ScubaBunga
Contributor
I've booked a trip for next june 2019 to curacao - royal sea aquarium resort. Myself and two boys (11-OW/14-AOW) will be diving, others (wife, daughter, mother-in-law) will be looking for surface activities. I'm interested in tips on dive excursions on a budget. I spent a week at this same resort back in 2004 when my daughters did the kids sea camp. The oldest was 12 at the time and spent the entire week training the dolphins. Anyway we are headed back.
As DrRich posted elsewhere:
I'm in this last group - especially the "incurring no additional fees" as there is not a lot of extra $$ for diving.
I'm also looking at just shore diving as the few resorts I've talked to seem to be very strict on the 40' limit for my 11yr old. Now I'm not looking to do 100' dives but prefer less crowds and don't like 30' boat dives - also with the rest of the family, less of a schedule is good. I'm comfortable with both my boys skillset. Obviously they are still new, but have dove in quarries and both shore and boat dives in florida. They are both observant, good with buoyancy, and check their gauges (and mine) frequently.
So online most of the dive sites have stores that offer shore packages - multiple days. My plan is really to just go to a site, get some tanks and weights, do two dives and join the rest of the family for the rest of the day. The sites may also be driven by where everyone else wants to go after the dives (they can play at the beach for a couple hours while we dive). The websites do seem to offer just a tank and weights but it's not really talked much about on their sites. A few posts on SB people have talked about just showing up at a dive operator, getting tanks and going diving - this is what I'm looking for a bit more information on how that worked, any issues doing that? I've seen stuff for dive bus and other guided tours and these would bust my budget as I'm paying for 3.
I'm also interested in doing some lion fish hunting - I've emailed a couple dive places and the answers are interesting - basically came down to "it's illegal but won't get prosecuted" - but (and I understand they don't want yahoo's damaging the reef) also the dive stores are hesitant to give out too much info it seems. They say I can rent gear (after taking a class). I'd like to just bring my 2' spear and if they are there, spear them - if not, oh well. We will be in a room with a kitchen so any speared would get eaten.
Let me know thoughts, tips, etc to make this a successful family and diving trip.
Thanks,
As DrRich posted elsewhere:
Curacao reports indicate a mixed bag.
-----1.) Some sites, like Bonaire, are 'barren' of civilization. Petty theft from rental trucks more a concern here, so leave doors unlocked and windows down, nothing of value except spare tanks in your truck.
-----2.) Some sites have an on-site dive op. and/or amenities; there may be a fee to use, there may be food/booze/bathrooms, maybe staff can keep an eye on your vehicle, etc...
Some people will want to load up some tanks from their dive op. and hit the road, incurring no additional fees. Some like 'amenities' and snacking, drinking, showering off or whatever after a dive.
I'm in this last group - especially the "incurring no additional fees" as there is not a lot of extra $$ for diving.
I'm also looking at just shore diving as the few resorts I've talked to seem to be very strict on the 40' limit for my 11yr old. Now I'm not looking to do 100' dives but prefer less crowds and don't like 30' boat dives - also with the rest of the family, less of a schedule is good. I'm comfortable with both my boys skillset. Obviously they are still new, but have dove in quarries and both shore and boat dives in florida. They are both observant, good with buoyancy, and check their gauges (and mine) frequently.
So online most of the dive sites have stores that offer shore packages - multiple days. My plan is really to just go to a site, get some tanks and weights, do two dives and join the rest of the family for the rest of the day. The sites may also be driven by where everyone else wants to go after the dives (they can play at the beach for a couple hours while we dive). The websites do seem to offer just a tank and weights but it's not really talked much about on their sites. A few posts on SB people have talked about just showing up at a dive operator, getting tanks and going diving - this is what I'm looking for a bit more information on how that worked, any issues doing that? I've seen stuff for dive bus and other guided tours and these would bust my budget as I'm paying for 3.
I'm also interested in doing some lion fish hunting - I've emailed a couple dive places and the answers are interesting - basically came down to "it's illegal but won't get prosecuted" - but (and I understand they don't want yahoo's damaging the reef) also the dive stores are hesitant to give out too much info it seems. They say I can rent gear (after taking a class). I'd like to just bring my 2' spear and if they are there, spear them - if not, oh well. We will be in a room with a kitchen so any speared would get eaten.
Let me know thoughts, tips, etc to make this a successful family and diving trip.
Thanks,