Scuba Diving in Havelock, Andaman Islands - My Advanced Open Water Diver Certification

9/12/2016

Scuba Diving in Havelock Island in the Andamans was my primary reason to visit the Islands. On my birthday in 2015, I gifted my self Advanced Open Water Diver Certification from Andaman and Nicobar Islands. I got completely AQUADDICTED post my first dive in Lakshadweep Islands. I took this passion of mine to next level by getting myself an Open Water Diver Certification from Gili Islands. I had heard a lot from my SCUBA instructor friends about Andaman sea hiding many marine gems in its vast expanse. I inquired about good sites in Andaman Islands and chose Havelock Island for my advanced course and few fun dives.

Diving sites around Havelock Island

Out of a total of 5 specialty dives, deep diving and underwater navigation are mandatory. I had to choose any of the 3 dives from wreck diving, night diving, search and recovery, drift diving, boat diving, underwater naturalist, Fish Identification, Nitrox/Enriched Air, Shark AWARE conservation multilevel and computer diving, peak performance buoyancy, underwater photography and videography.

Navigation is one of the most important skill one needs for underwater diving. Even after the training, I still suck with Navigation Diving.
My body kept shooting up and down while diving during my Open Water Diver certification in Gili Islands. To keep myself better streamlined in water, I took up Peak Performance Buoyancy Diving.
Heights and depths have always thrilled me. I was looking forward to the Deep Dive.
I was not too much in favor of Night Dive, but my instructor persuaded me to try that once to witness creatures that come out in the night, which are different to those seen in the daytime. Night Dive gets scary as you can't see anything beyond the light of your torch and you don't even know the dive site (even though you should dive in the night only in the sites you have dived earlier). The planktons glowed in the dark (bioluminescence) and it felt like the stars had come down in the ocean to glamorize the dive for me.
And because I had to write this blog, I had taken up Underwater Photography Dive as well. I have a lot to learn for underwater photography.

The mornings that start with a giant stride dip in the middle of the ocean can't be any less motivating for me, specially when I have to navigate through beautiful creatures in the most peaceful location of the earth, instead of navigating through traffic jams on my way to office!

Giant Stride entry into the giant Andaman Sea

Using line to descend

Diving Sites near Havelock Island:

Diving sites around Havelock Island

JOHNY'S GEORGE: 30 meters

My first deep dive left a mark in my mind as it was the first time I had spotted 2 sharks - White Tip Shark. While I swam across this giant aquarium, I also spotted Giant Groupers, Snappers, Sweet Lips, Trevally and soft corals.

The abundance - Scuba Diving in Andaman Islands

Shoal of sweet lips - Scuba Diving in Andaman Islands

MINERVA'S LEDGE: 18 meters

It is a vast site, a plateau of colorful corals and abundant marine life. I spent more time photographing the beauty around me. The fish kept running away and I kept chasing them to picture them. I spotted Red tooth Triggerfish, Clown Triggerfish, Longfin Bannerfish, Emperor Angelfish, Yellow masked Angelfish

School of Longfin Bannerfish - Scuba Diving in Andaman Islands

Soft coral - Scuba Diving in Andaman Islands

DIXON'S PINNACLE: 30 meters

This is the best dive site near Havelock Island. It is a group of 3 pinnacles surrounded with Barracuda, Scorpion Fish, Giant Groupers, Giant Trevally, Bat fish, Glass fish and perched with beautiful Big Barrel Sponges. The feeling of descending towards the pinnacle and diving around it was the highlight.

Scuba Diving in Andaman Islands

Dixon's Pinnacle - Scuba Diving in Andaman Islands

PILOT REEF: 20 meters

The visibility was low on the day I dived here and the site had almost upset me for 15-20 minutes initially, only to be later awestruck by sighting of 3 Leopard Sharks. Yes, you heard it right, I spotted huge leopard sharks. These shy creatures also ran away after seeing me, but I managed to photograph one of them before it started disappearing.

Leopard sharks - Scuba Diving in Andaman Islands

I DIVED WITH SHARKS ON MY BIRTHDAY.
I sensed a peaceful and content heart after my dives in the Andaman Sea. Diving does some miracle to my senses which I'm yet to decipher.