In 2018, I arrived in Okinawa and began my Japan diving journey. I stayed in Okinawa for an extended period and worked there during that time. I got to know many Japanese divers, and one day a seasoned Japanese diver introduced me to a very special izakaya — "クマノミ" (Clownfish), run by a couple who were both passionate divers. It has since closed.
For me, it was the door that opened my unknown world of diving in Okinawa. The owner told me they had been diving in Okinawa for at least 30 years — from their youth all the way to now. They had dived all over the world, but Okinawa was still their favourite. The owner and the regulars at the bar told me that Okinawa isn't just about the Kerama Islands; there are so many places worth discovering.
In the corner of the izakaya, a TV was playing footage they had filmed themselves. I saw a scene I will never forget in my life — a manta ray racing through the water and leaping out of the surface! Before I could even react, a regular sitting next to me said, "Pretty cool footage, right?" I said it was absolutely incredible — was this also shot by a diver here? He gave me an answer that completely shocked me: "Yes — I shot it myself!!!" I couldn't hide my excitement. I bombarded him with questions: How did you come across that scene? Where was it filmed? How many times in your life have you seen something like that? He answered every single one of them with great enthusiasm, telling me that Okinawa is truly amazing, and that I should take the time to explore it properly and then share it with other divers. That was also when he introduced me to the dive site I want to share with you now — Triangle.
Dive site markers densely packed on Google Maps
Before I moved to Okinawa, I had only dived there once — at the Blue Cave. It's a very typical dive site, and it left a strong impression on me: you can spot Clownfish in very shallow water, which is absolutely adorable, and the coral reefs are stunning. But after actually living there, I learned that when Japanese divers come to Okinawa, they head to the Kerama Islands. Visibility in Kerama can reach 30 to 40 metres! There is an incredible variety of tropical fish species, and the reef and cave formations are extremely diverse. The Kerama Islands span three islands, with well over 100 dive sites in total.
When it comes to dive sites on the Okinawa main island, the usual suspects are the Blue Cave, Manzamo, Zanpa, Itoman in the south, and Hedo in the north. On the outer side of Kouri Island in central Okinawa, there is also a 45-metre-deep WWII American warship wreck dive site called "Emmons." In truth, there are so many places on the main island for divers to explore — but there isn't much information available online in Chinese. So I decided to slowly start sharing my diving experiences here.
I was actually very hesitant about sharing this particular hidden-gem dive experience. Let me first talk about my three-dive log from late March: maximum depth 59 m, average depth 25 m. Numbers like that will make most people think I've lost my mind. I thought about it for a long time, but there was still a voice inside me that wanted to share this diving experience in Chinese. Whether or not you'll ever get to dive here really comes down to each person's own circumstances and timing.
This dive site was discovered by a "legend." Triangle naturally evokes the image of a mysterious bermuda triangle — and yes, it truly is a profoundly mysterious dive site.
January 2, 2018 — Great White Shark Sighting at Triangle!
This site became famous after a remarkable encounter: a 5-metre great white shark. I asked the dive guide who saw the great white shark that day — Mr. Okumura, who is also the owner of the dive shop "ドリスタ" that I used for this trip. I asked him whether the great white shark was terrifying. He told me that the aura of a great white shark is simply irresistible. Below is the footage captured at the time:
Mr. Okumura is, in fact, a dive guide with a deep passion for sharks. He regularly takes his clients abroad to chase sharks. In Okinawa, his dive shop specialises in drift diving trips, so most of his clients are experienced regulars. I was actually quite nervous the first time I dived this site. It was here, in late November 2019, that I broke my personal depth record — 53.4 m.
Reading dive data from the MISSION ONE dive log
The dive route for the day (the Editor sneaks in: Japanese divers are seriously so thorough)
GoPro 7 + Inon wide-angle lens
Schools of fish underwater at Okinawa's Triangle dive site
Side shot of fish schools underwater at Okinawa's Triangle dive site
Okinawa dive site Triangle
Fish schooling around the steel reef at Okinawa's Triangle dive site
Group photo after the dive
Related links:
-
[][A Taiwanese Woman's Secret Okinawa Diving Spots] You Can Dive Inside a Stalactite Cave!](http://【台灣女子的沖繩潛水秘境】鐘乳石洞內也可以潛水！ "【台灣女子的沖繩潛水秘境】鐘乳石洞內也可以潛水！")
