Cold Water · Russia
Vladivostok & Peter the Great Bay
Wrecks, sheer island pinnacles and towering kelp in a Far East cold-water bay
Peter the Great Bay wraps around Vladivostok, and its islands, capes and offshore rocks hold some of the richest underwater life in Russia. Boats out of the city reach the sheer pinnacles and caves of Askold Island, while in the south of the bay Vityaz Bay holds the wrecks of the Vityaz and the wooden schooner Lakhtak, and the three-peaked Boisman Bank rises from the seabed. Kelp grows as tall as a three-storey house, sea urchins carpet the rock, and part of the bay lies inside the Far Eastern Marine Nature Reserve.
About diving in Vladivostok & Peter the Great Bay
Boats based in Vladivostok work six zones set by distance from the city, from Skryplev Island and Cape Basargin closest in to the Rimsky-Korsakov islands and Putyatin farthest out. The sites differ sharply from one another in relief, plant growth and animal life. Experienced divers take the boats to the distant islands, while newer divers train in the sheltered coves inside the city. When wind direction or strength rules out the planned site, the boat switches to another one chosen for the conditions.
The coast is high, broken rock, and the separate stacks standing just off it, known locally as kekury, drop into the sea as vertical walls to 30 m. On their south and southeast faces the rock is carpeted in yellow-green and dark red metridium anemones. Askold Island adds steep drop-offs, crevices and caves. Kelp grows in thickets as tall as a three-storey house, sea urchins carpet the stone, and rare trepang and Far Eastern crabs live among them. Visibility runs from 3–5 m to 15–20 m, depending on season, weather, plankton and wind. Off the Gamov Peninsula a sheer cliff drops away, with the steamer Vladimir and the ship Quartz lying below it.
Between 30 and 50 m a thermocline is likely, taking the water down to 3 °C or less. Newer divers have shallow options: the Klykov Rocks in Vityaz Bay sit on sand no deeper than 18 m and serve for check dives, and Stenin Island has beginner stretches of 3–8 m beside 35 m marks. The cross jellyfish, which lives shallow in quiet bays, is the one serious hazard for swimmers along the coast.
Best time to dive Vladivostok & Peter the Great Bay
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Fair |
From December through April the sea around Vladivostok is painfully cold at the surface. February is the bottom of the year: the water falls to -1.8 °C and a number of bays and inlets freeze over completely. August is the warmest month, with the open bay reaching 23 °C at the surface and sheltered inlets 25–26 °C, and August together with the first half of September is the window for pairing dives with a beach holiday. A strong typhoon or storm can strip the water of visibility for several days, so the forecast needs checking before every trip.
Dive types & marine life
Kamchatka crabs move up from deep water to the shores of the bay to breed in early spring and late autumn, the months to look for them. Octopuses are a common sighting among the rocks and grottoes, and two or three on one well-planned dive is normal.
- Wreck
- Wall
- Cave & cavern
- Octopus & cuttlefish
Best dive sites in Vladivostok & Peter the Great Bay
- 1
Askold Island
Island of sheer rock pinnacles falling to 45 m, known for clear water.
- 2
Vityaz Bay
Bay holding the wreck of the Vityaz and the wooden schooner Lakhtak on its floor.
- 3
Boisman Bank
Three-peaked rock rising steeply from a 42 m seabed.
- 4
Kamen Opasnosti
Underwater rock rising from 35 m to 1.5 m below the surface, usually with a strong surface current.
- 5
Cape Vyatlin
Wreckage of a sunken steamer lying at eight metres off the cape.
- 6
Furugelm Island
Steep rocky island with remarkably clear, densely populated water.
- 7
Babkin Bay
Gently sloping bay on Russian Island, the best start for beginners.
- 8
Bolshoy Pelis Island
Island of rock drop-offs, peaks and passages between boulders, carpeted with ascidians and anemones.
Site guides
Sheer rock stacks, crevices and caves on a far island of the bay
Wreckage of a lost steamer in shallow water off the cape
How to get to Vladivostok & Peter the Great Bay
Vladivostok International Airport (VVO) is 40 km northeast of the city near Artyom, and bus 107 runs from the airport to the Vladivostok bus station in front of the train station. The dive boats are based in the city, and Vityaz Bay on the Gamov Peninsula has daily diving of its own.
Questions divers ask
What exposure protection is needed for diving in Peter the Great Bay?+
A dry suit, or insulated neoprene of at least 7 mm. Even when the surface is warm, the water at 20 m can be 5–10 °C colder.
Which certification is accepted for dives around Vladivostok?+
A certificate from any international training agency. Deep dives need the equivalent of PADI Advanced Open Water plus experience of deep diving and underwater navigation.
Is any of Peter the Great Bay protected?+
About 630 km² (240 sq mi) of the gulf is the Far Eastern Marine Nature Reserve, and Furugelm Island lies inside it.
What stops boat days in Peter the Great Bay?+
Weather: the boat stays in port when conditions rule out going to sea, and in February some bays and inlets freeze over completely.
Sources
- Дайвинг-туры по акватории Залива Петра Великого | DivePrim — DivePrim
- Услуги дайвинг-центра, Nautilus-Vladivostok / Dem Club — Dem Club
- Diving in the Primorsky Territory: the most beautiful places — Visit Primorye
- Peter the Great Gulf — Wikipedia
- Vladivostok — Wikivoyage
- Vladivostok Average Sea Temperatures — seatemperature.org
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