Экспедиция Улитка
Diving the Russian Far Eastern Wilderness
Diving Resources
This is a brief and by no mean exhaustive resource solely based on our trip in August 2015 and our research.
Contents:
General Diving Information
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Water Temperature (summer months): 8-12°C; expected thermoclines
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Underwater Visibility: 4-25m averaging around 8m; in Avacha bay haloclines may be present due to two large rivers flowing into the bay.
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Tidal Range: relatively small; ocean rip currents in some locations (i.e. Pacific coast of Kamchatka).
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Surface Weather (summer months):12-20°C; variable and unstable weather; risk of rain; sub-arctic climate; Köppen climate classification Dfc
Dive Sites
For more informtion on specific sites click on the buttons below or on the pins in the map.
Click on the pins to read more about those sites.
Tidal Information
Tides in the area are generally relatively small. Only in some sites in Eastern Kamchatka are subject to ocean rip currents.
Relevant nautical chart: NGA Nautical Chart 96028
Dive Centers and Dive Boats:
Below is a list of people and dive centers who can help organize your diving. Keep in mind that things in Kamchatka are not always as efficient as you might be used to. There might be long unexpected delays due to permits, lack of infrastructure and not used to independent foreign travellers so getting things done will take longer than expected.
Boats: 9m sailboat “Emma”, a small inflatable boat and rib which fits 6 people.
Sergey has a sailboat for hire and he can take you on single or multi day trips including to remote places such as the Commander Islands and the Kuril Islands. Being a diver himself he knows the dive sites but you need to be competent divers and do your own dive managing. He has a small portable compressor and speaks English.
We went diving around Avacha Bay and sailed to the Commander Islands with him. His sailboat is small and there isn't very much space. Sergey is very flexible, chilled and helpful. We had a very good time on his boat.
As he doesn’t have a website, if you wish to contact him please drop us an email and we will forward your details to him.
Ruslan Galyavetdinov
www.diving-kam.ru (currently site is down)
t. +79246867122 or +79622814007
Boats: very nice and spacious yacht which sleeps 8 and a rib for 6 people
Calypso is a TDI center and a well equiped dive shop in Petropavolovsk-Kamchatksy with a membrane compressor which can also do nitrox fills. Kit rental (including equiment for technical diving) and servicing are also available. On their yacht they take people on day or mulitday trips for both diving and fishing.
We went diving with Calypso around Avacha Bay and to Listvinichka Bay. We stayed on the swanky yacht equiped with high end stereo system which plays russian 80s disco music (to listen to the top hit click here). They are a very experienced technical divers' team and club.
Ruslan does not speak English and hence does not reply to emails written in English. To contact him we recommend calling him with a Russian speaker.
t. +79146217464 (Visheslav Shipilov)
This liveaboard organizes diving expeditions to remote areas in the region, including Commander and Kuril Islands. It has a compressor onboard. If they are not out on expeditions then they will run weekend trips from Petropavolvosk-Kamchatsky.
They speak very little English. Unfortuantely, we were unable to go diving with them due to non-compatible schedules, so we are unable to give more information on them.
t. +789638313-313, +78963833-02-03 or +789146291898
This is a PADI dive center. During the summer months they go out every weekend in large groups and charge 9000 roubles per day (including tanks and weights). They do air fills and can arrange inland tours of Kamchatka via a local tour operator as well.
They speak English. We did not go diving or use any of their facilities we therefore cannot give an opinion on their services.
Air Fills:
Dive Center Calypso:
t. +79246867122 or +79622814007
Air and Nitrox
Sergey Smirnov:
Air only
Portable compressor
Email us for his contact details
Orca Diving:
t. +789638313-313, +78963833-02-03 or +789146291898
Emergency Contacts
Closest Public Recompression Chambers:
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St. Petersburg: North-West Regional Medical Center, 154 Fontanka Embnk Tel: +7 8122512013
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Seoul: Gemany Hyperbaric Chambers, Seoul National University College of Medicine. Dept. of Preventive Medicine 28 Yeongeon-Dong Chongru-Ku Tel: +82 2 740 8323
However, there are also military chambers at the naval bases in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Ruslan Galyavetdinov from Calypso Dive Center has close ties with this chamber.
Closest Hospitals:
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Kamchatka:
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Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy City Clinic #1, 19 Atlasova Str., Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, +7(4152) 42-82-44
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Kamchatka Regional Hospital, 112 Leningradskaya Str, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, +7(4152) 42-79-88
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Emergency transport and hyperbaric therapy is accessible via National Rescuers Service (Ministry of Emergency Situations), phone 112 (available from any GSM phone even without a SIM card) and 01 (001 from mobile phones). Russian Coastguard can be contacted on VHF channel 16 (156.8 MHz).
In case of serious risk, a diver will be taken to military chamber. This service is provided by national rescuers free of charge as it is covered by the national healthcare plan that also covers foreigners and tourists.