Saipan

[stekun]

Hi everyone,

I will be traveling to Saipan in a few weeks and am wondering if anyone knows any good dive sites I should check out. I know it's a great place to dive, so I'm quite excited, and am wondering what recommendations people have.

Steve

[chinacat46]

Can't help you out but I hope you report back to us about the diving when you return.

[navychop]

Only dove in GUAM, stationed there twice in the NAVY. It was awesome day and night time diving. Only a hop and a skip to Saipan, sailed by it several times. And by the way, it's not in the South Pacific, its about 13 degrees North Latitude.

[stekun]

I will be sure to report back. Also, I understand the water temp there is around 80. I'm a midwest diver usually, so I'm used to diving cold fresh water lakes in 7mm wetsuits. Any recommendations on the type of wetsuit I should bring for 80 degrees? I have a 2/3 full suit, but I'm wondering if even that will be a little warm. I don't own a shorty or anything, so I'm trying to get away without having to buy another suit if I can...

[chinacat46]

Well how many dives a day are you going to be doing?

[navychop]

Wetsuit, never wore one in Guam

[stekun]

Probably doing quite a few dives. There's three of us, and we just connected with another guy who knows the area and is going to show us some spots. The three of us are avid divers though, and spend as much time in as we can. So I'm thinking we will need some protection.

[chinacat46]

Everybody has different tolerance to cold. I'd be using a 3 mm myself and probably be doing 4-5 dives a day. By the end of the week I'd probably have my 3 mm hooded vest on as well. Some would wear nothing all week but I think you would probably be fine with your 3/2.

[navyhmc]

Originally Posted by chinacat46

Everybody has different tolerance to cold. I'd be using a 3 mm myself and probably be doing 4-5 dives a day. By the end of the week I'd probably have my 3 mm hooded vest on as well. Some would wear nothing all week but I think you would probably be fine with your 3/2.

As mentioned, I can do one dive in 70f water for an hour and be fine. Don't ask me to do another dive though. And no matter what, if you're doinga weeks worth of dives, some thermal layering is a good idea.

[Geronimo]

Steve,
I'm a PADI Instructor/Dive Guide in Saipan and I'm also a former midwest diver, originally from Iowa. Brrr...

Here the water is 80-84F, a lot of us 'locals' dive in swim trunks and a rashguard or t-shirt. tourists tend to wear wetsuits...but it's really not necessary. You can rent a shorty here for $4 a day.

I have a blog and a website that list a lot of info about diving here. The blog has a lot of photos of what you can expect here.
Blog --> www.scubablues.blogspot.com
Website --> www.saipanscuba.com

I was first certified in rock quarries (cold waters) in Iowa, even dove the Mississippi once (0 visibility). Here the waters are warm, you see 100+ feet on a good day...and almost always find a turtle or an eagle ray if you know where to look.

Send me an email and I'd be happy to answer any other questions you might have. The diving here is awesome. You won't be disappointed.

Brad