Top 100 2015: Best Advanced Diving
Iskander Itriago
Cayman Islands: USS Kittiwake
It’s easy to see how the Cayman Islands ranked in Best Advanced Diving, since these three islands offer some of the best diving in the world. But there are specifics that make this one a natural: wrecks like Cayman Brac’s Capt. Keith Tibbets, a spooky Russian destroyer, and Grand Cayman’s USS Kittiwake (pictured), a favorite for wreck training. Add to that deep dives on Grand Cayman’s North Wall and Little Cayman’s Bloody Bay Wall, where there’s no sign of a bottom.
GO NOW: scubadiving.com/caymanislands
Joseph C. Dovala
Cayman Islands: USS Kittiwake Wreck
It’s easy to see how the Cayman Islands ranked in Best Advanced Diving, since these three islands offer some of the best diving in the world. But there are specifics that make this one a natural: wrecks like Cayman Brac’s Capt. Keith Tibbets, a spooky Russian destroyer, and Grand Cayman’s USS Kittiwake (pictured), a favorite for wreck training. Add to that deep dives on Grand Cayman’s North Wall and Little Cayman’s Bloody Bay Wall, where there’s no sign of a bottom.
GO NOW: scubadiving.com/caymanislandsFOTOGRAFEREN.NET/ALAMY
Cayman Islands: Capt. Keith Tibbets
It’s easy to see how the Cayman Islands ranked in Best Advanced Diving, since these three islands offer some of the best diving in the world. But there are specifics that make this one a natural: wrecks like Cayman Brac’s Capt. Keith Tibbets (pictured), a spooky Russian destroyer, and Grand Cayman’s USS Kittiwake, a favorite for wreck training. Add to that deep dives on Grand Cayman’s North Wall and Little Cayman’s Bloody Bay Wall, where there’s no sign of a bottom.
GO NOW: scubadiving.com/caymanislandsMichael Gerken/SEAPICS
North Carolina: USCG Cutter Spar
Wind, current, depth and sometimes-long, open-ocean boat rides are a rite of passage for divers seeking adventure off North Carolina’s Outer Banks, but the payoff for the intrepid diver is huge: world-class wrecks like the artificial reef USCG _Cutter Spar, _patrolled by sand tigers and more.
GO NOW: scubadiving.com/northcarolinaBrandon Cole
Chuuk: Nippo Maru
World War II wrecks like the Nippo Maru (pictured) and Yamagiri Maru — part of a Japanese fleet sunk by the Americans during an epic battle in February 1944 — make Chuuk Lagoon legendary among advanced wreck divers.
GO NOW: scubadiving.com/micronesiaJoseph C. Dovala
Chuuk: Yamagiri Maru
World War II wrecks like the Nippo Maru and Yamagiri Maru (pictured) — part of a Japanese fleet sunk by the Americans during an epic battle in February 1944 — make Chuuk Lagoon legendary among advanced wreck divers.
GO NOW: scubadiving.com/micronesia
For the 22nd year in a row, our readers weighed in on their favorite dive sites around the world — from North America to the Caribbean and Atlantic to the Pacific and Indian Oceans — to bring our 2015 Top 100 Reader's Choice Awards to life.
For variety, we have selected one destination in each region (Caribbean and Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans, and North America) to write about. Not all selections are the first-place winners in the Best Advanced Diving category.
Here's a complete list of Top 100 Readers Choice winners for Best Advanced Diving category:
BEST ADVANCED DIVING CARIBBEAN AND ATLANTIC
1. Bonaire
4. Saba
5. Bahamas
BEST ADVANCED DIVING NORTH AMERICA
3. California
4. Florida
5. Washington
BEST ADVANCED DIVING PACIFIC AND INDIAN OCEANS
3. Palau
4. Indonesia
5. Galapagos
Thousands of subscribers and Web users rated their experiences at dive destinations in a variety of categories on a scale of one to five. Final scores are an average of the numerical scores awarded. A minumum number of responses was required for a destination to be included in these ratings.
