Best diving destination in July ?

[Murphy in NC]

Hey community,

I am trying to put together a couple great trips, looking for suggestions. First block of time will be in July

My needs are;
safe
Land based not liveaboard
good beach - non-diving wife is perfectly happy sitting on beach with a book while my son and I dive

diving - nothing crazy or too challenging, I want to swim with the fish and have fun, so little current, good conditions
Don't need a lot to do topside, going for diving and beach

We have been to Belize, Curacao, keys and Cayman and want to try a new place

I am thinking Kona, or Roatan

Any other suggestions?

Thanks in advance

 

[diversteve]

Your wife will get chewed alive on West Bay Beach on Roatan, really the only good one there.

For all boat divng, either Provo in the Turks/Caicos - Grace Bay Beach is one of the nicest in the world.

Virgin Gorda in the BVI's has really exceptional beaches - several fronted by resorts. Others she might be the only one there. Mostly shallower diving although many shops start with a deep wall dive first.

Or Kona, several of the better beaches are also shore dives. But some are also sharp lava to the water's edge.

Most boat dives leave from harbor north of town though and you meet there

Maui has a lot of nice beaches many of which are also eaasy shore dives - mostly in South Maui.

 

[drrich2]

Have you tried the diving out of Morehead City? The offshore wrecks with the sand tiger sharks? When I dove there, the rest of my little crew hit the beach at least one day; looked okay in the pictures. It's a much different dive experience from the places you mentioned.

Ditto diving out of Jupiter, FL. Our little girl had a good time at Juno Beach, and for variety a side trip one day to Blue Heron Bridge is good. I think you'd be a bit early to hit the Goliath grouper aggregation, though (IIRC), and you'd be way off from the lemon shark aggregation. Jupiter would be drift diving, likely with a group. I've been twice; it was not 'wild and wooly' either of my trips.

How long will this trip be? Is your son an adult? Are there any depth restrictions or other conservative measures where he's concerned?

Richard.

 

[KathyV]

Curacao and St croix have nice beaches and non-diving topside activites and good diving.

when you say “cayman” do you mean “grand cayman”? And have you visited the sister islands? Take a look at cayman brac beach resort to see if it might appeal to both of you.

 

[Murphy in NC]

Have you tried the diving out of Morehead City? The offshore wrecks with the sand tiger sharks? When I dove there, the rest of my little crew hit the beach at least one day; looked okay in the pictures. It's a much different dive experience from the places you mentioned.

Ditto diving out of Jupiter, FL. Our little girl had a good time at Juno Beach, and for variety a side trip one day to Blue Heron Bridge is good. I think you'd be a bit early to hit the Goliath grouper aggregation, though (IIRC), and you'd be way off from the lemon shark aggregation. Jupiter would be drift diving, likely with a group. I've been twice; it was not 'wild and wooly' either of my trips.

How long will this trip be? Is your son an adult? Are there any depth restrictions or other conservative measures where he's concerned?

Richard.

He is 17, we are OW been diving for four years now I think, I am thinking about a week.

No restrictions as he is bigger than me now.

Part of the reason I want to put together some cool trips as he will be headed out to college in a year and half.

We haven't done the NC coast as it isn't what we are used to (blue Caribbean waters) and this trip I am thinking we can travel more then just to NC Coast. Thats why I was thinking Hawaii or Roatan, curious if there is a possible betterr option for July.

 

[DeputyDan]

Consider these guys and perhaps stay at the Omni ?

Dive Aventuras Mexico scuba diving vacation packages Puerto Aventuras

 

[caydiver]

By July when sea temps start warming up I would perhaps look a little north than any of Cayman. With affiliation to an op I would love to say come here but honestly we are smack in the middle of The Caribbean with super warm water all around us. Great time for resident marine life but for for those chasing the food chain, cooler water prevails.

 

[WinfieldNC]

He is 17, we are OW been diving for four years now I think, I am thinking about a week.

No restrictions as he is bigger than me now.

Part of the reason I want to put together some cool trips as he will be headed out to college in a year and half.

We haven't done the NC coast as it isn't what we are used to (blue Caribbean waters) and this trip I am thinking we can travel more then just to NC Coast. Thats why I was thinking Hawaii or Roatan, curious if there is a possible betterr option for July.

You’re missing out on some excellent diving that’s in your own backyard. We try to take a week long trip to somewhere more tropical each year but NC diving on the weekends is great. Trips are fun but not taking advantage of living in NC is a shame. You should at least give it a try. It will make you a better diver in the long run.

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

NC diving is world class! People come from far away places and spend a lot to experience this ...

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

I would look at Bayahibe/Dominicus area, on the south coast of the Dominican and faces the Caribbean sea. Bayahibe is a small fishing village. There are reef dives, wall dives, wreck dives and even a cave dive if you are so certified. Most of the dive sites are 20 minutes or less away and most are less than 80 ft. deep. I always dive with ScubaFun | Dive Center Bayahibe It is small local dive shop in Bayahibe.
My wife is a non diver also. The beach is really good there. If you stay at the Hilton La Romana, it only about a 10 minute walk from the village of Bayahibe. We have stayed there twice (last time may 2018) when it was a Dreams.