Still Kicking
Contributor
First off: I dont want to know the cost.
Second off: It's been worth it.
Second off: It's been worth it.
Cost per Dive?
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Rickk
Contributor
Precovid I met several people who lived in Hong Kong or Japan, they could fly to the Philippines, dive 3 or 4 times a day for a long weekend, fly home and save money overall compared to doing the same number of dives at home.
Generally my cost per dive including boat, sanctuary fees has ranged between 800 p and 1400 PHP (USD 16 to 28) I did see a full service luxury dive operation that was just over 2400 PHP per dive (USD 56) but that is the moist expensive dives I have seen here.
Even a day boat trip from Dauin to Apo Island with 3 tanks, lunch included, was only 5500 PHP (USD 110)
Generally my cost per dive including boat, sanctuary fees has ranged between 800 p and 1400 PHP (USD 16 to 28) I did see a full service luxury dive operation that was just over 2400 PHP per dive (USD 56) but that is the moist expensive dives I have seen here.
Even a day boat trip from Dauin to Apo Island with 3 tanks, lunch included, was only 5500 PHP (USD 110)
Hmmm....
I’ve spent more than 50k on training, service, equipment, fills...
Just on diving expenses alone (not fuel, charters, flights, hotels, food, etc).. that works out to under $100 per dive... and my partner is looking to get certified... luckily all she needs is exposure protection.
For my rebreather, currently I’m at just over $200 a dive (only gets cheaper every dive!) based on total rebreather costs (unit, training, consumables, etc).
Really I can’t give you an answer, but for trips I try to spend <$300/day (so 100-150/dive) total (flights, accom, food) for recreational diving, slightly more for tech diving (boat costs go up, spend a little more for a bit of helium, O2 and sorb... usually ends up slightly more than nitrox costs)
Local shore diving, 1/3 tank of fuel ($20), 3hrs travel, $30 in O2/helium/sorb, for floating around up to 4hours in cold water (4-12C)... not including cost of owning/maintaining equipment and insurance..
Thanks, I thought a quick dip in the lake was going to be cheaper .....
_R
I’ve spent more than 50k on training, service, equipment, fills...
Just on diving expenses alone (not fuel, charters, flights, hotels, food, etc).. that works out to under $100 per dive... and my partner is looking to get certified... luckily all she needs is exposure protection.
For my rebreather, currently I’m at just over $200 a dive (only gets cheaper every dive!) based on total rebreather costs (unit, training, consumables, etc).
Really I can’t give you an answer, but for trips I try to spend <$300/day (so 100-150/dive) total (flights, accom, food) for recreational diving, slightly more for tech diving (boat costs go up, spend a little more for a bit of helium, O2 and sorb... usually ends up slightly more than nitrox costs)
Local shore diving, 1/3 tank of fuel ($20), 3hrs travel, $30 in O2/helium/sorb, for floating around up to 4hours in cold water (4-12C)... not including cost of owning/maintaining equipment and insurance..
Thanks, I thought a quick dip in the lake was going to be cheaper .....
_R
drrich2
Contributor
I don't have a figure for all my dives, as they vary greatly...had way fewer dives on a Galapagos trip for double the money vs. a Bonaire trip...but it was the Galapagos!
None-the-less, your question is valid, as anyone considering getting into recreational scuba diving may want to have some idea of what it'll cost, vs. what he'll get out of it.
For that reason, over time I've started including a trip cost breakdown in my trip reports. I aim to show you the price tag if you want to do what I did. You wanna hit Cozumel solo, stay at Casa Mexica, dive 4 dives/day with Tres Pelicanos, rack up 26 dives and eat out some? Tres Pelicanos/Casa Mexican Trip Report Sept. 2018 As of 2018, that action ran about $3,250.
30 Shore dives (had room for 2 more) on 8-day trip to Bonaire staying solo at a Sand Dollar Condo. and using Dive Friends Bonaire? Around $3,500 in 2019.
27 Dives aboard the Turks & Caicos Aggressor II with a 34% off sale - around $3,350.
19 (20 Were offered) dives aboard the Humboldt Explorer in the Galapagos Jan. 2020 with a $700 off sale - around $8,000.
If someone wants to rack up large counts of ocean dives on a budget, a few recommendations (if you don't live near coastal diving, such as California shore diving) based on reputation (I haven't been to all these):
1.) Blackbeards, the Juliet, of the Bahamas Aggressor when Aggressor Fleet runs a sale.
2.) Turquoise Bay Resort in Roatan. Seems really popular by history with area dive op.s around me.
3.) Key Largo, Florida - pack 4 of yourselves into one hotel room, 2 to a bed, and dive a 10-trip (20 dives) package each with Rainbow Reef Dive Center, which as no-added-charge dive guide service.
4.) Maybe hit North Carolina, diving the Olympus Dive Center and stay at the Dive Lodge.
