Scuba Diving Tinian - Tinian Dive Sites

Thinking about diving our neighbor to the South? Here's a brief look at what this quiet, friendly island has to offer underwater! Check back soon for a full discussion about Tinian SCUBA diving, it's about to get that much better! I'll also ad some pictures and video soon too!

Tinian Dive Sites

Two Corals
Two Corals is a short boat ride from Tinian Harbor. This shallow pinnacle on Tinian’s west coast has great visibility and is a photographer’s dream. Crystal clear blue water and white sandy outlines accent the beauty and pristine conditions of the coral at Two Corals. Rising from a maximum of 70 feet, divers can easily swim a figure 8 formation around two small underwater mountains or adventure away from the mooring to discover an array of hard corals and sandy channels. Be prepared to go slow and stay awhile to enjoy abundant fish life of all sizes and colors. It’s not uncommon to see octopi and moray eels cruising in broad daylight while curious turtles check you out. Two Corals is a full 45-minute ride from Saipan.

Fleming Point

Fleming Point is a fantastic wall dive with dramatic drop offs and currents that can be like gentle breezes or raging winds. This boat dive on Tinian’s western shore boasts a high probability of turtle sightings along the top ridge, which curves from the cliffs at the surface down to about 45 feet before taking a 90-degree turn and heading straight to the abyss below. Sea whips and large Gregorian coral fans line the wall and brace themselves against the current while schools of Fusiliers and triggerfish dart about. The amazing visibility of an early morning dive will offer silhouettes from the rising sun while an afternoon dive will find the wall bathed in sunlight making it well worth doing more than once. In fact, you’ll probably need a few days just to get the most out of the point as Fleming can also be distinctly different whether you choose to go north or south from the mooring.

The Tinian Grotto
Tinian’s answer to Saipan’s Grotto, the Tinian Grotto is a popular cavern dive. It’s a bit smaller than its Saipan counterpart, but well worth exploring. Located midway along Tinian’s west coast this boat dive is popular with both Saipan and Tinian operators. Entering the water you can often see rising bubbles escaping through the coral from the inside of the cavern long after divers have left. Most divers enter through the top hole at about 35 feet and explore the inside looking for lionfish, nudibranchs, and schools of soldierfish. Bring a light with you to really bring out the color and discover those creatures that might be a little more shy. Exiting through one of two large holes divers are able to explore the top of the reef under the watchful eye of many types of hawkfish and Damsels. As with most Tinian dives, you’ll need to do the Grotto more than once here as another wall dive awaits those who come back and explore a little further (and deeper) out from the shore.

Dump Coke North
Often mislabeled as Dump Cove, Dump Coke North gets its name from the many Coco-cola bottles thrown from the cliffs during WWII. But bottles aren’t the only thing that made their way over the towering limestone walls. Littered with WWII artifacts including tanks, planes, jeeps and ammunition, this site which served as a trash can during and after the war, is now an intriguing glimpse into a bygone era. The undersea critters—octopi, grouper and the ubiquitous Green sea turtles—seem to love the artificial reefs.
WARNING: Care must be taken not to handle ammunitions or touch the white substance (phosphorus) which coats the rocks. Many of the shells are still “live” and can explode even after all these years, while the phosphorus will instantly burst into flames once it mixes with oxygen on the surface. Rising to the surface at the end of the dive may find it burning anything it is in contact with including skin. All the more reason to use good buoyancy and take only pictures to get the most out of this unique spot.

Tatzumi Reef

Located on the eastern side of Tinian, this interesting site is dependent on wind and sea conditions for the journey to explore its unique coral formations. Not often visited, this secret spot will treat lucky divers to pillars of hard corals that often resemble the goal posts on a football field. It’s not hard to imagine kicking a field goal through the uprights. Many crevices and small caves line the large plateau reef, which has an average depth of 60 to 90 feet. Clouds of parrotfish munch on the corals, while blue fusiliers gather in large schools and play in the surge and swirling currents. Keep an eye open for sleeping white tips and cruising grey reef sharks.

