences cooler weather, while the south has warmer temperatures. The entire basin experiences four distinct seasons.

The Great Lakes also have a big influence on the areas climate. The lakes moderate the temperatures of the surrounding land, cooling the summers and warming the winters. This results in a milder climate in portions of the area compared to other locations of similar latitude. The lakes also increase the moisture content of the air throughout the year. In the winter, this moisture condenses as snow when it reaches the land, creating heavy snowfall in some areas.

Language

English

Passport/Visa requirements

U.S. entry: Canadians do not require a visa, only a valid passport or a birth certificate or citizenship certificate if arriving directly from Canada. Valid passports are required for all other nationalities. Visas are required for many nationalities. You should check current requirements before traveling as requirements can change very quickly. Visitors must have return or onward tickets and the necessary documents for further travel.

Canadian entry: Although a passport is the ideal identification, U.S. nationals do not require a passport to enter Canada if holding other identification to establish citizenship, such as a birth certificate and at least one photo ID card. European passport holders do not require a visa. A valid passport, a return ticket, and sufficient funds to support yourself and your dependents are required. International travelers may require a visa to enter or transit Canada. You should check current requirements before traveling as requirements can change very quickly.

Currency

U.S. Dollar – Get exchange rates at http://www.xe.com/ucc/

Electrical current

110 volts AC, 50 cycles. Plugs are mainly the two, flat-pin type, though three-pin plugs are also widely used. European appliances without dual-voltage capabilities will require an adapter, which can be purchased in most major departure airports.

General information

The Great Lakes are located in North America between the U.S. and Canada. The Great Lakes are the largest bodies of freshwater in the world and are made up of Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, and Lake Huron.

Map

Get a map of the Great Lakes areas at WorldAtlas.com.

Diving California

Coastal Diving in the South: http://diver.net/seahunt/d_cal1.htm

Coastal Diving in the North: http://diver.net/seahunt/d_cal3.htm

Coastal Diving in Central California: http://diver.net/seahunt/d_cal2.htm

Best time to dive

The summer months bring warmer water temperatures and calmer conditions, but diving can be done year-round.

Visibility

Visibility ranges from 5 to 50+ feet depending on where and when you’re diving.

Water temperatures

Water temperature ranges from 50 to 75 °F depending on where you’re diving and what time of year you’re diving.

Weather and climate

The climate varies significantly from one location to another. Basically, it is semi-tropical along the southern coast with arid desert in most of the southern and eastern extremities. In the north, it is mildly temperate with colder alpine climates at the higher altitudes. The temperature is pleasant the entire year in most of the coastal areas. Cool breezes from the Pacific Ocean moderate the summer heat and keep the winters very mild. Expect temperatures around the 80s during the summer and the 60s during the winter. San Francisco and the northern part of the state are cooler. At the higher altitudes, especially in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, it can become very cold with extensive snowfalls (up to 40 feet deep). The desert areas are intensely hot during the summer with temperatures in some areas often rising above 120 °F and during the winter months, temperatures are no more than 70 degrees.

Language

English

Passport/Visa requirements

Canadians do not require a visa, only a valid passport or a birth certificate or citizenship certificate if arriving directly from Canada. Valid passports are required for all other nationalities. Visas are required for many nationalities. You should check current requirements before traveling as requirements can change very quickly. Visitors must have return or onward tickets and the necessary documents for further travel.

Currency

U.S. Dollar – Get exchange rates at http://www.xe.com/ucc/

Electrical current

110 volts AC, 50 cycles. Plugs are mainly the two, flat-pin type, though three-pin plugs are also widely used. European appliances without dual-voltage capabilities will require an adapter, which can be purchased in most major departure airports.

Capital

Sacramento

General information

California is situated on the western coast of the United States of America. The state is approximately 800 miles long from north to south and about 200 miles wide from east to west. It has almost 800 miles of Pacific coast that varies from warm sandy beaches in the south to rugged rocky shores in the north. About midway up the coast, mountains plunge directly into the sea.

Map

Get a map of California from WorldAtlas.com.