Where to go in August - October

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

krissydt

Registered
Messages
21
Reaction score
0
Location
Toronto, Canada
# of dives
50 - 99
Hi All,

My husband and I are based in Toronto Canada and we are looking to plan our next dive location. We have just returned from Hawaii so we are hoping to make the next one a shorter haul and relatively inexpensive.

Does anyone have any recommendation for places to go some time between late August - Mid October that would meet the following criteria:
- get to see some larger creatures (ie: sharks, rays, whales)
- warm water with good viz
- no more than 5 hour flight from Toronto
- relatively inexpensive

We would LOVE to scuba with whale sharks but my research seems to indicate that snorkel will probably be the best we can get these days. I also suspect that our next trip may be a little too late for the whale sharks.

Thanks in advance for your recommendations.

Krissy
 
My instructor is on a trip with a group to Jupiter Florida. One of the guys had been watching someone posting on here about the things they are seeing in the area. I haven't seen the thread but there was mention of Mantas and Whale Sharks. Apparently the oil is driving wildlife up the coast.
Ber :lilbunny:
 
NC coast.... that is why we are heading there next month. WWII wrecks and tons of sand tiger sharks. You are guaranteed to see sharks on many of the dives there.
check this out: Olympus Diving - Video Gallery

robin:D
 
Thanks guys!

We have confirmed the dates for September 4 - 11... now to figure out where to go. Jupiter sounds like they have the perfect conditions right now, does anyone know the usual conditions for September? If they are seeing Mantas and Whale Sharks right now, I suspect that they will be long gone by September. Any thoughts... recommendations.
 
I enjoy these kinds of puzzles and try to help out. Hehe, some of this mix is so challenging as to be funny in a way...
Toronto

next one a shorter haul

relatively inexpensive
Yeah you don't ask much huh? :D Then we get to...
- get to see some larger creatures (ie: sharks, rays, whales) whales?

- warm water with good viz of course!

- no more than 5 hour flight from Toronto You were joking right?

- relatively inexpensive You said that already. :eyebrow:

scuba with whale sharks Not on this side of the world, aside from very rare accidents

snorkel will probably be the best we can get these days One and only option generally

I also suspect that our next trip may be a little too late for the whale sharks. No not at all.

I hope I don't sound rude; I'm joking with you a little but mostly want to help you focus on realistic anticipations - plus sometimes I am just wrong, but I'll continue with my opinions and ideas.

North Carolina wreck diving is cool, done three trips, and the 3 hours boat rides are okay if you can sleep. Great diving on WWII wrecks, maybe one WWI wreck, and in 14 dives I saw a harmless sand tiger shark once. Experiences vary. It is not beginner diving at all tho, Nitrox is almost essential for the square profiles, and I wouldn't suggest it for a 50+ diver - but that depends on the diver. Your call; they'll take you, even without Nitrox.

Now let's look at TROPICAL diving and Whale Sharks with some of your criteria if not all. Maybe you'll see some ideas that help you with better shopping. I am using your dates and tools form these two threads if you'd like to take a look...

Looks like air from there to Cozumel for reasonable itineraries (8 or 9 hours, not 20+!) starts around $628.

Click thumbnails to enlarge or Right-click and select Open in new tab
1.jpg

But you could use the discounts to do this flight plan and cheap hotel rates at a decent place, except I did upgrade to the Superior room...

ScreenHunter_08 Jun. 23 01.19.jpg

That's $734 each including air, hotels, taxes, and light breakfasts!

2.jpg

3.jpg

Flights into Cancun are easier, and with some extra work maybe you could get a better plan as 30 minutes is too short, or from Canada you might prefer not stopping in the US and going thru immigration here just to board a flight out (it is silly, but we don't have international holding areas). Take Mexicana, change in Mexico City and only do immigration once...

4.jpg

But with better air plans, you could still get air and hotel at this quaint island village closer to the Whale Sharks...

5.jpg

For $677 each...! :cool2:

6.jpg

Now the Whale Sharks are not at Cozumel or even Isla Mujeres. You can do a day trip from Coz for around $300 each with sight seeing flights included, or boat trips out of IM - but Coz has the better scuba diving I think.

Well, there are some opinions and ideas. NC is fun diving if you're up to it tho, and Florida may be good in September - and there are other possibilities. I assume you have the middle or premium DAN dive insurance, not the cheapest, but that is hurricane season so Trip insurance is certainly suggested.

