Diving and Small Children

[mike_s]

I have a 1.5 year old son and there is no way I'd take him on a commercial dive charter.

Having a 1 or 2 year old "running" (moving) around anywhere on a dive boat is just crazy. very dangerous. They don't have great balance at that age and wouldn't do well with the boat rocking. You also don't want them falling overboard obvisouely. Having them around divers that are gearing up just asked for someone to trip over them while wearing full gear on a rocking boat, or getting the kid hit in the head by a tank on someones back.


For a child this age, the only solution is a private boat (which is still kinda iffy) and someone watching them or leaving them ashore with a baby sitter or nanny.

I've been on trips before where the parents brought a teenage nanny/baby sitter to watch after the kids while mom and dad went diving. this seems to work pretty well.

 

[diver 85]

I have a 1.5 year old son and there is no way I'd take him on a commercial dive charter.

Having a 1 or 2 year old "running" (moving) around anywhere on a dive boat is just crazy. very dangerous. They don't have great balance at that age and wouldn't do well with the boat rocking. You also don't want them falling overboard obvisouely. Having them around divers that are gearing up just asked for someone to trip over them while wearing full gear on a rocking boat, or getting the kid hit in the head by a tank on someones back.


For a child this age, the only solution is a private boat (which is still kinda iffy) and someone watching them or leaving them ashore with a baby sitter or nanny.

I've been on trips before where the parents brought a teenage nanny/baby sitter to watch after the kids while mom and dad went diving. this seems to work pretty well.

some possible outcomes of this kind of a trip you hear about on local & national news channels..........(if you know what I mean)........bottom line, DON'T DO IT.....

 

[fisherdvm]

Why can't you just tow them behind you in a little boat like this? They'll probably enjoy the ride, especially in 4 foot waves.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

We would like to divethe Pennecamp NP

Just a little nit-picking; John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park does mention dive tours on their site, but nearly all the good Key Largo dive sites are outside the State Park boundaries (3 miles off shore). It's very hard to find water deeper than 25' inside the State Park. The surrounding water, where nearly all the dive sites are, is the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

 

[fisherdvm]

They do take you out of the state park boundery ... I don't think they travel as far as other dive ops. I think that is good for folks who are prone to sea sickness. $150 for 3 two tank dives with equipment included.... Which means they are not going to waste alot of gas to get you out.

As I understand, most of their dives are in the 30 to 40 ft range. They use a double pontoon boat. They gave me a refund after getting out to the dive site last year, as the visibility and current was really bad. That speaks well of their customer service - wasted the gas, but not subjecting their divers to a bad dive.

 

[Pamdiv]

Google "key largo hotels child care"

The first hit is the Key Largo Marriot.
"Child Care" is one of the amenities listed. In many cases, hotel don't provide child care themselves, but contract out with some local babysitting/nanny service. If you plan to use hotel-provided child care, be sure to call and make sure that they take 1 year olds.

Many times the conditions at Key Largo are such that the boats bounce around a lot. Personally, I think taking a small child out on a dive boat isn't a very good idea. If you aren't comfortable using child care via the hotel, then the best thing would be to just alternate dive days with your wife.

A good solution of course is to bring along a teenage relative or neighbor. The very best solution, except perhaps talking the grandparents into a trip.

HEY!!! This grandparent dives. Hire a sitter!

 

[fisherdvm]

I think most dive shops have extra tanks. Have them make a small fenced in pen with them unused tanks and let your little one play in there while you go diving.

 

[frankc420]

I think most dive shops have extra tanks. Have them make a small fenced in pen with them unused tanks and let your little one play in there while you go diving.

First the floaty in 4 footers then this...

 

[mike_s]

I think most dive shops have extra tanks. Have them make a small fenced in pen with them unused tanks and let your little one play in there while you go diving.

That's pretty funny... but...


I can see it now. My little boy would have everyone one of those tanks scattered all over the shop. And everything else on their shelves scattered....

When I got back from the dive trip, the shop would have my money I paid sitting on the counter and telling me that the rest of my weeks charters are cancelled and for me to take my money, my kid, and get the hell out of there and never come back.

 

[Ann Marie]

Just saw this thread about Florida Babysitters:

http://scubaboard.com/forums/florida-conch-divers/225557-babysitting-service-all-florida.html