Caribbean dive locations for Jr diver

[SteveInMD]

I truly appreciate the advice! We're leaning towards Curacao, but I think Bonaire could work too. We've done a little shore diving with somewhat rocky entries and could manage that (similar to Bonaire if I recall correctly). However, I think simple and easy is good; I'd rather my daughter focus on her diving skills than an entry hike.

We can fly into Aruba on Southwest without much cost, since we have some flight credits with them. Is Insel Air pretty much the only way to get from Aruba to Curacao? Looking at their website, we would have a long layover at AUA if we use Insel Air.

While Curacao is currently at the top of our list, Southwest will soon start flying to Liberia, Costa Rica (not Africa!) Any chance there is the type of diving we are looking for in NW Costa Rica?

 

[Ole Crab]

Have you tired the Grand Cayman Island. Cobalt Coast is inexpensive and has a dive shop on site. They provide unlimited shore diving, plus two daily boat dives and nice family rooms.

 

[WetLens]

Have you tired the Grand Cayman Island. Cobalt Coast is inexpensive and has a dive shop on site. They provide unlimited shore diving, plus two daily boat dives and nice family rooms.

The problem with Cayman (any of the Cayman Islands) is depth. Jr divers are limited to 40 or 45'. That is really restrictive in a place like Cayman. Sure, there are sites that are shallow, but not many shore dives and boat dives get expensive when the Jr diver can only make the second dive. Not so in Bonaire as there is plenty of great diving with not much need to go deeper than that limit and still see nearly everything the place has to offer.

 

[CuracaoJ]

The open water dolphin dive here in curacao is amazing. It's been an annual birthday gift from my wife to our son and I every year.

 

[diversteve]

Have you tired the Grand Cayman Island. Cobalt Coast is inexpensive and has a dive shop on site. They provide unlimited shore diving, plus two daily boat dives and nice family rooms.

Our ideal situation would be a place with a nice beach

fail...at least if your idea of nice beach includes one you can access the water from.

 

[diversteve]

Is Insel Air pretty much the only way to get from Aruba to Curacao?

Pretty much since DAE went bankrupt. And of questionable reliability also. Don't schedule anything too tight in either direction.

Tiara Air lists it as a future destination but they used to fly there about 5-6 years ago then stopped. So I wouldn't rely on that happening any time soon.
Plus it's a little plane..

Southwest is also starting Belize Oct. 15th IIRC.

 

[KathyV]

Since you are thinking about going over Thanksgiving or Christmas then water temp is a consideration. We have dived the Caymans several times in early November and the water was always in the mid-80s, but I think that it will be in the high 70s or 80 by late December. That's still warm but it likely to be warmer further south around Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao.

---------- Post added July 19th, 2015 at 09:22 AM ----------

FYI, this is a group that runs dive vacation trips for families but I don't have any personal experience with them:
Family Dive Adventures

---------- Post added July 19th, 2015 at 09:33 AM ----------

I am always surprised when someone suggests Bonaire as a good destination for junior divers or new divers. I love Bonaire, we have been there at least 6 times but I've never thought of it as "easy diving".

You would only be surprised if you believe shore diving from trucks was the only way folks dive Bonaire. Reading the Bon threads you will see that some enjoy staying at or near a place with great house reefs where you simply walk to a locker, gear up and step off a dock in shallow protected waters. Our kids completed their cert in Bon at ages 12-15. They had a great instructor with a class size of 2. It was perfect and I can think of no better place. The boat diving, mostly single tank, was also very easy. Yes if all you do is your diving from a truck doing your own shore diving it is not so easy at times although we easily dove Bari, Oilslick and Invisibles with newly certified young divers.

I have to chime in here, and disagree, I took my two to Bonaire when they completed their OW at 10 and 14. I highly recommend it for new divers! There are a great many choices of dive sites. Some are better for more experienced divers, while some are dead easy, and perfect for the timid, or the inexperienced...

