Bang for the buck - wreck vs cave vs sea diving

[DrGonzo]

I first trained for diving in the sea. Since then, I've done cave diving, wreck diving, freshwater wreck diving, drift dives, etc.
Sea diving for wildlife is still my favourite around reefs bit I can't help but feel frustrated sometimes when you do many dives and you don't get too see what the area is famed for be it sharks, sunfish, rays, etc.
It seems that for your bang for the buck, other types of dives guarantee more. With reef diving, it seems like you have to dive 2 or 3 times every day for a week or two to get to see what you want.

 

[Wingy]

That may be because fish don't work for us - they run their own schedules I just take that as a reason to dive more.

Id be happy if I only had to dive 21 times to find some species. Took almost a decade and not sure how many dives through 24 countries to find a Persian carpet flatworm.

 

[chrisch]

Overfishing, pollution, climate change and human interference are denuding the reefs and destroying the marine ecosystem. If you want to see more wildlife join a conservation group and join the fight to change these problems. I am sure you will find that more cost effective.

 

[Steve_C]

Depends on what you like. If what you like is wildlife then would seem to me that cave diving would have zero bang for the buck. Different kinds of diving has different rewards.

 

[KeithG]

you have to ask your self: Why do i dive?

- is it to suck air out of a can while wet? you can do that in the bathtub at home.
- is it to play with fancy toys? cave / tech diving has lots of gear...
- is it to see what is there?

we dive to see stuff, mostly small stuff. so we want the simplest amount of gear, least amount of process / procedures, and large variety of things to see. so we reef dive on air in nice warm water. lots of stuff to see. constantly changing, never predictable. never predicatble means i can dive the same site multiple times and still discover something different.

if you want to play with gear, then cave / tech diving is best.

if you want predictable fish, then you could go to an aquarium.

 

[tbone1004]

Depends on what you like. If what you like is wildlife then would seem to me that cave diving would have zero bang for the buck. Different kinds of diving has different rewards.

depends on what kind of wildlife you want to see doc! there are actually some VERY cool creatures inside caves that are fairly elusive and unique to certain cave environments. A lot of biologists have dedicated their career to these types of species so it's pretty cool. That said they certainly aren't nearly as pretty as the reefs so I'm just being pedantic.

best bang for the buck for me goes to cave diving. You are basically always guaranteed to see what you go to see *spare the wildlife mentioned above*, and while the training is much more expensive than any other form of diving, but the cost/dive is much lower. No real risk of getting blown out, etc etc.

 

[Caveeagle]

I suppose it has a lot to do with where you live and what your into. I like do like the diverse marine life, but can also easily enjoy the more subtle beauty of fresh water dives in my backyard.

Bang for the buck?

This past March, I had a fantastic dive in Blue hole (aka Jug). For the first time I saw a freshwater eel as well as tons of blue gill and bass. At under $15 for gasoline and Nitrox fills combined... I think that's hard to beat!

 

[DevonDiver]

The best way to get 'bang for you buck' from any dive is to learn what and how to appreciate what that dive has to offer.... and also know how to seek alternatives if it doesn't deliver on the day.

Diving with strict goals will result in frequent disappointment. Be flexible and learn to appreciate what is there.

 

[toby43]

As the Dalai Lama says....the secret of happiness: no expectations...

 

[Lorenzoid]

That's a really interesting perspective on "bang for the buck." It seems to me that although you're pretty much guaranteed to see the inside of a cave or wreck on any given cave or wreck dive, cave and wreck diving can be very expensive. Tech training and gear acquisition/maintenance are expensive, so you have to do a LOT of cave or wreck diving if you want to get the most "bang for the buck" in view of those up-front costs. And then there are costs like helium and rebreathers, which seem to be part of the natural progression for cave and wreck divers these days.

The reef creatures may or may not cooperate on any given reef dive, but unless you're diving caves or wrecks very frequently, the reef dive itself is likely a less expensive endeavor than a cave or wreck dive. Maybe it's a wash?