airmanbaseball:
I know this has been discussed hundreds of times indirectly by tons of different threads but I have not seen a thread specifically for the best place to live as a diver. I am looking for people's opinion on what is the best place to live as a diver in terms of low cost, great diving, and any other factors you think are important.
Well, yes, it has been discussed many times.
About the only place "in paradise" that you could live and at the same time enjoy diving (without already being
incoherently wealthy) is one where you were a DiveMonster or an Underwater Vidiot. Diving pretty much so has to be part of your gig, otherwise time and cost will make it prohibitive. At the very least, one should be boinking a boat captain or have easy access to shore dives.
A DiveMonster is the guy you see with a tan and a very cool island 'tude. You can't really understand what he's saying in his faux island dialectic, but that's okay, because he can't understand a word you are saying eaither. He is functionally deaf due to barotrauma. He may likely develop several unpronouncable and entirely icky, drippy diseases caused by close contact with guests needing
full service. He will also have a herniated disk from carrying tanks and disformed toes from what results from the discs becoming herniated whilst (no longer) holding said tanks over aforementioned toes. He has a $3 pair of sunglasses that he can not lose for trying.
The Underwater Vidiot is the guy who follows your group around and takes spec video, puts it on a DVD and tries to sell as many as he can to your group before some Pirate (Not the "arrrgh" kind, the video kind) figures out that he can just as easy make copies of one video for everyone in your group for 80 cents each. In the mean time, at least the Vidiot gets to shoot cool stuff so he can make up a "best of" reel which he will also try to sell everybody one of until the aforementioned Pirate duplicates that as well.
The best place for great diving is in a place where you can makes lots of money and afford to travel to go diving. Start with a goal of once a year and work your way up a week at a time. If you want to concentrate on the Caribbean I would suggest being bnear MIA or IAH. Pacific? LAX. Egypt/Indio? NYC
If you have a few bucks put away or have a small trust fund, Utila is cool.
If you have a large trust fund, I have a very pretty niece. Or handsome nephew. Whatever.
If you do not have one, go to the wealthiest island you can find after watching
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.
