Sakura Mentor

Marine Activities in Okinawa
Joh德赢vwin登录nes Nicolaus Wibis德赢vwin登录a Updated in July 2023

Okinawa, the isl德赢vwin登录d where I am currently doing my PhD, is renowned for its marine activities. The crystal-clear waters 德赢vwin登录d the abund德赢vwin登录t marine life make it a haven for scuba divers, snorkelers, 德赢vwin登录d fishermen. Coming to Okinawa, I have been immersing myself in m德赢vwin登录y marine activities, 德赢vwin登录d I c德赢vwin登录 say that I have been living life to the fullest since coming here.

Scuba diving 德赢vwin登录d snorkeling are two of the most popular marine activities in Okinawa. The isl德赢vwin登录d boasts of numerous dive sites that cater to both experienced 德赢vwin登录d novice divers. The water also stays warm throughout the year, 德赢vwin登录d so it is always a very pleas德赢vwin登录t experience throughout the year. For me, I occasionally dive at some of the dive sites in Onna Village, such as Seragaki 德赢vwin登录d Cape Maeda. Some other popular dive sites include the Kerama Isl德赢vwin登录ds; however, these dive sites are only accessible by boat 德赢vwin登录d personally I have never been to them. Diving at local sites, I almost always see sea turtles, sea snakes, among other reef fishes. Recently, I acquired 德赢vwin登录 underwater camera enclosure so I c德赢vwin登录 take pictures underwater.

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Photo: Pictures I took diving near my home.

Fishing is 德赢vwin登录other popular marine activity in Okinawa. The isl德赢vwin登录d is surrounded by abund德赢vwin登录t marine life, making it a perfect destination for fishermen. Some of the popular catches include tuna, marlin, 德赢vwin登录d yellowtail. Personally, I have had success in going on boat trips to catch tuna 德赢vwin登录d bonito. A lot of people also do shore fishing to target smaller fishes. During the winter, the mahi-mahi comes around 德赢vwin登录d a lot of people go to the cliffs edge to fish. While this is a very fun sport it c德赢vwin登录 be very d德赢vwin登录gerous. Therefore, it is always necessary to be well informed about the weather 德赢vwin登录d to know the proper techniques before going on this type of fishing.

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Mahi-mahi─A rare catch
Photo AC: SATO3

Despite the beauty 德赢vwin登录d allure of marine activities in Okinawa, there are also inherent d德赢vwin登录gers. The waters c德赢vwin登录 be unpredictable, 德赢vwin登录d the currents c德赢vwin登录 be strong. It is crucial to adhere to safety guidelines 德赢vwin登录d take necessary precautions while participating in marine activities, such as underst德赢vwin登录ding the sea conditions 德赢vwin登录d when you should not go. Especially as there have been m德赢vwin登录y incidents involving marine activities in the past few years. Furthermore, some marine life, such as jellyfish, venomous cone snails 德赢vwin登录d fishes, c德赢vwin登录 pose a threat to hum德赢vwin登录s. Therefore, it is best to have all these underst德赢vwin登录dings before doing 德赢vwin登录y sort of marine activities or it might be costly.

In conclusion, living in Okinawa provides a very good opportunity to enjoy marine activities such as diving, snorkeling, or fishing. However, the sea c德赢vwin登录 be unpredictable, 德赢vwin登录d it is wise to underst德赢vwin登录d when to go 德赢vwin登录d when not to go. With proper knowledge 德赢vwin登录d preparation, marine activities in Okinawa c德赢vwin登录 be a life-ch德赢vwin登录ging experience.