Built to be checked.
Every number on PickADive names its source, its age, and its distance from your dive site. This page explains the four kinds of data we show, where each comes from, and the language we refuse to use.
Last updated: July 24, 2026
The four kinds of data
Every module on a site page is labeled with exactly one of these. The sample labels below are illustrative.
Forecast
Model estimates for the days ahead. Always future-framed.
Open-Meteo marine · model point 4.1 km · graded 3h agoMeasured
Instrument readings from buoys and stations, shown with their own timestamp.
NOAA buoy 46225 · reading from 10:40Historical
Climatology — what months have typically looked like over ~10 years. Context, not prediction.
Typically calmer Mar–Nov · 10-yr marine climateDated diver report
A person who was there, on a date. The strongest signal — and it always carries that date.
Viz 22 m · Water 26°C · dived 21 JulFive rules we hold ourselves to
Provenance on the surface
Source, model distance, and freshness sit next to the number — not in a footnote. If a forecast point is 40 km from the site, the page says so.
No verdicts, no promises
We grade forecast conditions on a neutral scale — excellent to poor — and we never declare a site clear to dive. The final call is made at the water’s edge, by you.
Honest emptiness
Missing data says so: “No seasonal history for this site yet.” A section is never silently removed, a count never seeded or faked.
No pay-to-rank
Zero paid placements. Sites rank by distance, conditions, and diver ratings — nothing else. Shops are listed as facts (distance, capabilities), never ranked.
Corrections are first-class
Every site page has a way to flag what’s wrong. Accepted corrections are applied and credited.
What PickADive does not promise
Dive planning has real-world risk. PickADive can organize useful information, but it cannot certify a site, guarantee conditions, or decide whether a specific dive is appropriate for a specific diver.
- PickADive is not a substitute for dive training or professional guidance.
- Condition signals are planning context, not a guarantee of safe water.
- Map positions and site details should be checked locally before navigation.
Where the data comes from
- Site locations
- OpenStreetMap (© contributors, ODbL) + diver submissions with community verification
- Forecasts
- Open-Meteo marine & weather models; NOAA where available
- Measurements
- NOAA buoys and tide stations (public domain)
- Species records
- GBIF occurrence datasets (CC0/CC-BY) + dated diver reports
- Species photos
- iNaturalist & Wikimedia Commons (Creative Commons, credited per photo)
- Reference facts
- Wikidata (CC0)
Words you will never see here
“Go / no-go” · “diveable” · “live conditions” · “real-time” · “guaranteed sightings” · “best time” as a promise
Instead: forecast, typically, recorded, dated report — and on every conditions surface, verbatim: “Forecast only — always assess conditions on site.”
Spot something off anywhere on PickADive?
Open the site page and flag it — corrections are reviewed by people and credited to you.
Common questions about PickADive
What is PickADive?
PickADive is a scuba diving discovery and planning resource that helps divers explore dive sites, map locations, condition context, reviews, and practical site notes in one place.
Does PickADive decide whether a dive is safe?
No. PickADive helps divers compare and research sites, but every dive still depends on local conditions, training, equipment, operator guidance, and personal limits.
How does PickADive build trust in dive-site pages?
PickADive focuses public pages on useful dive context: clear place information, practical site details, condition signals where available, reviews, and visible ways to report corrections.
Can divers correct PickADive information?
Yes. Divers, instructors, shops, and operators can report incorrect or outdated site details so pages become more useful for the next person researching a dive.
Does PickADive publish every reef or map marker as a dive site?
No. Places that are incomplete, duplicate, or not meaningful dive targets should stay out of public discovery until they are useful to divers.
Related trust pages
- How accurate is PickADive explains the methodology behind every estimate and how to check it.
- Dive site data quality explains what makes a site page useful enough for public discovery.
- Dive conditions guide explains how condition context should be interpreted on site pages.
- Terms of use explain the formal boundaries for using PickADive.
Data licenses: OpenStreetMap ODbL · Wikidata CC0 · NOAA public domain · GBIF CC0/CC-BY · photos Creative Commons with per-photo credit. Forecast data by Open-Meteo and NOAA.