Blackwater diving is without doubt one of the most unique and fascinating forms of scuba diving. It offers a rare opportunity to witness the mysterious marine creatures that rise from the deep ocean under the cover of darkness.
Unlike traditional night dives, which usually take place in shallow, sheltered locations with little current, blackwater diving is conducted in the open ocean – often over deep water. Divers are suspended beneath a boat, illuminated by lights that attract plankton and pelagic species, creating an extraordinary window into the ocean’s hidden world.
This surreal environment reveals an astonishing array of life: translucent larvae, bioluminescent organisms, delicate jellyfish, squid, and deep-sea fish that divers would never normally encounter.
Often described as the closest experience to “floating in space,” blackwater diving gives adventurous divers and underwater photographers a front-row seat to the ocean’s greatest spectacle – the nightly vertical migration, when countless marine species ascend from the depths to feed near the surface.
Blackwater Diving Articles
Blackwater Diving – The Anilao Night Shift
Getting into Blackwater Diving… The images are what first grab your attention! Seemingly alien creatures floating in the dark of night, long after most people have called it a day. These strange forms, illuminated by light against the blackness of open ocean, seem otherworldly. What are they? …
Anilao Blackwater Diving – Season II
It really is an unusual way to spend an evening — less of a night dive and more of a nocturnal sojourn into another world. This is Anilao blackwater diving, where you descend into the dark waters of Balayan Bay to witness creatures few divers ever see. Beneath you lies deep water. Around you, apart …