caves in okinawa???????????

[adam0321]

so I just found out I AM LUCKY ENOUGH (insert copius amounts of sarchasism) to have 3 year orders to okinawa. I know there is great ocean diving but the sea snakes are enough to keep me out of the water. are there any caves there to dove? are the bm or sm? and how far from schwab?

[Sludge]

The only thing I can find about "cave diving in Okinawa" on the internet will certainly disappoint you - "If you are interested in cave diving, a cave in Maeda (Okinawa) is famous as ‘Blue Cave,’ which is very accessible from beginners. Since the cave is half submerged and half in air, even snorkelers or first time divers (Discover Scuba Diving Program) can get in."

Probably not what you have in mind.

http://bluefi.com/english/?page_id=20

[HeloDriver]

Talk with Tony Chaney. He is the man in the know concerning caves in Okinawa.

[icestac]

sea snakes are enough to keep me out of the water.

For what it is worth, I did some dives with sea snakes in Fiji and it was actually AWESOME! They were beautiful in the water and did not seem curious or aggressive. They just swam along and did their thing. I even got some great video of swimming above/behind the snake as it went through the water -- probably 60 seconds of "chasing" it.

Have fun!
Jeff

[TONY CHANEY]

FWIW, I have about 10 years there. There are sea caves. Bolo point has a few caves with only one (that I have dove) that goes to some distance. Horse shoe has a few. It appears that a Japanese diver has laid line and mapped a long cave at Onna point near Horse shoe. A small one at Kadena Steps. The best that I have dove and named which no one every goes to is the Five Rooms or Five Sisters at Secrets South consisting of the Rope room and Golfball Grotto. The only person I know that knows the way is RZ. I'll send him your name if you want me to. Simple, RZ is my best friend, my instructor and he knows the island. Others will tell you their thoughts but...I'll leave it at that. Maeda point has a cave that you enter and come up in a dome to allow an exit during rough seas. Also is Hedo dome which you enter out at sea and come up into an air dome. If you are stationed at Hansen or Swab you will have quick access to the northern areas. If Courtney (SP) it will take you a while to get to the better spots but the base does or did have a good dive locker and the bay offers a good dive. Dives on the island even the shallow ones are great. Have TMO ship your doubles. A task but well worth it in that finding doubles is are was a pain in the ass. I use to dive double 80's and diving them as indepentents. There are very and I mean very long walks over lava rock to get to the best spots. Watch out for the vast amount of bombs underwater and Bolo houses some white and black reef sharks. Don't worry you will see them if you dive at night. OBTW, the third largest great white was captured / killed on Okinawa. If you want deep go to Bolo or Horse Shoe. Life begins at 200' and then it gets deep. Last words for now, please check out on the web Yanaguni. I'll, hopefully, will be coming back to the rock next year. I really want to dive Yanaguni...maybe with you. Please take care. OBTW, all sea snakes are not too friendly. Some are not too passive as has been said. Ask me sometime.

[phillip1]

I have surfed a lot in Indonesia and there were sea snakes swimming around on the reefs now and then, they are not aggressive at all, and I have never heard of anyone actually getting bitten surfing, I think diving would be even less of a hazard.

[TONY CHANEY]

Yea, well several will tell you that that are not aggressive but A buddy and I were still on the bottom at Devil's cove Okinawa Jp and the other diver was at the surface watching. This snake took a good breath od air and did a direct dive right between Carlos and I. Then it would not leave us alone. FWIW, "Sea snakes are naturally curious and may try to swim close to you. They are capable of injecting an extremely poisonous venom." RZ told us that it was mating season and they do tend to get aggressive. If you want to dive with snakes then go to Devil's cove. I have seen more there than anywhere else on the rock. Coral is dead but the surface has great photo moments as well as a sunk larger boat the hit the reef during a typhoon and sank. You can check out the hole on the bow.

[jeffersonwsm]

Everything is far from Camp Schwab. Go down passed the headquarters building to the bottom of the hill and the MWR has a dive shop. I haven't been there in 15 years. Great beach diving. You and swim from shore to the island where the light house is. If you lucky you'll see manarays and large brain coral. At night alot of puffer fish and sea snakes, just wear gloves with the snakes.
I was lucky to have a recon gunny who believed scuba diving to be a form of PT. He did make us do a force fin to the light house island and jog to the MWR shop.

Good luck
Jerome

[TONY CHANEY]

Jeffersonwsm..when were you there?

[jeffersonwsm]

I was there in early 94 with 2/2 weapon company. At Camp Schwab ,Thailand and Mt Fuji.