Goat Island / Aguijan

Located a short boat ride from Tinian harbor, or a full 90-minute ride from Saipan, this uninhabited island is rugged frontier diving at its best. Pristine conditions await those who come here as few operators venture this way. The untouched terrain, cruising sharks, turtles and Napoleon wrasse don’t get the attention they deserve. Is it worth the ride or a few days on Tinian to experience the Marianas Dive’s best-kept secret? Absolutely!

Dive Site Poll surprise trailer

It seems the Grotto is pulling ahead slightly in the Dive site poll. I don't necessarily find that surprising, after all it is a very unique dive, it's technically a shore dive with "easy" access (ie no boat required) AND it gets the quantity of divers needed to win the numbers game. Not to mention the different cave openings and cracks provide ample opportunity to make each dive different. Dive the afternoon versus the mornings and the light rays can provide a completely different look and feel to the place. So, although it's not my personal favorite, I don't find it surprising that the Grotto is leading the race. What I do find surprising is the poor showing by Naftan point. I'm not alone in the assessment of this dive spot as one of the better wall dives around. This is what Nomad said in his comments when the poll first opened.

The nomad said...

You have to go with Naftan wall: in the right conditions, this is a truly awesome dive. With a slight current running north, and clear conditions (vis over 80feet), you drop in over a nice coral shelf at 40 feet and then hit a sheer wall that bottoms out from 120-200feet. The sun is sparkling down, fish are all around you (because this site is hard to access), and you are surrounded by quiet, deep, blue...

The only thing I disagree with in his assessment is the 80-foot visibility. It's usually better than this. Now I know everyone assess visibility differently and consistency between divers is almost non existent but relatively speaking you can't beat the visibility at Naftan on most, if not all, days. It's not always Cozumel-like but it's usually pretty darn good!

Then of course there is the life at the edge of the wall. As gentle currents bring nutrients to those that call this place home it's often easy to get caught focusing on activity along the edge and miss what's coming at you from out in the deep blue!



On this dive I was zoomed in on a passing Napolean wrasse when out of no where this fella showed up!

If you know someone who hasn't voted yet pass on the word, time is running out!
If you think you need to check out Naftan and perhaps change your vote give Scott a call it's well worth the trip!

Turtle Scratch

So while Harry was out combing the Grotto for nudibranchs I decided to see what Lau Lau Bay had in store. As he discovered this weekend the Halgerda guahan and Halgerda malesso were at it again in the Grotto. I had seen one a week or so ago at Lau Lau Bay and it looked pretty calm despite the overcast skies. It was a tough decision but….

Long story short if you want to see photos of nudibranchs you'll need to visit Harry's site. Despite keeping an eye out for the mating nudies I spent most of my dive filming the cleaner shrimp and Lizardfish at the anemone on the pipe.


At about 50 feet deep this anemone is often a very busy cleaning station for Goatfish and Lizardfish among others. This particular day it was a Lizardfish and he didn’t care I existed for the entire time I was there. The only flinch he made was when one of the cleaner shrimp dug in a little too far. I had come to get some shots of this action so when my light batteries gave out I was feeling pretty good about the results and began heading back to the cut along the pipe.

Looking hard for any sign of those little white nudibranchs inching their way to sexual bliss I passed low over the sand and coral heads thinking - "well that was good but so far nothing that makes this dive stand out as a once in a lifetime birthday dive". With my head down and eyes on the lookout for little things I wasn't using much in the way of wide-angle peripheral vision when I damn near ran into him……





Trust me when I say he didn't have a care in the world about me either. At first he was determined to take care of a very difficult to reach itch and then it was on to having some chow. Despite being down to little battery power I was able to film him up close and personal, complete with a full ascent to the surface for air and a return decent for more food.

This video is only but a taste!

Grotto Memorial

To continue with a train of thought from an earlier post......

I’d been discussing the "2007" rock formation I witnessed on the sand flats about 40 feet below the surface while swimming at Obyan the other day. It got me thinking about the “diver code of ethics”, where we draw the line, mother nature’s destruction versus regeneration and the opportunities for free publicity all at the same time.

