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Gun Beach
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Submitted By:
Seth Bareiss
Submitter Comments:
Gear up at your car, then walk 30' to knee-deep water, and follow a cable/pipe channel straight out. Returning, expect to clutch this cable/pipe to resist the rip tide in this cut. Once outside, head LEFT toward the hotels. Rightward is boring, and devastated by crown-of-thorns starfish who've killed the reef. Leftward is a paradise of candlestick corals, gradually sloping from 15' to 100' deep before becoming a sandy plain. Lots of spider-shells, large animals, & reef fish. Very pleasant dive. Far better than anything in Hawaii, but not as good as Saipan, and unworthy to be mentioned in the same sentence as Palau. Re-entry through a riptide, and the lack of a bathroom or shower, keep this from being perfect... but it's nearly perfect. Avoid snorkeling here if there are waves. Use thick-soled felt booties on this and all Micronesian shore dives, because spiny urchins and sharp rocks abound in the corals which you walk across in the shallows. Visibility is typically 60 feet/18 meters.
Directions:
This is one of the easiest shore dives on Guam. Located at the far-right side of the tourist strip, Tumon Bay. Go as far right as possible on the paved road, past the Nikko Hotel, then follow a fairly good dirt road down to a small beach alongside the Nikko Hotel. There are no facilities (no phone, bathroom, or anything else) at this beach, but in case of emergency, the hotel's nearby & willing to help out.
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03/19/2008 Rick Raines (Avg: 3.02 Review) - This place seems to attract many divers, but I found it to be on the poor side.
02/07/2008 Seth Bareiss (Avg: 4.07 Review) - Inside the reef, water's too shallow for intro-dive lessons or cert pool sessions. Otherwise, this is an ideal dive, one of Guam's best. Drive past the last hotel on the far-right (facing the water) side of Tumon Bay (Guam's hotel row), on the beach BELOW Lover's Leap. Go down a short dirt road to the beach; no facilities, but a super-short walk along the shore to a hotel with a dive shop. In ankle-deep waters, gear up completely and search for a ceramic pipe and/or chain leading out through a tiny cut in the reef. Follow it out, then head LEFT (back toward hotel row/center of the bay). No currents, oodles of healthy candlestick corals. Choose any depth, from 1' to 70'. Expect hand-shaped "spider shells", small and large. Inexplicably, this dive spot is almost unused by the majority of dive shops, though it's a fine, fine dive. I've seen napoleon wrasses and white tips here frequently, and a manta once.
11/28/2007 Stephen Porter (Avg: 3.81 Review) - Getting there is half the fun. Like the other post, at the end of the road go left and go 4 wheeling. The eternal puddle isn't more than 8" deep so hug the right or blast through it. Park off to the left side because the sand is harder. Follow the cable for easy navigation, or get in front of the gun that look towards Rota island (clear day) and swim out. Surface swim about 5 minutes and drop; this should put you around 35 FT healthy coral, and good fish variety. Night time really comes to life. Navigation is pretty easy here, and you can actually dive here year round. We had some Japanese visitors bring us some snacks. Locals are wicked friendly here too. We have seen a couple of dragon eels here… and have only seen them in Japan, so we didn't think they existed anywhere else. A lot of the shops in Tumon will recommend this spot at anytime.
10/31/2007 Bill Stohler (Avg: 3.79 Review) - Follow the road to the last resort on Tumon...then hang a left past the service area of the resort...if it's dry and you have a vehicle with decent ground clearance, drive towards the sea. Large enough area for parking....as the other reviewer said, follow the telephone cable on out to sea, then left or right. Amazingly colorful shallow coral...makes for excellent snorkeling, and good diving farther out!
06/03/2006 Anonymous (Avg: 3.07 Review) - Very easy dive assuming the water is calm. If there are big waves...very rarely are...wait till calmer days. Follow the phone cable from the beach out through the reef which is visible from shore. Bottom descends gradually and has some descent coral and marine life. Can see turtles, mantas and occasional sharks. You can park right on beach for short walk to water. Very bumpy dirt road to get down to beach area. No facilities but usually people around walking dogs or enjoying beach. No theft. Visibility is unlimited and water is always warm. Bring bucket to wash sand off as there is sand everywhere and no facilities.
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Soft1.
Submitted by Bill Stohler
Soft2.
Submitted by Bill Stohler
Striped.
Submitted by Bill Stohler
Diver
Averages for Gun Beach (1=worst,
5=best) |
Number of reviews for this site: 5
1379-8-7-4
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4.20
4.00
3.40
1.60
2.20
2.80