Top 10 Wreck Diving Destinations | 2025
Scuba Facts That Will Shock You
10 Bizarre Objects I Found Underwater
Strange Finds When Diving – Finding Treasure Underwater
Scuba diving isn’t just about the stunning coral reefs and vibrant marine life; sometimes, it’s about the unexpected. Beneath the waves lies a world full of mystery, where nature and humanity collide in the form of lost objects, forgotten relics, and strange surprises.
Over the years, my adventures as a professional diver have led me to uncover some truly bizarre underwater finds. Each discovery tells its own story—sometimes humorous, sometimes thought-provoking, and always a reminder of our connection to the ocean.
From cutting-edge technology to remnants of someone’s childhood, these underwater oddities are more than just debris; they’re snapshots of human life, now entangled with marine ecosystems.
Let’s dive into the weird, wonderful, and downright strange!
1. Alien UAP OR DJI Phantom Drone
Condition: Flooded but surprisingly intact.
Location: Found during a muck dive at Had Nuan, Thailand.
Its funny, we have heard the stories about the UAP potentially alien like drone crafts that have been spotted entering the seas. Well, I don’t think this is that lol!
My guess? Someone attempted a risky aerial shot over water, got a little too close, and down it went. Drones’ sensors can be easily confused by water reflections, which likely contributed to its plunge.
This find highlights a modern problem: advanced technology ending up as marine debris. It’s a sobering reminder of how human innovation sometimes meets an unfortunate fate underwater.
2. Deep Diving or Deep Driving? Toyota Truck
Location: The Junkyard Dive Site, Koh Tao, Thailand.
You’ll find this underwater truck 400 meters from Mae Haad Beach on Koh Tao Island. Junkyard Reef sits at a depth of 8 to 12 meters, making it an ideal shallow artificial dive site with a sandy seabed. Suitable for Open Water divers, the site typically offers calm and flat conditions, though it can be affected by the South West Monsoon. Visibility ranges from 2 to 12 meters on average. The Junkyard Reef project was conceived, planned, and constructed by the local conservation group Eco Koh Tao in collaboration with Crystal Dive, with a straightforward yet impactful mission at its core.
Now, it’s a haven for marine life, including schools of fish, soft corals, and the occasional moray eel. It’s a great example of how humans can help restore marine ecosystems—when done thoughtfully.
3. Deep diving Marketing Sales Sign
Location: Found unexpectedly off the coast of Thailand.
During a routine muck dive, I usually head out away from the reefs to explore the local marine life out over the sands in the bay. One day, I came across something truly baffling: a full-sized marketing sales sign, complete with a concrete base, sitting upright on the seabed. Its colors had faded, and algae had started to claim it as their own, but the absurdity of its presence was undeniable. Who would go through the trouble of hauling this into the ocean?
My mind raced with theories. Was it a prank that got out of hand? A peculiar underwater art project? Or perhaps someone was conducting a very “deep” marketing campaign? Whatever the reason, this bizarre object added a touch of humor to the dive while sparking thoughts about how such items end up impacting marine ecosystems.
4. I found my Sea Legs - Action Man Figure Leg
Location: Found during a dive in Southeast Asia.
While swimming along the seabed, I spotted a bright, oddly shaped object poking out of the sand. Upon closer inspection, I realized it was a single leg from an Action Man figure. Its bright color had faded, but the plastic was as solid as ever—a testament to how long such materials persist in the ocean.
This find was both humorous and thought-provoking. Where was the rest of him? Had he been swept away by currents, or was he a forgotten relic from someone’s childhood beach day? Regardless, it highlighted the issue of plastic waste and how even small items can become long-term residents of our oceans and it brings a whole new take to the say I found my sea legs.
5. Coral-Encrusted Barbie Doll or siren of the deep?
Location: A dive at Same San Marine Park, Thailand.
As I swam through a quiet, eerie part of the dive site, something caught my eye—a doll’s head peeking out from a coral formation. Upon closer inspection, I realized it was a Barbie doll, her once-perfect features now adorned with coral and algae. She had been claimed by the sea, transformed from a shiny toy into a haunting underwater relic.
This Barbie, with her natural “makeover,” felt like a symbol of nature’s power to reclaim and repurpose even the most unnatural objects. The sight was both creepy and mesmerizing, a stark reminder of how human-made items become permanent fixtures in the marine world. For just a moment I wondered if real mermaids were infact tiny, like sea pixies, maybe I was diving too deep that day.
6. Sea Frog
Location: Found during a muck dive in Thailand.
While meticulously searching for critters on a muck dive, I was startled by two bright white eyes staring back at me from the sand. My initial thought was that I had discovered a strange, camouflaged sea creature. To my surprise, it turned out to be a plastic frog toy, its vibrant color and cartoonish expression still intact.
This quirky find left me laughing and scratching my head. How had it ended up here? Was it a bath toy that floated out to sea, or did it fall off a passing boat? Whatever its origins, it was a reminder of how everyday objects can find their way into the most unexpected places underwater.
7. Octopuses Garden Furniture Set
Location: Between Mae Haad and Sairee Beach, Koh Tao, Thailand.
This find felt like something out of an underwater dream. While exploring a dive site off Koh Tao, I stumbled upon a complete stone patio furniture set, sitting perfectly arranged on the seabed. Chairs, a table, and even decorative elements were all intact, creating an oddly domestic scene in the middle of the ocean.
This installation was part of an underwater art project, deliberately placed to attract divers and create an artificial reef. Over time, marine life has embraced the furniture, with soft corals growing along the surfaces and fish weaving between the chairs. It’s a surreal sight that perfectly combines art, conservation, and the quirks of underwater exploration.
8. Das Boot? - Nope just a Wellington Boot
Location: Found during a shallow dive near a fishing village.
The classic trope of finding a single boot in the most random places proved true on this dive. While navigating through some seagrass beds, I spotted a Wellington boot lying on its side, partially buried in the sand. Its rubber material was still intact, though it had become a temporary home for a few small crabs.
This find raised more questions than answers. Had it been lost during a storm? Accidentally dropped overboard by a fisherman? Or was it simply discarded carelessly? Whatever its story, it was another reminder of how even the most mundane objects can become part of the underwater landscape.
9. Coral Greatest Hits Or Old Music Mix Cassette Tape
Location: Found during a dive in shallow waters near a pier.
As I explored the area around an old pier, I came across a nostalgic relic: a music cassette tape lying in the sand. Its plastic casing was worn, and its label had long since faded, but it was unmistakably a relic of a bygone era.
The find felt like a time capsule, sparking memories of mixtapes and Walkmans. I couldn’t help but wonder what song had once played on this tape. Was it something fitting like Under the Sea, or perhaps a hit from The Coral? Whatever the tune, it added a touch of nostalgia to an already fascinating dive.
10. Giant Winnie the Pooh Or Winnie The Khood?
Location: HTMS Khram wreck, Pattaya, Thailand.
The sight of a giant Winnie the Pooh plush toy tucked under the wreck of the HTMS Khram was both surreal and hilarious. He was weathered but surprisingly intact, a soft reminder of childhood in the otherwise stark, metallic surroundings of the shipwreck.
This Easter egg for divers has been part of the wreck for over a decade, placed there as a quirky addition to an already intriguing site. Pooh now serves as a hidden treasure for wreck divers, adding a sense of playfulness to an otherwise serious dive.