Or, drive over to Rockport for a week. Great diving in the Thousand Islands there, loved it even tho it took me all day to get there form here - and think about this trip for next year.
 
Thanks for taking the time to provide such a detailed response Dandy Don, greatly appreciated. Yeah... I know that my list of preferences is a bit unrealistic but I figured that some people would provide good recommendations for some of the criteria and then I could compare and see which ones worked best. I will definitely look into the Mexico option if you think that it isn't too late in the season. Thanks again for your feedback, very helpful!
 
Thanks for taking the time to provide such a detailed response Dandy Don, greatly appreciated. Yeah... I know that my list of preferences is a bit unrealistic but I figured that some people would provide good recommendations for some of the criteria and then I could compare and see which ones worked best. I will definitely look into the Mexico option if you think that it isn't too late in the season. Thanks again for your feedback, very helpful!
You are very welcome. I've worried all day that you might take offense to some of my post; glad you didn't.

The Dominoes tend to feed in the murky waters west of Cancun, between that party city and Holbox, so mixing great scuba diving of Cozumel and some spots on the mainland with swimming with the Gentle Giants is a geographic challenge. Many operators run day tours (5am ferry out, 9pm ferry back to Coz), otherwise the flight options are about $100 more each.

But seriously, Rockport diving is great - about as clear and warm as NC and a short drive, but I guess you know the lovely Thousand Islands area.

I got the year wrong on the title. :silly: This was late August 2008...

[vimeo]3783470[/vimeo]​
 
Last edited:
Join us for a Tiger Shark Trip to Tiger Beach and the outer reefs along the Little Bahamas Banks. The cost of the trip is 2805.00 USD and includes diving for Tiger, Great Hammerhead, Lemon and Caribbean Reef Sharks for 5 days. We will spend 7 nights aboard the M/V Shear Water with all food, beverages, tanks, weights and air fills included. Nitrox is available for $100.00 if you want it, but you wont need it. The boat will depart and return to West Palm Beach, Florida where there are hassle free flights available in and out. The airport is 20 minutes to the boat. This trip is planned for underwater photographers and experienced divers who have an interest in sharks and close - up action. There will be no cage and you will be underwater with several large sharks that are baited to provide the safest interaction you might ever experience. This trip provides some of the most exciting, extreme, and rewarding diving you might ever do. I can guarantee that you will return with a new appreciation of sharks and if you are a photographer you will return with great images.

We will spend some time taking images of Tiger Sharks and Lemon sharks topside with cameras trying to get bite shots as the sharks chase after bait on the surface, as well as a chance to swim with dolphins.

Tiger Beach is located about 25 miles north of Grand Bahamas Island is near the western side of the Little Bahamas Banks. The M/V Shear Water is owned and operated by Jim Abernethy. Jim and his professional crew have been diving the Bahamain waters for the past 15 years and taking divers on these adventures for almost as many years. Jim and his crew are some of the most skilled and experienced shark operators in the world and have an excellent record for getting divers closeup with sharks. If you are interested please contact me at : Steven Anderson (615)335-1494 or thecreech@cs.com.
 

Attachments

  • shear waterred2.jpg
    shear waterred2.jpg
    81.6 KB · Views: 40
Join us for a Tiger Shark Trip to Tiger Beach and the outer reefs along the Little Bahamas Banks. The cost of the trip is 2805.00 USD
I don't think it fits with their request for "relatively inexpensive."

It's fine that you provide such diving for those foolhardy enough to do it, but I wouldn't do it - and I'm usually the last to say no. You would take divers with less than 100 logged on this no-cage, chummed diving? :shocked2: I don't wish injuries on anyone, but they happen on those trips - will little pity for anyone that foolish. Funny how you use words like baited and safest in the same sentence.
This trip is planned for underwater photographers and experienced divers who have an interest in sharks and close - up action. There will be no cage and you will be underwater with several large sharks that are baited to provide the safest interaction you might ever experience. This trip provides some of the most exciting, extreme, and rewarding diving you might ever do. I can guarantee that you will return with a new appreciation of sharks and if you are a photographer you will return with great images.

We will spend some time taking images of Tiger Sharks and Lemon sharks topside with cameras trying to get bite shots as the sharks chase after bait on the surface, as well as a chance to swim with dolphins.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

Back
Top Bottom