14 Dive Destinations from the Movies
Looking to dive into the realms of where some of the greatest documentaries and movies have been filmed? For those divers inspired by BBC shorts, you can dive into extraordinary settings with the voice of Attenborough echoing around your mind like a grammatically correct Yoda. Those who prefer the action packed James Bond movies, can dive into the underwater landscapes that became the backdrop of so many thrilling Bond scenes. Here are fourteen destinations to dive into the world of celebrity seas:
Kawaihae, Hawaii
Waterworld (1995)
Outstandingly rich waters; 25 percent of reef fish here are endemic, and the island is visited by 17 different species of toothed dolphins and eight species of baleen whales along with sea turtles, tropical fish, rays, monk seals, and pelagic seabirds.
Grand Cayman, The Cayman Islands
Into the Blue (2005)
With more than 175 dive sites, the Cayman Islands offer steep, deep walls adorned with sponges and corals in a stunning array of colours; shallow reefs filled with schooling solitary fish and small invertebrates; as well as wrecks featuring photogenic structures and curious marine residents.
Catalina Island, USA
Sea Hunt (1958-1961)
Coves and offshore outcrops provide countless diving possibilities, from easy shallow kelp explorations to a 70-metre plunge to a wreck.
Yucatán, Mexico
Planet Earth, Caves (2009)
Kilometres of flooded, interconnected passageways zigzag beneath this mysterious Mayan region, accessed by dives into the deep, well-like sinkholes of clear, fresh water, known as cenotes.
Miami, Florida, USA
James Bond: Thunderball (1965)
Dramatic wreck diving and fantastic sites for underwater photography on both manmade and natural reefs.
Deception Island, Antarctica
Voyage to the Edge of the World (1976)
Icy waters home to millions of tiny Amphipods and Probiscus worms, along with sea stars and nudibranches.
Nassau, The Bahamas
Into the Blue (2005), & The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), You Only Live Twice (1967), For Your Eyes Only (1981), The World Is Not Enough (1999), Casino Royale (2006)
Spectacular diving, from sunken Spanish galleons, inland blue holes, underwater caves to forest-like coral reefs teeming with vibrant marine life. It’s no wonder this is Hollywood’s go-to underwater location.
SS Moldavia, Southeast England
Black Sea (2014)
This enormous wreck is full of interesting items, such as massive guns and portholes with their glass and brass fitments still intact.
Indian Ocean (South Africa, Sri Lanka and Australia)
Blue Water, White Death (1971)
The team traversed the productive, clear Indian Ocean in search of sharks. Sri Lanka’s waters are littered with wrecks from many different eras, with over 75 in the Galle harbour alone.
Sha’ab Rumi, Sudan
World Without Sun (1964)
Cousteau’s Conshelf (aka Precontinent II) is now a shallow dive site comprising a pretty coral garden with plenty of soft corals, reef fish and sharks. The hangar for the submersible, some shark cages and a tool shed are still intact.
South Africa’s Eastern Seaboard
Blue Planet, Episode One (2001)
The team spent two seasons attempting to film the annual sardine run, a huge congregation of predators such as sharks and dolphins that assembles to feast on the migrating fish by corralling them into bait balls.
Papua New Guinea
Mission Blue (2014)
In Papua New Guinea the coasts can drop away into water 300 metres deep, visited by big fish like barracuda, trevally, large dogtooth tuna, Spanish mackerel and sharks.
Queensland, Australia
Fool’s Gold (2008)
Gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and the diverse, world-class dive sites of fish-filled, clear water at Fraser Island, Hamilton Island, Hervey Bay, and Port Douglas.
The Sunken Valley, Tasmania
BBC Earth Oceans (2008)
Deep-sea species found in relatively shallow, diveable depths in this remote and unique marine reserve. Great buoyancy and permits for diving here are essential.