I imagined a group of divers (all making the peace sign) hovering over the formation while another with a camera snapped away. It got me thinking about the many dive sites around the world marked with a man made touch. Wreck dives often have small metal plates affixed to their hulls complete with descriptions of the vessel, the date of sinking and other notable facts. Other sites pay tribute to those who’ve lost their lives while diving with monuments or head stone like structures. In some small way these memorials and inscriptions help provide families the closure needed for often unexplainable, horribly tragic events. They also help serve as reminders, to those who pass, of the vulnerability we all face when entering this often-unforgiving world.

A diver examines one in a series of plaques marking wreck dives in Florida

A newly erected monument in Puckett pays tribute to those who perished during the Tsunami.

One thing I've noticed over my years of diving is anytime a diver with a camera comes across such a landmark their shutter button is put into action almost immediately. Unlike marine life, a man made structure of this type is unique only to the spot on which it rests. Snap, snap, snap – the photographer captures a unique, perhaps once in a live time moment at a very specific place underwater.

This got me thinking about the Grotto. First, just how many times a simple underwater plaque situated at the base of the mooring line might be photographed during a safety stop. Of course I had just come off a dive with Harry where I witnessed him take over 400 shots of a nudibranch at 20 feet on the rock anchoring the line. But seriously on a slow day it’s estimated a minimum of 150 divers do a giant stride off the big rock. On a busy day it can be upwards of four to five hundred (this according to the stats kept by the security guards). Now days it is almost becoming unusual to see a group of divers enter the water without at least one having a digital camera attached. Now imagine if nearly all of those divers exited the water with a photograph of themselves beside a plaque that read - The Grotto, Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, (complete with GPS coordinates). Now that’s effective free publicity and word of mouth advertising at it’s best.

It also got me thinking about the Grotto in terms of those who’ve lost their lives. I do not know exactly how many have met their fate here but at present no monument of any kind, above or below the water, exists to pay respect to these individuals and their families. It seems to me it would be money well spent, especially if those passing by the inscriptions paused to consider and respect the power of Mother Nature and the need to follow safe diving practices especially in a place like the Grotto.

Check out this story

What a difference a day makes!

After reviewing my footage of the nudibranchs from Saturday and reading that Harry, Bev and Greg had gotten another day of diving in with these little fellas I decided to head back to the Grotto today. Not that my footage was bad it was just not what I would call National Geographic caliber. Soooooo I crossed my fingers and hoped I'd find one or two late bloomers still trying to get a little action. Could this matting thing be more like a week long get together at the Playboy mansion - after all they probably only get it once a year or less!

During the whole time I was there no one else was diving. A few tourists checked out the top view but none made the decent. Being the only one on the rock it's days like this when the true beauty of the Grotto comes through. Even the water was quiet and still. No monorail running up and down, nothing just plain and simple tranquility. I could have sat there on the rock, taking it all in, but just the walk down had left me sweating and in need of the cool rush that follows the initial leap. (Insert big splash here)

Ahhhhh that's better and weightless too!

Ok you reproducing creepy crawlies here I come.....

Nada, nothing more, not a single one and believe me I covered nearly every inch of the cavern, slowly and surely. I started where they had been the few days before. Nothing! Sure – Larry, Curly and Mo (the white tips) were there but I told myself, no matter how tempting they made it, I was not going to spend precious time and air on them today. I wanted the little white fellas.

I kept searching back and forth but to no avail. What was it about the last few days? Did I just pick the wrong hour to be there today? Was 12 noon the equivalent of a Mexican siesta for these exhausted nudies? I don't know but what a difference a day makes. How do these guys know when to get together, how to find one another and why of all whys did they choose the mooring line of the busiest dive spot on Saipan to do their dirty work!

Answers that may come in time, (or not) but it's safe to say that, in our own small way, those of us diving and recording the events at the Grotto this weekend can say we've played a small role in helping unravel the mystery. Who knows maybe in a few years this event will become a given and attract world-renowned photographers from all over the world! Now that would be marketing based on our single most impressive resource - Nature.

