Diving Okinawa in winter?

[pakman]

OK you zen divers... I know the best time to hit Okinawa is the summer but how is the diving in the winter (say Dec or Jan)? I know the country shuts down for new yrs so dont worry about me showing up on Jan 1st and scratching my head when I see all the shops boarded up for shogatsu... Instead of heading up to Hokkaido for my usual winter snowboard trip this season, I'm thinking of scuba instead... (plus it doesn't help that my favorite ski resort - Niseko/Hirafu has now been invaded by Aussies...)

After spending about 8 years living in Tokyo (90's and early 00), I still kick myself for never going diving in Japan. That I partially blame my Japanese friends since they always suggested going to Southeast Asia (better diving/ cheaper) instead. And the outrageous Tokyo/Naha airfare didn't help...! Anyways, as I'm now based in Hong Kong, I'm just a short flight away...

If the diving is still good in mid winter, do you guys/gals recommend any dive shops? How's the coral nowadays at Kerama? Water temps/ wetsuits? Language is not an issue as I can speak OK japanese (a little rusty but I can get by).

thanks and yorishiku onegai shimasu (bowing profusiously at my keyboard... ),

Can't wait to nibble on some pig ears and have a few bottles of awamori...

edit: Oh one more thing, is the only way to dive Yonaguni by liveaboard? If so, do you know who runs these trips and when's the best time?

 

[japan-diver]

First,
diving in Okinawa is great in Dec-Jan timeframe no crowds, clear water and the coral is still quite good if you know the spots. Water is cooler that time of year probably in the low 20's by Dec.
Yonaguni- no liveaboards but you must hook up with a local shop. From HK the flight in Okinawa than Yonaguni for diving. Jan-Feb the hammerheads are running in that area and its awesome.

I'm kind of particular to one certain dive shop in that area....

OK you zen divers... I know the best time to hit Okinawa is the summer but how is the diving in the winter (say Dec or Jan)? I know the country shuts down for new yrs so dont worry about me showing up on Jan 1st and scratching my head when I see all the shops boarded up for shogatsu... Instead of heading up to Hokkaido for my usual winter snowboard trip this season, I'm thinking of scuba instead... (plus it doesn't help that my favorite ski resort - Niseko/Hirafu has now been invaded by Aussies...)

After spending about 8 years living in Tokyo (90's and early 00), I still kick myself for never going diving in Japan. That I partially blame my Japanese friends since they always suggested going to Southeast Asia (better diving/ cheaper) instead. And the outrageous Tokyo/Naha airfare didn't help...! Anyways, as I'm now based in Hong Kong, I'm just a short flight away...

If the diving is still good in mid winter, do you guys/gals recommend any dive shops? How's the coral nowadays at Kerama? Water temps/ wetsuits? Language is not an issue as I can speak OK japanese (a little rusty but I can get by).

thanks and yorishiku onegai shimasu (bowing profusiously at my keyboard... ),

Can't wait to nibble on some pig ears and have a few bottles of awamori...

edit: Oh one more thing, is the only way to dive Yonaguni by liveaboard? If so, do you know who runs these trips and when's the best time?

 

[pakman]

Hey thanks for the quick response. Excellent! that's great to hear re: hammerheads and temps. Now I just need to get my Tokyo buddies interested in meeting me down there. So your shop runs trips to Yonaguni? So can it be done as a day trip? Also, do you guys dive the USS Emmons (at rec/ no-deco levels)? That would be a great trip if we could get to dive both the USS Emmons and Yonaguni.

 

[japan-diver]

Yoanguni is not a day trip. To dive both the Emmons and Yonaguni is possible since most flights to Yonaguni stop in Okinawa. You can fly in from HK stay a day a dive the Emmons than follow on with a flight to Yonaguni to dive the monuments etc the next couple of days.

 

[pakman]

I see... I didn't realize that you had to fly from Naha to Yonaguni. Interesting. How many days would you recommend on Yonaguni?

Where is your shop reefencounters located (couldn't find the info on your website). For USS Emmons (north) and Kerama (west?), I presume this could be done while basing ourselves on the main island and reachable by fast boat?

Well I still have plenty of months to plan, but would still like to read up as much as possible on all the dive sites available before hand.

 

[ken chung ar]

I see... I didn't realize that you had to fly from Naha to Yonaguni. Interesting. How many days would you recommend on Yonaguni?

hi pakman,

p/s excuse my budding into ur conversations but i cannot prevent myself from recommending that u REALLY should dive in yonaguni. that's for hammerheads for one thing but the awesome UW ruins for the other.

i strongly suggest that u should read Graham Hancock's "Underworld" (ISBN 1-4000-4612-2, published by Crown Publishers, NY), if u have not. it's an intellectually exciting book, and Figures75 and 81 in that book are of the main terrace and the parallel megaliths of yonaguni UW ruins, respectively (p/s see my attached photos). it was jacques mayol that was first inspired by the raison d'etre of the ruins among all europeans.

i guarantee that u will feel there an undescribable calling from the ancient world. in fact, i get gooseskin everytime i dive down there. u should be able to spend at least four days there. the weather there in winter season is treacherous with constant northwestern and occasional southern winds (the ruins are close to the southern coast of the island), and u cannot dive in the ruin area every day.

let me know if u have further questions. i can recommend some dive shops on the main island of okinawa as well as yonaguni.

ken chung ar

 

[japan-diver]

We are located in central Okinawa (Awase) and have boats that go to the Keramas and the Emmons. Also the air dome, Hedo Canyon, Rykan So and other less visited spots on Okinawa. Keramas (45min-1hr ride, Emmons about 10-15 minutes)

For Yonaguni- which I have to agree with Ken is a must dive- four to five days is a good amount of time for diving there. I have had good look in the winter getting to the ruins but as he said the winds can sometimes make it a bit sporty. Our best luck for the ruins has usually been Nov-Dec but the hammereheads usually are not in until Jan-March. Although last year we had quite a few in late Dec also.

 

[red-lipped batfish]

Okinawa is on my radar...could you let me know the warmest months during the year and is diving any good then? Or must one dive during Jan-Feb to see the hammerheads? Low 20s sound terribly cold. Is a 7mm sufficient?

 

[WaterDawg]

I think JP meant low 20's C not low 20's F In Oki it gets about 68-67F in the winter.

July/Aug being the warmest months and temp getting into the low 90's -mid 80's

 

[red-lipped batfish]

I think JP meant low 20's C not low 20's F In Oki it gets about 68-67F in the winter.

July/Aug being the warmest months and temp getting into the low 90's -mid 80's

Thanks. I am aware he meant celsius. Diving 3 to 4 times a day in 26' C feels cold in my 3mm suit. July/Aug sounds more manageable.