Curious about diving in landlocked states like CO and NM (but any feedback welcome)

[holdfast]

I’m in San Diego, but have been getting the urge to move on. SD is great and it’s an absolutely great place to be a diver, but cost of living is just going up, up, up and I’m not super confident that it is where I’m going to settle in long-term. Starting to think about next steps and exploring some different parts of the US.

I don’t consider myself a vacation diver (although maybe that is what I will have to become). When I’m on a roll, I’ll go out a couple times a week. Usually it’s more like weekly, or a couple times a month. I’m also moving toward drysuit diving. I’d still like the freedom of going out for a dive or two on weekends, or even going for a night dive after work without it being a huge ordeal.

What is it like for you guys?
Is it hard to find fun (recreational) dives?
Do you have to travel a lot to dive?
Are there places in your state that you consider to be close to several good diving options?
Are you able to connect with dive buddies via local clubs?
Is this a huge mistake and I should just stick it out close to good diving?
Have any thoughts on what are the best non-coastal states for diving?

I’m honestly pretty clueless about fresh water diving in general, so any experience you are willing to share would be valuable to me. Thank you!

 

[ev780]

Let me be the first. Colorado diver here.

I do not do any local diving as cold fresh water diving is like watching paint dry to me. Others will for sure opine on that. Need my salt water, pretty fishies and reefies!

I travel extensively to dive. Usually one big and one or two small trips. A big trip is on the order of Chuuk, Indonesia, etc. A quickie to Cozumel or Cayman is more the short trips. Although I have not been there in years, Key Largo is a quick cheap option too. We have a very active community here in Colorado and what seems like a large number of dive shops per capita. There are several local dives in both states as well as homestead crater in Utah.

So unless you like cold fresh water prepare to travel.

 

[holdfast]

Let me be the first. Colorado diver here.

I do not do any local diving as cold fresh water diving is like watching paint dry to me. Others will for sure opine on that. Need my salt water, pretty fishies and reefies!

I travel extensively to dive. Usually one big and one or two small trips. A big trip is on the order of Chuuk, Indonesia, etc. A quickie to Cozumel or Cayman is more the short trips. Although I have not been there in years, Key Largo is a quick cheap option too. We have a very active community here in Colorado and what seems like a large number of dive shops per capita. There are several local dives in both states as well as homestead crater in Utah.

So unless you like cold fresh water prepare to travel.

Yeah, I've gotten the sense that CO has a pretty big community, which is interesting to me. I guess local dive shops organize trips to popular destinations/liveaboards as well as promoting local diving?

 

[g2]

Hi Holdfast,

My opinions are based on diving around the world but landing in Colorado...

What is it like for you guys?

It sucks. Crawdads, trout, and mud. And even less diving off-season (it snows here).

Is it hard to find fun (recreational) dives?

Hard to find fun ones. Easy to find crappy ones.

Do you have to travel a lot to dive?

Yes.

Are there places in your state that you consider to be close to several good diving options?

No.

Are you able to connect with dive buddies via local clubs?

Sorta. Not many local divers here. Plenty of shops offering trips to tropical resorts. And it *is* easy to fly to the Caribbean from Denver.

Is this a huge mistake and I should just stick it out close to good diving?

Yes.

Have any thoughts on what are the best non-coastal states for diving?

Michigan.

: >

 

[holdfast]

Hi Holdfast,

My opinions are based on diving around the world but landing in Colorado...

Haha! I appreciate your candor. All good info.

 

[Scott]

From the western side of the Rockies.

What is it like for you guys?

It is what you make of it.

Is it hard to find fun (recreational) dives?

Not really. You will not see whales or other tropical fishes but there is marine life. Oh wait, there is Sea Base which is an inland ocean pond with a nurse shark and other tropical fish....but near zero vis.

Do you have to travel a lot to dive?

Not really. From SLC you're 5 hours from Sand Hollow, 12 hours from SoCal, 1 hour from 92* water, 3 hours from 72*, 3 hours from deep Flaming George or Bear Lake, 12 hours from Blue Hole N.M., 6 hours from Lake Mead or a short plane ride to the Caribbean.

Are there places in your state that you consider to be close to several good diving options?

See above.

Are you able to connect with dive buddies via local clubs?

Yes

Is this a huge mistake and I should just stick it out close to good diving?

If diving is your only passion.

Have any thoughts on what are the best non-coastal states for diving?

Great Lakes as already mentioned.

 

[bmlbytes]

Phoenix, AZ here. Right in the middle of the desert.

What is it like for you guys?

I have one dive spot near my place. It is a lake with about 15 feet of visibility. There isn't much as far as life to look at in the lake, but it's still pretty cool. The lake was made by a dam on a river, so many of the trees that were in the area are still underwater. This gives us spots like "Christmas Tree Reef". On the other side of the lake is "Vista Point", which is a bit of a scuba playground. People have set up underwater scenes and hoops to swim through and stuff.

Is it hard to find fun (recreational) dives?

It might take a bit of a drive to get somewhere really cool, but it's not too bad. The lake I was talking about is about 45 minutes from home. I am also:
2.5 hours from Lake Havasu
5 hours from Lake Mohave
6 hours from San Diego and Los Angles
7 hours from San Carlos, Mexico

So no. It's not hard to find fun dives

Do you have to travel a lot to dive?

A bit, but that's part of the fun.

Are there places in your state that you consider to be close to several good diving options?

As far as I understand, Lake Mohave is some of the best lake diving anywhere. Lake Pleasant is a fun dive for me.

Are you able to connect with dive buddies via local clubs?

YES! Phoenix has a HUGE scuba industry and several dive clubs and good shops.

Is this a huge mistake and I should just stick it out close to good diving?

That's personal preference. Maybe try a few freshwater dives.

Have any thoughts on what are the best non-coastal states for diving?

I couldn't tell you. Arizona is the only non-coastal state I've dove in.

 

[Is_907]

I live in Texas and while we go have a coast line I'm a good 8 hours from it.
Most people here seem to do lakes and quarries.

I certified in an old quarry and went back the following weekend. Had a blast on every dive.

There's a slew of lakes within 3 hours of me that people dive in regularly.


I've already made half s dozen friends willing to dive any given weekend.

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