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I was thoroughly unimpressed with the west side diving. Did I have fun? Of course; I can always find something to keep me entertained on any dive. My observation was that the west side shore entry sites (particularly between Salt Pier in the south and Karpata in the north) are intensely...

While expensive, I feel that the Caymans (GC, LC, CB) all have better diving overall than Bonaire. I would also put Roatan and Utila on the superior list, as well as Belize (particularly the outer atolls).

Another place to consider is Cocoview on Roatan. Reefs are still in good shape, life is good, and above all else, they make it very easy to dive and dive repeatedly. I belong to a dive club that has a number of members in their late 70s and 80s, and they remark on how easy Cocoview makes diving...

Answering the OP's question: "is Bonaire worth it for a solo trip if I plan on doing guided shore dives" I would say, no. With the exception of the excellent diving on the east side of Bonaire (White Hole/Turtle City) and certain sites around Klein Bonaire, I found Bonaire fairly lackluster...

When instructors stop overloading their students with lead, when buoyancy control becomes a requirement to passing OW, when divers stop standing on coral heads, when dive outfits stop encouraging divers to touch or molest the wildlife, maybe then I'll pay some attention to the argument...

I'd suggest Cocoview on Roatan, but your criteria for restaurants/nightlife won't be satisfied. Somewhere in the West End on Roatan would be my follow-up.

Based on my personal experience, and the experiences of those I dive with (including those just starting), I would suggest starting the Sudafed a day or 2 prior to diving, and also morning of your dive (perhaps 1 hour before you get in the water)). Sudafed is available in a 12h extended release...

Hello Tanika! What you are experiencing is normal, particularly if you are new to changing pressure. Based on what you have written here, you are handling it correctly: taking it slow on your decent/ascent. If during descent/ascent you feel discomfort, stop the descent/ascent and just hold...

There are only a handful of sites on Bonaire that can have current (ex. Red Slave), but nothing like you experience in Cozumel. I think I'm in that small minority that is neither a fan of Cozumel nor of Bonaire (although I concede that Bonaire's east coast is in my top 10); I think the low...

Another thought if you are price sensitive: check the used market. Because Shearwater has such stunningly good support used pricing does tend to be high, but good deals on well taken care of gear do exist. But... if you are only doing 30 dives a year, now I'm not sure a Shearwater makes sense...

Based on the criteria you've laid out, you've described my setup. No I am not a representative for DiveRite. https://www.diverite.com/products/uncategorized/single-tank-transplate-packages/ + SS XT Lite Backplate - I almost exclusively dive warm water; with this plate I do not need any lead. +...

I have the Shearwater Perdix AI, and my wife has the Peregrine and she is looking to upgrade to the Tern TX. My two cents: the AI functionality is so worth it if you're going to go the Shearwater route. I've never had an issue with the transmitter or the computer. The ability to know both what...

+1 for Cocoview. It would appear to tick all your boxes, and they make it VERY easy to get a lot of good quality dives under your belt. While it is well structured dive schedule, you can very easily dive 5-6 tanks a day, and your depth rarely strays deeper than 70' during a week of diving...

Since you're based in Largo, I'd hold off buying anything new; you're in diver's paradise and there's a big quality used market. Borrowing a little bit off of @drrich2, purchase in the following order: 1.) Mask - Buy new. Too personal to offer suggestions. Go with what feels good on your face...

For actual diving, I want my BPW. But I also do what the OP is doing and any stripped down BC would work. A BPW would be *fine*, but doesn't give any real advantage (when working under boats, I personally prefer something that I can deflate and throw in my work bag when I'm done; a BPW doesn't...

From what you are describing, she may want to consider a DiveRite TransPlate harness. The harness is very adjustable (I too move from 3mm/rashguard while traveling, to a 7mm when home), and could be what she needs. I love mine. DiveRite also carries the back plates in a short version, depending...

My problem was the baby shampoo/SeaDrops were not removing the residue; they were just compounding (pun intended) the problem.

Yep, I cut a small cube out of the eraser and keep it in my mask bag. Pre-dive, I wet down the mask, give it a quick polish, treat with no-fog (I use SeaDrops/SeaGold), and I'm good to go. I suppose if your mask has any films on the inner glass the eraser could cause issues. Mine are glass with...

I'm going bald and have a compulsion to wear white t-shirts... Joking aside, none that I can see. I cut a small square out of the eraser, wet the glass, and do a quick polish between dives. I have VERY oily skin, and the residue left on the mask is sufficient to cause fogging after 2.5 dives...