Cheapest dive trip possible

[adimi24]

Hi, my buddy and I are trying to plan a dive vacation for December. It seems that Florida is our best deal because that's the cheapest place to fly to (Me from NY and him from Montreal). We are both 19 and don't have much money and are want to do this as cheaply as possible - cheapest accommodation, cheapest food, and cheapest but great diving. We are open to any great diving that is cheap, for example I know Mexico would have cheaper food/accomadation because I was just there diving and lived on sub-$20 a day aside from my diving costs, but flights at this time of year are almost triple that of Miami. If you have any other recommendations for anything potentially better than Florida, that would be much appreciated!

There are so many options that I don't know enough about but it seems like flying to Miami, taking a $60 round trip shuttle to Key Largo and some sort of dive package would be the cheapest. Rainbow reef seems pretty popular on here, we can get 6 nights accommodation and 5 dive trips through them for $615. Breakfast is included and we'd make sandwiches and cheap food for our other meals most likely. Do you have any other recommendations? Maybe Fort lauderdale would be cheaper and could do some shore diving, but i don't know, you tell me!

We are also interested in trying spearfishing, maybe we could do this on our last day when we don't dive because of flying the next day? Do you have any recommendations for this?


And some background
I have never dove with my friend so I don't know how he is but only has is open water. I have my advanced open water and dive sidemount - do any shops care if you dive side mount?

Thanks!

 

[sportxlh]

If you can pick up a cheap hotel in Lauderdale by the Sea, you can do all the shore diving you want as long as the weather cooperates. Theoretically, you could do six shore dives each day. You can rent tanks from Gold Coast Scuba: the only issue is that you'll probably need a rental car to get from the grocery store to the dive shop and back to the hotel. Gold Coast also has an active meetup group so you can dive with some locals too..... Gold Coast Scuba Divers (954) 616-5909 (Fort Lauderdale , FL) - Meetup They used to offer some package deals with hotels too. I think this is a hotel they work with and it is right on the beach....... Windjammer Beach Resort - Diving - Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, Florida You can walk right out of the hotel and dive dive dive. There are plenty of places to eat within walking distance of this hotel, but I can't recall if there is a grocery store close by. Here's some info on diving Lauderdale by the Sea....... Florida's Best Shore Dive - Go Dive Florida I don't get down to LBTS as often as I used to, so call Gold Coast directly and they can probably help with some information and maybe a dive package.

The trip you outlined to Key Largo is about as cheap as you'll get in the Keys without camping. I'm the master of cheap trips to the keys which tend to involve camping, but to pull it off, you need a car. State parks are cheap at $35 for camp sites but with the exception of the one in Pennekamp, you need a car to get to dive operators.

Also remember that Subway has $5 foot longs. You almost can't buy lunchmeat, cheese and bread at Publix and eat as cheaply.

One caution: December can have beautiful marine conditions or downright terrible. It'd be nice if you have a little extra cash to do other stuff if the marine conditions blow out the diving for a day or two.

I doubt you'll find anyone has issues with sidemounts. I see divers use them occasionally.

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

Hi, my buddy and I are trying to plan a dive vacation for December. It seems that Florida is our best deal because that's the cheapest place to fly to (Me from NY and him from Montreal). We are both 19 and don't have much money and are want to do this as cheaply as possible - cheapest accommodation, cheapest food, and cheapest but great diving. We are open to any great diving that is cheap, for example I know Mexico would have cheaper food/accomadation because I was just there diving and lived on sub-$20 a day aside from my diving costs, but flights at this time of year are almost triple that of Miami. If you have any other recommendations for anything potentially better than Florida, that would be much appreciated!

There are so many options that I don't know enough about but it seems like flying to Miami, taking a $60 round trip shuttle to Key Largo and some sort of dive package would be the cheapest. Rainbow reef seems pretty popular on here, we can get 6 nights accommodation and 5 dive trips through them for $615. Breakfast is included and we'd make sandwiches and cheap food for our other meals most likely. Do you have any other recommendations? Maybe Fort lauderdale would be cheaper and could do some shore diving, but i don't know, you tell me!

