The island chain of Bermuda was once known as the Isles of Devils, as it is surrounded by a number of reefs that have claimed many a ship. As a result, Bermuda scuba diving often involves visiting a wrecked ship, which can be both an eerie and fascinating experience. In addition to visiting sunken ships while diving in Bermuda, you can also explore the surrounding coral reefs, which teem with tropical fish and other engaging marine life. Bermuda scuba diving is such a popular tourist pursuit because of the quality of diving found here. Some regard this British island territory to be among the best places for beginning divers, but advanced divers will find it much to their liking as well. Diving in Bermuda is the highlight of a Bermuda vacation for many, and when you add it to your list of things to do, youll enjoy a world-class experience.

There are a handful of PADI certified dive shops in Bermuda, and since the island chain is so small, all of them can get you to the top Bermuda dive sites. For beginning divers, these dive shops offer beginners courses that can have you in the water before you know it. After completing various classroom requirements, which you can do at home to save time, its off to a pool or to a shallow spot in the ocean where you will then learn the basics of diving. After you cover the basics, you will then be ready for an open water dive with an instructor. Experienced divers can also take more advanced diving courses at the various Bermuda dive shops to further improve their personal diving skills. Once you are certified for open water diving, you can start to really enjoy the full range of Bermuda diving experiences.

Bermuda wreck diving is just one of the kinds of Bermuda scuba diving experiences that visitors can enjoy. What makes Bermuda wreck diving so good is the sheer variety of wreck sites in the area. Only eight miles from the Royal Naval Dockyard, youll find the The Constellation, which is just one of the many wreck sites that you can explore when diving in Bermuda. The Constellation was built in 1918, and it sunk off the coast of Bermuda in 1943. Though the crew were spared, the ship had no such luck. When diving here, youll see the 80,000 tons of cement that the ship was carrying across the Atlantic, not to mention an array of marine life. Octopus, barracuda, eels, trumpet fish, and grouper are just some of the aquatic creatures that frequent this wreck site. The Marie Celeste is another top site for Bermuda wreck diving, and you wont find many wrecks in the Atlantic that are more historic than this one. Found off of the coast of Southampton Parish, this sunken ship was once a Civil War blockade runner serving the needs of the Confederate forces.

Bermuda Map

More than 400 ships have met their demise off the Bermuda coast, so when diving in Bermuda there will be no shortage of wrecks to visit. For a different kind of Bermuda scuba diving experience, you can also try reef diving. Bermuda offers some of the northernmost reefs in the Atlantic Ocean, and since underwater visibility in the Bermuda waters is so good, you will be able to fully appreciate the coral and marine life that you see. In the winter months, the underwater visibility here can be up to 200 feet! The only drawback to winter diving in Bermuda is that the water temperatures are cooler. However, the hotel rates are also cheaper during winter months so that is something to consider. Various reef dive sites can be visited when diving in Bermuda, and besides seeing colorful coral and intriguing sea fans, you will also spot sea anemones that are consistently larger than those found at some of the top Caribbean dive sites.

In addition to wreck and reef diving, Bermuda scuba diving can also include helmet diving, which is ideal for those who might be tight on time or a bit timid about full-on scuba diving. Helmet diving involves donning a helmet that is attached to an air hose. This hose extends to the surface of the ocean, allowing you to breath underwater. Though you can only descend to a depth of about 13 feet when helmet diving, you can nonetheless visit coral reefs and stroll along the sea floor. You wont need to complete any special courses to enjoy helmet diving in Bermuda, and its a good way for people without diving experience to see if Bermuda diving is something that they want to further explore. Snorkeling in Bermuda is another way to explore the territorys underwater realms. You can rent snorkeling equipment once you get here, and some of the top Bermuda beaches make great snorkeling spots.