Direct From NYC

[bear1019]

Folks
It's winter! For someone who isn't a dry suit diver (yet), I'm looking for weekend diving (other than my bathtub).
What are the best long weekend dive spots from nyc based airports? To be a long weekend spot and maximize bottom time, I think direct flights are necessary. From the continental US to Caribbean, any thoughts?
Thanks
Torsten
SCUBAmoon in Curacao, Netherland Antilles - Diving Without Fins

 

[diversteve]

Grand Cayman or Provo (Providenciales, Turks/Caicos) are non-stop flights from JFK on JetBlue. 3-1/2 hrs. each way. Both are excellent diving, Provo is maybe a shade better. There's a morning flight to Grand Cayman that puts you on the island at 11AM. The Provo flight is mid-day so might cost you a dive day.





Both are pricey to stay but on Cayman you can save some by shore diving. If you set it up in advance you could be shore diving Friday afternoon at Sunset House, most everybody there will be divers. Most of the boat dive operators only take 6-8 divers max so the groups are pretty small - some will go with 2-4 divers. Check with Ambassador Divers, they're based at Comfort Suites, one of the more affordable options. Happy Fish Divers does escorted dives at Turtle Reef also. Pre-check everything as some Cayman businesses close on Sunday - I think the dive operators work though - at least ours did.

All the better diving off Provo is 45mins. away but they also boat dive locally off NW Point - it's almost as good and will allow for more dives/day. I don't have any recommendations as we did a liveaboard there. Caicos Adventures/Provo Divers get recommended often. There's no shore diving off Provo.

You should be able to get to Florida's East coast non-stop also but it's going to be a colder in the winter. Maybe around Jupiter Beach/Boynton or Ft. Lauderdale.