Alas I gave in to the three stooges. It just seemed that the closer I got the more comfortable they became. Maybe they were just lonely. In between little rests it looked like they were practicing take off's and landings. I certainly enjoyed capturing some National Geographic quality footage of them and I hope they appreciated the company cause it sure seemed like a pretty lonely day down there all round.

Nudibranch sex, Sharks, Octopi.......

A Stranded Russian damsel, frisky nudibranchs, munching turtles, sleeping sharks, curious octopi. Saturdays dive had it all including a sexy blogger named Harry. If you have not already done so you need to check out Harry’s thoughts on our day of diving.

Perfect conditions and an early morning start. The water in the Grotto does not get much calmer than it was on this day. What’s the plan? First hole, go right, look for turtles and eels! Ok sounds good…… Hey wait a second I didn’t see any eels Harry!

First check off the turtle, then the hovering barracuda (with two 4 inch cleaner wrasse doing their job), then the leaf scorpionfish, followed by a curious but cautious octopus…. and that was just the first half of the dive! By the time we had moved back into the cave it had already been one of the more interesting ones I’ve had at the Grotto – ever.

Once back in the darkness it got that much better. Moving in through hole two and up towards the mooring line we turned on our lights and began looking for anything that might help kill some time on the safety stop. Almost immediately I saw one, I knew what kind it was and I knew it was special because Harry and I had talked about it. This was the one that helped him get published. I had seen one a few days before at Lau Lau bay and had tried to describe it before our dive. When I saw it I got his attention as soon as possible – and so it began!

Two Halgerda guahan getting close!
Halgerda malesso
Halgerda guahan

If these guys were looking for a little privacy during their courtship then they had come to the wrong place. I’m not sure how many photos were taken of these little guys but Jenna Jamison probably would get a run for her money as titleholder for most photographed sex scene.

Lack of battery power and air left me little time with the stars of the show on the first dive. Fortunately I didn’t find any resistance for a second from Harry, who, only moments after arriving at the top of the stairs, declared this was probably his best dive of the year!

New batteries, new tank, new mission another dive buddy. If it’s true there are very few photos of these nudibranchs then I have to guess there is also very little video as well. I entered the water and after a brief encounter with another octopi I had no problem finding the small, slow moving, well camouflaged critters of choice. I just had to move towards the flash, and the flash and the flash. Greg and Harry were already snapping away. They had found an area with 5 or 6 Halgerda guahan so once they had moved on in search of additional subjects I settled in with the video camera. For the most part nudibranchs don’t make for the most exciting video so it didn’t take long before I was looking around thinking - Ok, what other angle can I get, are there others around here that might make a better subject. Then I spotted them for the first time. They had probably been hovering around for a while but I didn’t notice till I took my eyes off the little nudies. What else could we add to the list for today……..

How about SHARKS!

Dive Site Poll

I've just started a poll! Vote for your favorite Saipan dive site! If your number one is not on the list leave me a comment and I'll put it on a future poll! Obyan, Naftan, The Grotto, Lau Lau Bay, Ice Cream, and Banzai Cliff are all featured on The Underwater World of Saipan DVD while Dimple, Shipwreck and Wing Beach are also deserving of consideration. Vote Now!

Russian Underwater Wedding at the Grotto

A number of people have asked I post the full underwater wedding of a Russian couple at the Grotto. A portion of the video plays on Flame Tree TV but this is the whole version with no narration. It's been over six months since they were married, hope they're still together b/c over 2500 people have watched them tie the knot on Youtube! Enjoy.

Christmas Tree Worms

Spirobranchus giganteus - These guys are not, as their scientific name suggests, large. In fact big ones are only about the size of your thumb. Filter feeders of plankton Christmas Tree Worms are easily found anchored to corals and exist in tropical waters everywhere. Want to impress a friend while diving, approach them slowly and snap your fingers a few inches away from their plumes and see what happens. No need to touch - they sense the vibration and retract quickly! These ones are from Lau Lau Bay, Saipan Marine bio.org

Turtle Cam

This is a moment I captured on a recent dive trip to Tinian. This little guy was at a site called Fleming Point and was quite content to let me get close. These guys can stay submerged for as long as two hours if at ease and not harassed.