5.) I was impressed with the overall pricing on my trip about the Vision with Truth Aquatics out of Santa Barbara, California, but that dive scene has been impacted by a disaster involving the Conception. If I were looking today, I'd see what the Peace (highly reputable) is offering. It is colder water diving requiring more exposure protection...but it rocks.
None-the-less, your question is valid, as anyone considering getting into recreational scuba diving may want to have some idea of what it'll cost, vs. what he'll get out of it.
For that reason, over time I've started including a trip cost breakdown in my trip reports. I aim to show you the price tag if you want to do what I did. You wanna hit Cozumel solo, stay at Casa Mexica, dive 4 dives/day with Tres Pelicanos, rack up 26 dives and eat out some? Tres Pelicanos/Casa Mexican Trip Report Sept. 2018 As of 2018, that action ran about $3,250.
30 Shore dives (had room for 2 more) on 8-day trip to Bonaire staying solo at a Sand Dollar Condo. and using Dive Friends Bonaire? Around $3,500 in 2019.
27 Dives aboard the Turks & Caicos Aggressor II with a 34% off sale - around $3,350.
19 (20 Were offered) dives aboard the Humboldt Explorer in the Galapagos Jan. 2020 with a $700 off sale - around $8,000.
If someone wants to rack up large counts of ocean dives on a budget, a few recommendations (if you don't live near coastal diving, such as California shore diving) based on reputation (I haven't been to all these):
1.) Blackbeards, the Juliet, of the Bahamas Aggressor when Aggressor Fleet runs a sale.
2.) Turquoise Bay Resort in Roatan. Seems really popular by history with area dive op.s around me.
3.) Key Largo, Florida - pack 4 of yourselves into one hotel room, 2 to a bed, and dive a 10-trip (20 dives) package each with Rainbow Reef Dive Center, which as no-added-charge dive guide service.
4.) Maybe hit North Carolina, diving the Olympus Dive Center and stay at the Dive Lodge.
5.) I was impressed with the overall pricing on my trip about the Vision with Truth Aquatics out of Santa Barbara, California, but that dive scene has been impacted by a disaster involving the Conception. If I were looking today, I'd see what the Peace (highly reputable) is offering. It is colder water diving requiring more exposure protection...but it rocks.
Still Kicking
Contributor
Under new ownership, the Peace is running day trips only. Time will tell if they will ever do multiday trips again post Covid. Some of the crew carried over from the old days, which is good, but it's not the same operation that it was.
Between the changes on the Peace and the end of Truth Aquatics (as seems to be the case), it has been the end of an era in California diving for sure.
smellzlikefish
Contributor
I didn't want to consider this question at first. But the more I thought about it, the more I saved and even profited. Without getting into specific numbers, I am a working diver, so work buys most of my equipment and pays my bills. I also help out part-time at a dive shop, so I get free air fills for fun dives. And while I have done some awesome dive travel, most of it was at least partly subsidized through assignments. I think I am net positive.
I believe that, Japanese diving is very valet. Until I got hooked up with operators that catered to US service members, I was looking at shores dives alone being $50-70 a dive. Boat dives will be $60-80 a dive. Combine that with the cost of travel being a lot more reasonable in Asia, it certainly could make more sense to fly to the Philippines than to dive at home.
Julius SCHMIDT
Contributor
I'm really looking forward to spending big and moving far to a shore diving place
so I only have to spend a couple of dollars petrol and a couple more air
so I only have to spend a couple of dollars petrol and a couple more air
Kaveman
Registered
I guess it is all depends on how you approach this... For me, I bought bunch of used scuba gear, sold what I don't want and kept what I need. I end up with 2 sets of high end gear and made profit of about $1500-$2000 cash. Of cause it wasn't done in one day. I spent some time on it, but at the end it was worth it.
As far as the dives go, local charter is about $140 for 3 dives. Liveaboards are expensive, but I usually wait for specials and buy those, unless I want to go to particular place. last liveaboard I booked is $999 Roatan by Aggressor. 26 dives in total, plus air fare is about $800. I am all about getting more bang for my buck. It is not that I can't afford to pay full price, but why to spend extra money? You catch my drift?
As far as the dives go, local charter is about $140 for 3 dives. Liveaboards are expensive, but I usually wait for specials and buy those, unless I want to go to particular place. last liveaboard I booked is $999 Roatan by Aggressor. 26 dives in total, plus air fare is about $800. I am all about getting more bang for my buck. It is not that I can't afford to pay full price, but why to spend extra money? You catch my drift?
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No. Never.
I have my hobbies. They bring me joy. Either I can afford them (in which I indulge in them) or I can't (in which I don't indulge in them). I'm never going to calculate what one dive, one backcountry skiing trip, or one hunting trip costs me. My disposable income is... disposable. And if the activity means enough to me, I'll find a way to make it fit my budget.
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