Saltwater Diving
Most of lakes are freshwater, there are a few inland saltwater diving destinations, such as the Dead Sea and the Great Salt Lake. Most of on the earth is covered by salt water, the oceans. Since almost all of saltwater diving locations involve the ocean, conditions such as currents, waves, surf, tides, boats, and deep water will be encountered. While most of these are hindrances when entering and exiting the water, they will cease to be a problem once submerged. Its a good idea to learn about the normal conditions of a body of water from a local dive shop. Remember, it takes special training to enter the water when battling the waves of the ocean. It should be covered in the PADI diving course, even if you dive in fresh water for the open water dives. Dive in saltwater presents some of the most spectacular sights in the world. From the colorful coral reefs of Australia and the Hawaiian islands to the ship and plane wrecks found along Britain, saltwater offers an enormous variety of plant and animal life, especially when compared to the freshwater counterpart. Saltwater fish tend to be more colorful, as do the plants. Perhaps one of the most exhilarating things you can experience with saltwater is a shark dive. Challenging, diving among 30 tiger sharks is an experience you won’t forget. Scary the first time, awe inspiring every time thereafter. Dolphins have a similar affect to a diver, as do whale dives. The temperatures tend to be much warmer, although water temperature varies upon dive location. For example, the Gulf of Mexico is much warmer than the water off the coast of California. The temperature of water in tropical locations can be around 85 degrees. The
saltwater diving
ocean is also much clearer than most freshwater lakes. The range of visibility at a depth of 60 feet can be well over 100 feet.
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