2018 Chaojing Limited Boat Dive Expedition – Diving Season Exclusive Trips

Most divers assume that boat diving isn't available along the Northeast Coast, which is why many dive shops arrange Advanced Open Water Diver boat dive training at Xiaoliuqiu or Kenting instead. In reality, there are several excellent boat dive sites in Keelung's Wanghaixiang Bay well worth visiting. This article highlights a few of the most popular ones.

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Boat Dive Site: Flower Wall

Flower Wall is located inside Wanghaixiang Bay, at a promontory within the marine reserve. Due to the local topography, strong currents can surge up without warning, making this site difficult to reach from shore. In recent years it has attracted many boat divers, primarily because the vertical rock face is densely covered in soft coral — when the current picks up, the soft coral "blooms" and begins to feed, creating a stunning scene especially when shot with a wide-angle lens.

Because the soft coral blooms precisely when the current is running, some divers describe the surge here as comparable in intensity to Penghu at its wildest. Divers therefore need a solid level of boat diving experience. The boat captain will also assess tidal conditions on the day before committing to this site, so if conditions aren't right, you may need to try your luck next time!

Boat Dive Site: Haijian Wreck

The Haijian was deployed as an artificial reef in 2012. Because it has been down for a relatively short time, coral growth on the structure is not yet prominent; however, it is steadily attracting fish, and you can occasionally watch entire schools of moonfish drift lazily past. For divers eager to experience an artificial wreck dive on the Northeast Coast, this is a unique and worthwhile adventure.

The Haijian has several hatches, and divers with confident neutral buoyancy are welcome to explore the interior — just be careful not to kick up silt and reduce visibility! This site is also prone to sudden currents; if one picks up, the recommended technique is to tuck in and descend quickly to avoid being swept away by the surface flow.

Keelung Islet

Keelung Islet lies roughly 3 kilometres offshore and is currently uninhabited. In 2017, the Keelung City Government reopened the island's rocky shores to recreational fishing and introduced a set of fishing management regulations, giving more people the opportunity to connect with the island's ecology. The marine life around Keelung Islet differs noticeably from what you'd encounter on the mainland coast — the variety and sheer number of fish are genuinely impressive. Visibility, as always, depends on the season and tidal conditions, so catching that perfect panoramic view is partly a matter of luck!

Fishing nets occasionally wash up and snag on the reefs around Keelung Islet. If you spot a large net, please do not attempt to remove it yourself — the safety risks are too great. Instead, notify the Keelung City Government or ask the boat captain to report it; the city will send a removal crew to clear it.

Related link: 〈台北都會〉基隆嶼清除流刺網 回收百公斤

Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace is a dive site located in Wanghaixiang Bay on the side closest to Shen'ao. According to a veteran dive instructor, the name came about after a spring exploratory dive revealed the waters teeming with crystal-clear juvenile fish so numerous they nearly blocked the view — combined with the site's remarkable concentration of enormous gorgonians / sea fans, it was christened "Crystal Palace." Over a decade ago, when plans emerged to build a coal-unloading wharf at Fan Zai Ao Bay for the Shen'ao coal-fired power plant, it was thanks to the efforts of instructor 活塞 and several senior diving figures — who submitted striking photographs of Crystal Palace's iconic giant sea fans — that the development was successfully halted. Shen'ao Power Plant Expansion and Upgrade Plan.

Now, in 2018, the Shen'ao Power Plant expansion is poised to return. Beyond the long-running controversies over environmental impact assessment and air pollution, the current plan includes expanding the existing Shen'ao fishing harbor into a coal-unloading port. While the construction would not take place directly around Crystal Palace, the new breakwaters and port infrastructure would alter the path of ocean currents through the area. We sincerely urge all divers to use their cameras to document the beauty beneath the surface, and to share those images on social media to raise awareness among friends and family. The ocean changes because we dive!

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