Currently in US, what are the "must go" dive sites?

[EvaL]

Hello SuperKingKong,
Welcome to the US. It is too cold to dive in many locations in the US without at least a 3mm or more right now. Definitely not in Boston (you'll need a drysuit). The Keys, Palm Beach-Miami area and Hawaii are the only places I can think of. Visibility tends to be lower and seas choppier this time of the year in most places as well.
If you can get to the Keys, air temps are around 17-24Celsius, water temps around 18-20C right now, so you'll need 3 or 5mm wetsuit. But in summer, it is like back home, warm enough to dive in swimming trunks. Most people fly into Miami, Florida, and drive down to the Keys (Key Largo is 1 hour from Miami). The newest wreck in Key Largo is the Spiegel Grove - it is advanced dive (2-5 knot current) at depth of ~100 ft. Lots of great dive sites all over the Keys, and Key West has good nightlife.
If you're interested in Hawaii diving, you can dive with Manta Rays on the Big Island. Maui and Kawaii are good as well for Pacific fish and hard corals.
If you like freshwater diving, check out Ginnie Springs in central Florida (see posts above).
For even better diving, you should check out the Caribbean: Cozumel, Bonaire, the US and British Virgin Islands, Caymans, Bahamas and many others. Although in my opinion, they are still not as good as the best in Asia.
I'm from S'pore, working here too.
Dive safely.

 

[vladimir]

Sites in Malaysia like Layang-Layang, Sipadan, and Trengganu will blow away any coral reef diving we have here. But if your profile is correct and you haven't dived much in Malaysia, you will appreciate it when you head home after diving the Florida keys. If I were you I'd head to Southern California or the Pacific Northwest for some uniquely North American diving and save the reef diving for home.

 

[Doc]

I'm going to base this response on three factors:

1) Your home is Malaysia but are here in Boston for a temporary 6 month stay

2) By mentioning your 1.5 wetsuit, let's assume you like reallywarm water only

3) From Boston... this your best & only potential access to the Caribbean (not from Malaysia)

That said, you would do well to go to the Caribbean while you have the chance of easy flight access. Go South. It's basically the US with different colored money.

You can always dive Hawaii from your home base of Malaysia, but then again, after diving the South Pacific, you might find better, nearer and cheaper and skip our 50th state.

 

[H2Andy]

I'm going to base this response on three factors:

1) Your home is Malaysia but are here in Boston for a temporary 6 month stay

2) By mentioning your 1.5 wetsuit, let's assume you like reallywarm water only

3) From Boston... this your best & only potential access to the Caribbean (not from Malaysia)

That said, you would do well to go to the Caribbean while you have the chance of easy flight access. Go South. It's basically the US with different colored money.

elegant and excellent suggestion ... wish i'd thought of it myself

 

[DeputyDan]

In the US - South Florida.

If you have a choice go to the islands.

 

[REII]

There are a lot of wrecks off the southeast coast of Florida. If you make it to Key largo, definately dive the Spiegel Grove.

TOM

 

[Jimmer]

If you are into wrecks, which it sounds like you are. You should see a few Great Lakes wrecks. There aren't too many places in the world where you can see intact 150 year old wooden schooners, and in the lakes you have several to choose from. A 5mm wetsuit MIGHT be a little cold depending upon the location and the depth, but it is something to consider.

 

[victor]

The USA is big, think flying if you are going to go anywhere. By the sounds of it you are thinking of long weekends away.

Skip the 5mm and see if you can hire a dry suit with and tuition from one of the shops, anything less and you are going to be way to cold to dive north of florida.

If you can get a bit longer away from work then the Caribean has a host of posibilities. They are not cheap, mostly think US prices + 10 to 15%. There are exceptions but compared with Malaysia you are going to find it costly.

The wrecks in the great lakes must be worth seeing but for that you will need the drysuit.
If you get access to a dry suit then you will be able to dive weekends in the boston area. From the sounds they have an active group on this web site so it will help with the social life on a daily bases.
They have there own forum here (new england lobsta divahs) which would be worth posting in. I am sure you will get lots of good advice there.

Hope this helps and have a great time in the USA.

 

[cowjazz]

Come to Texas, and dive the Flower Gardens National Marine Sanctuary.

Visit these sites:
http://flowergarden.noaa.gov/
http://www.gulf-diving.com/index.html

 

[DandyDon]

Florida. And don't buy a 5 mil. Buy a 3 mil and a 7 mil. When the 3 is not enough, change.