Sea nettles are stinging jellyfish that inhabit open water areas of the world’s cooler oceans. These beautiful marine animals mesmerize divers with their rhythmic, undulating movements and vibrant colors. You can go diving with sea nettles in the Pacific Ocean from Alaska south to California, west to Japan, and even the Bering Sea. Other sea nettle species are common in the Atlantic Ocean along the United State’s east coast.

The sea nettle’s main body can measure up to 40 cm (16 in) in diameter, with tentacles stringing up to 3 meters (9 feet) long. These oceanic predators hunt small drifting animals by stunning and capturing them with their trailing tentacles, eventually moving them up to the sea nettle’s mouth where they are digested. Sea nettles seem to bloom during the summer months when water temperatures are warmer, so make sure to wear protective gear like a full wetsuit when diving with sea nettles. Check out the dive site map below to see where sea nettles occur.