Best places to dive with Dolphins

[Bubblesong]

We like diving off Gloucester mass for Seeing Harbor seals. My avatar picture is of a baby seal nosing my fins to see what they are made of.
Here is another picture with my daughter. Plus on the west coast there are Sea Lions that are not scared of "bubblers" like us that don't try to touch them.

 

[scubadada]

I saw many Harbor Seals diving in Cape Ann, many Sea Lions diving the Coronado Islands off Mexico from San Diego

 

[diversteve]

many Sea Lions diving the Coronado Islands off Mexico from San Diego

+1 - they get so excited when a boat nears that they're in the water b4 you are. And one of the islands is a rookery so it's pretty much guaranteed.

Cold water though - in the winter it's possible to see 50's. The islands sit on the border of the US/Mexico so it's an easy couple hour ride from San Diego. Actually there's also a pretty good chance to see Sea Lions off the beach in LaJolla also. And maybe six-gill sharks in the Kelp off Point Loma - they're big but pretty benign.

The boats that go to the Coronados regularly even process visa's on board the day you go.

Not my video but:

 

[tarponchik]

I did both scuba diving and snorkeling with spinner dolphins in Hawaii many times. In The Big Island, they often come to 2-Step or Hookena. They also come to Kealakekua bay but say to the north, so it is a long swim. The only other place we ran into a pod was in Bonaire but they left at once when they saw us. For sea lions, you can go to Cabo Pulmo. Snorkel from Paia Arbolito south or north from the next bay; either way it is a 45 min swim. But we saw plenty of good stuff on the way: silversides, barracudas, eagle rays, bumphead parrots, and an enormous school of lookdowns.

 

[Uber Dave]

I used a 3mm most of the time! The Dolphin Experience in Key Largo was great I would recommend it. I just don't remember the exact name of the center.

 

[Uber Dave]

Unfortunately I was not diving when I lived in San Diego, I went to SDSU and lived there for 15 years. I still have friends that live in PB. I'm hoping to get out there this year and dive the kelp!

 

[Uber Dave]

If you want dive with large mammals Crystal River in Florida is great!!! They have small boats you can take out and either dive or snorkel with them or go on one of the tours.

 

[Killerflyingbugs]

I thought so which iswhy I was confused when told the water is quite cold! What wetsuit would you suggest for the Keys if I end up going there.

Most of the year I dive in swim shorts and a t shirt, in the winter I will use up to a 7mm, but I don't handle being cold at all, I wear a sweeter when its 70 deg F out side. A 3mm should be good for you, possibly overkill.

 

[Bubblesong]

We dive 5mm wetsuit in April in Florida rented from local.

 

[scubadada]

Unfortunately I was not diving when I lived in San Diego, I went to SDSU and lived there for 15 years. I still have friends that live in PB. I'm hoping to get out there this year and dive the kelp!

San Diego is a nice place to dive, the Coronados, kelp forests, wreck alley, La Jolla Shores and Cove... As a periodic visitor, I dive a 7mm and hooded vest, if I lived there, would certainly be a drysuit.