Explore your dark side on a Jupiter Dive Center Night Dive!
Explore your dark side on a Jupiter Dive Center Night Dive!
Want to see the ocean in a different light? Come on out with Jupiter Dive Center on a 2-tank night dive! We dive by the light of the full moon. Check our dive calendar for dates!
Why Dive at Night?
First, it’s a little mysterious. We leave the dock at 6:00 pm, so the sun is low on the horizon. Your first dive is a bit of a teaser, letting you get used to the darker conditions. Then the real fun begins. Watch the sunset on your surface interval. Now? It’s show time!
Critters
Animal behaviors change at night. Some fishes disappear, others come out to play. Parrotfishes spin a mucous cocoon in which to slumber (please don’t touch it, they can only spin one every 24 hours). Lobsters and octopuses prowl for prey. Larger marine animals cruise the waters. See first hand how the reefs you’ve seen by day, support different species at night.
How to prepare for a night dive
Night dives are, well, dark. That means divers need to take their light source with them. Batteries fail, and dive lights occasionally flood. That means you need to have a backup plan—a secondary light.
One of the perks of having your own light source is how bright everything looks. Remember, if you are relying on natural light during a day dive, light absorption reduces the visible color spectrum the deeper you go. At night, the light waves only have to travel the distance between your light source and the item it’s illuminating. That makes everything appear more vivid.
While lights are a necessity, shining them in your buddy’s eyes is not the way to score points. Ditto spotlighting marine life for long periods of time. Some marine animals don’t have eyelids and prolonged light exposure will distress them—that includes when you use camera strobes.
Buddy Briefing
There are several things you need to discuss with your buddy in order to ensure you both know what to do on a night dive. How you are going to communicate? What if one of you becomes disoriented? Because of the darkness, it is even more important to stay close to your buddy, and absolutely critical to know what to do if you lose each other. Discuss this with your buddy. It’s a much easier conversation to have topside than underwater. Want to know more? Take a night diving class!
What are you waiting for?
Adventure. New challenges. Different marine life. Whatever your reason for wanting to explore the ocean after the sun goes down, diving at night offers a spectacular new perspective. Contact Jupiter Dive Center to see for yourself!