Muck diving

Muck diving gets its name from the sediment that lies beneath most dives: A normally muddy or "mucky" environment. Other than the muddy sediment, the standard muck dive may consist of dead coral skeletons, discarded fishing equipment, tires and other man-made garbage. In addition, the visibility is usually subpar to the reef or wreck sites of the area.

Why people muck dive?

It's the "muck" itself that makes them so different and interesting. The muck is the perfect habitat for unusual, exotic and juvenile organisms that make their homes in the sediment and "trash" that compose a muck dive. Creatures like colorful nudibranchs, anglerfish, shrimp, blue-ringed octopus, and rare pygmy seahorses.

Where people muck dive

Some people consider muck diving to be done in places like Southeast Asia where there are more marine species than anywhere else in the world. Mabul, Manado and Bali are some of the most popular spots to dive because of the amazing creatures found in the muck.

Inland lakes and water impoundments are more commonly known as places where serious muck diving is enjoyed. Since most people live inland and cannot get to the deep blue on a regular basis, diving in the local water is the only option available to satisfy that inner urge to dive. Many of these lakes are low viz environments where sediment and bacterial growth combine to create an enticing green colored sub-surface diving experience. People who dive this kind of environment are know as muck divers. The viz for a muck diver can be as little as 6 inches to no more than 15 feet, but the common viz will be an average of 8 feet.

Macro photography

Perhaps those that enjoy muck diving the most are the macro photographers. The calm and shallow water provide amazing opportunities to photograph the creatures that hide amongst the muck.

External links

• Muck-diving.com
• Muckdiving.com
• Muck Divers Forum