We are also interested in trying spearfishing, maybe we could do this on our last day when we don't dive because of flying the next day? Do you have any recommendations for this?


And some background
I have never dove with my friend so I don't know how he is but only has is open water. I have my advanced open water and dive sidemount - do any shops care if you dive side mount?

Thanks!

Are you sure its 615 including dives? If that is what it showed on their website calculator, I would check these numbers with them over the phone so as not to be surprised.

 

[Rich Keller]

I think the $615 is just for your hotel and you would need to add another 300+ per diver for the dives themselves. Lauderdale by the Sea should be your best bet but you would probably need a car to haul your gear to and from the dive sites if you are using Gold Coast Divers. There is another shop a couple of blocks from the beach, maybe called Deep Blue or something close to that. If you are OK with carrying your gear for a 1/4 to 1/2 mile you might be able to get away without a car as once you are there just about everything is within walking distance. Check out what it costs to get there from the airport and back first though. You might be able to use your luggage to haul your gear to and from the sites if it has wheels.

 

[bilsant]

If you can pick up a cheap hotel in Lauderdale by the Sea, you can do all the shore diving you want as long as the weather cooperates. Theoretically, you could do six shore dives each day. You can rent tanks from Gold Coast Scuba: the only issue is that you'll probably need a rental car to get from the grocery store to the dive shop and back to the hotel. Gold Coast also has an active meetup group so you can dive with some locals too..... Gold Coast Scuba Divers (954) 616-5909 (Fort Lauderdale , FL) - Meetup

 Town of Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, FL USA  | Pelican Hopper

 

[jimw]

Rainbow Reef boats are at mm 100 in KL. There are several motels close but none to my knowledge are cheap. There are plenty of restaurants-including a Subway_within a short walk but no large supermarket. Publix and WinnDixie are several miles north. There ARE CVS and Walgreens close by and they both have some groceries. There are several other dive ops in that same canal at mm 100. None are at $55./2 tank as is RR--IF, you bring your own tanks.

Consider renting a car. But, as you may know; that could be difficult or expensive at 19. Sunshine Rent a Car may be useful--they serve a few airports in FL. Then do KL, LBTS, and the Blue Heron Bridge near West Palm Beach. Maybe fly into Ft Lauderdale or West Palm if that's cheaper........It's about 140 miles between West Palm and Key Largo with Lauderdale By The Sea between them.

 

[tracydr]

If you decide to camp, I can give you some recipes that will go a long way for cheap. Things like beans, and chicken Dumplings. Biscuits. Even bread. You can make all sorts of things in a big, cast iron stove from Walmart for $32 plus the top can be used as a skillet. Stop by the grocery store or even Farmer's market for fresh produce, dried beans, bis quick and you'll be good to go. If you spearfish you'll be even better!
Add shore diving and what could be cheaper?

 

[Max Speed]

Rainbow reef is set up to use their rental tanks preloaded on the boat. Anything else is difficult. Sidemount rigging will need to be quick change.

If your buddy is ow only they may limit you to 30' reefs. I don't think they accomodate spearfishing.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

 

[MaxBottomtime]

There is some great diving within driving distance from Montreal and New York.
Scuba Shore Diving Site Listing for: Maine, USA East

 

[diversteve]

You might check with Greyhound, afaik they have a terminal just off the MIA airport. Might be cheaper than the shuttle to Key Largo since I think the $60 is one way?

Also FLL will likely be cheaper to fly into than MIA from NYC. IDK about Montreal.

Check your dates here: Matrix - ITA Software

Good suggestion to check flights to West Palm also, I think there's a cheap Jet Blue redeye from JFK. But is there a cheap hotel in We$t Palm?