We always stay at a place with a good house reef and enjoy diving from the pier. The last 2 times we stayed at Den Laman and dived with Bari Dive & Adventure and the house reef was our favorite dive. But part of me still feels that the presence of an attentive and efficient dive professional is a good idea with newbies and youngsters, but then again, you are always close to shore so maybe it is no big deal.

Over the years we've had 2 minor incidents when diving alone in Bonaire. Once a high pressure hose burst at depth (we were out on a shore dive from the road) and the other was a reverse ear block that wouldn't clear when diving from the house pier.

These are not big deals but I would worry that a youngster or a newbie might panic in a sudden adverse situation. However, you have both had the experience of diving with juniors in Bonaire and I have not - so I defer to your expertise.

 

[SteveInMD]

Curacao over Christmas is it. The flights are booked. Now to find the best place to stay, hopefully with a nice house reef, as Kathy mentioned. I'm working on it, but it is seems hard to tell if a place has both a dive shop and shore diving.

We'll definitely explore beyond where we stay, and dive with a professional at least some of the time, but I also want to dive on our own at our own pace. This is exactly why I did the rescue diver class. I like each family member to practice a skill or two on each dive. Guides and groups don't always seem to have patience for this. I don't know, maybe people are worried about looking like a novice if they practice a skill, or maybe they don't want an audience watching them do it.

 

[diversteve]

Now to find the best place to stay, hopefully with a nice house reef, as Kathy mentioned. I'm working on it, but it is seems hard to tell if a place has both a dive shop and shore diving.

More or less they all do. A few exceptions:

Scuba Lodge is in town - sort of in the congested area. No beach.
Santa Barbara Resort to the far south (ex Hyatt) has Ocean Encounters on-site but they don't allow shore diving since the dive is across a boat channel.
Avila Hotel in town has no dive shop or dive access - it's behind a closed breakwater. Decent beach because of it though.
Marazul Condos on the far west side have no beach as seen on their website.
Divers Republic/Coral Estates has no real beach - it's mostly rocky to the water's edge. It's the former Habitat Dive Resort - since closed and re-opening soon?

If you find something you like post it here. I may have been at least by there - we pretty much covered most of the island where you dive.

The Marriott meets all your needs, Lions Dive meets all your needs. Way out west Lodge Kura Hulanda except their beach is a little rocky. 45min. drive to most things but arguably the best house reef on Curacao - Playa Kalki/Alice in Wonderland. Really a nice dive, the top shore dive I've done on either island.

One I'm intrigued by is the Lagoon Blou condos - they're on a cliff above the Playa Lagun dive site - nice beach, turtles etc. No affiliated dive shop but next door is Bahia Dive/Apts. and at the entrance to the Beach is Discover Diving. Also look at Blue Bay resort/diving.

Maybe Scuba Do at Jan Thiel also there's several resort/condo complexes nearby.Some are on a hill though so water access isn't possible. I'm weak in that area so don't know which ones.

Here's a decent starter list - of all the resort affiliated shops on it, the only one that has no shore dive is OE at Santa Barbara as mentioned above. A couple are also just dive operators with no resort/property affiliation. Dive operators

For a private guide look into Bas Harts Diving also. He only takes small groups so your family may be all on that dive. So he'd be able to spend the time doing what you want the kid(s?) to practice.

 

[KathyV]

Curacao over Christmas is it. The flights are booked. Now to find the best place to stay, hopefully with a nice house reef, as Kathy mentioned. I'm working on it, but it is seems hard to tell if a place has both a dive shop and shore diving.

We'll definitely explore beyond where we stay, and dive with a professional at least some of the time, but I also want to dive on our own at our own pace. This is exactly why I did the rescue diver class. I like each family member to practice a skill or two on each dive. Guides and groups don't always seem to have patience for this. I don't know, maybe people are worried about looking like a novice if they practice a skill, or maybe they don't want an audience watching them do it.

You can get a lot of information about Curacao if you review/post questions in the Lesser Antilles forum:

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/lesser-antilles/