Diving with Kids

[Oceanadrian]

I and my partner are fairly experienced divers - Advanced, Dive rescue, 100+dives; and this year I want to get my kids (son 13, daughter 15) introduced. They seem keen to try it and I have signed them up for a course at the LDS (Naui and I know the instructor - a good guy).
I want to take them somewhere this fall after they get certified, so my question is - where would be a good place for kids diving the first time? I think we would dive about 1/2 time, do other stuff the other 1/2.
So... Somewhere good for beginners, lots of interesting stuff < 60', something for them to do when we are not diving, not too expensive.
I was initially thinking Cozumel, but I heard from someone who went recently that although the deeper reefs are good, there is still a lot of sand on the shallower reefs from the hurricane last year.
Does anyone have any suggestions?
Anyone else dive with kids? I'd be interested to hear experiences.

Thanks,

OceanAdrian.

 

[superstar]

Key Largo.
The reefs are in good shape and it's shallow. There is also a few shallow wrecks. Do the reefs with the kids in the morning and ditch them in the afternoon and dive the Spiegel Grove with your partner.
Anthony's Key on Rotan is also a great place for kids. They will keep the kids entertained all day so you and your partner can dive your brains out.

 

[Fotoz4FX]

I and my partner are fairly experienced divers - Advanced, Dive rescue, 100+dives; and this year I want to get my kids (son 13, daughter 15) introduced. They seem keen to try it and I have signed them up for a course at the LDS (Naui and I know the instructor - a good guy).
I want to take them somewhere this fall after they get certified, so my question is - where would be a good place for kids diving the first time? I think we would dive about 1/2 time, do other stuff the other 1/2.
So... Somewhere good for beginners, lots of interesting stuff < 60', something for them to do when we are not diving, not too expensive.
I was initially thinking Cozumel, but I heard from someone who went recently that although the deeper reefs are good, there is still a lot of sand on the shallower reefs from the hurricane last year.
Does anyone have any suggestions?
Anyone else dive with kids? I'd be interested to hear experiences.

Thanks,

OceanAdrian.

Adrian,
I don't think you need to concern yourself with 'sand' issues. A few of us recently returned from Florida (slammed by Katrina and others) and the diving was still remarkable. Cozumel has current so you would be drift diving with your kids... the only think you need concern yourself with is their curiousity... wanting to stop to look at something while the rest of the group drifts on by.
I dive with what is now a 14 year old boy who calls me Dad because his is a dead-beat. He sought me out at the age of 12 when he first learned (was taught) by myself on a Resort program... I did the academics and he got certified in Bonaire. We've been inseparable ever since and I would put him up against some of the more 'advanced' divers with his mastery of skills and self-discipline. It's unfortunate that he is limited to 70' because I know he is well beyond his age limitations in skills (I was a Navy Diver so he's sharp and good to go).
My experiences with young divers has been nothing short of rewarding and I do so enjoy the excitement they express when coming up from a discovery dive... I don't know who enjoys it more... them or me watching them.
You're kids will do fine... don't worry about a little sand.

 

[Oceanadrian]

superstar - thanks for the suggestions. I checked out Anthony's on the web and it looks very interesting, but maybe a little ambitious this time - for the future, definitely.

Fotoz4FX - thanks for sharing your experience. I, too, am looking forward to seeing their reaction when they first dive on a reef.

A.

 

[Sharky1948]

I second the Keys as a good place to mix the activities. My wife and I took our kids there when one was 12 (just certified) and the other 9. The younger one was treated great on the dive boats...giant striding with her snorkel, giving the big OK sign, etc. (She even saw us...embarrassingly...swim right passs the boat on the return and swam down, gave me the boat sign, and pointed up.)

When not diving, there is lots to do. We especially enjoyed Dolphin Plus.

Have fun!

 

[jbichsel]

I haven't taken my twin 11-year old daughters yet, but the Bahamas would be excellent. Shallow, warm, tons of fish and corals, many places have minimal current. Two years ago my wife and I went to Eleuthera for our 20th anniversay and the deepest dive we did was 30', but bottom time of 90 minutes. Saw a couple of juvenile sun fish, huge groupers, baracuda, lobster.

We did take our daughters to Oahu three years ago, they did snuba with me in Hanauma Bay and we did tons of snrkeling on the north shore and Wiamea bay. We were there in June and the north shore was as calm as a lake. It was incredible.

Wiamea Bay would be awesome for beginners since there are fish out the wazoo, much of it is a sandy bottom with lava/coral heads poking up and green turtle all over. We even saw a group of squid ranging from 6"-16".

Just a couple of suggestions. Let us know what works out.

 

[jdcpa]

Oceanadrian:

My 12 year old son got certified in April.

We took him to Little Cayman for 27 dives and he loved it. There is hardly anyplace you have to go below 60 feet, very little current and great vis. In a lot of places the wall starts at about 30 to 40 feet. Lots of critters down below, turtles, lobster, rays, nurse sharks, an occasional reef shark and all the tropicals.

The Divemasters watch the kids closely and help them as much as possible.

It was not hard work for him to get in and out of the boat either.

It was a very pleasurable experience for him.

We are going back in November and December and he is probably the most excited of all of us.

Not a whole lot to do topside, but some real neat stuff. Feed the Iguanas, bicycle rides around the island, snorkel and swim at Point of Sand. Sit by the pool. Good food and accomodations.

I give Little Cayman a resounding vote for you and children.

 

[DeputyDan]

My kids first dive trip was to Key Largo

Their second dive trip was to Bonaire

 

[SterlingDiver]

We now have 7 divers. Our youngest was certified last summer on Utila at the age of 10. It was great. While the rest of us dived, she worked on her certification, one on one, with her instructor. They became great friends. The last couple of days, she was able to join us for dives. Diving together is great, we all look out for each other.

We did Cozumel a couple of years before. The youngest stayed at a kid's club and loved it, while the rest of us dived. Drift diving usually is not a big deal for me but I was paired up with my daughter, 18. She had recently certified and this vacation was her first ocean experience. The current was very strong that day. Once we hit the water, we all got separated because of the current. I was hanging on to my daughter as we fought, I mean fought, toward the rock where our DM was waiting for everyone to regroup. I knew I could make it easily alone but I could not let go because she had not yet learned how to get the best effort from her fins. She would have never made it. I was kicking for two against the strongest current I had met so far. We made it but it wore me out. We had a few really nice leisurely dives that week but the currents were stronger than normal all week. Again, we look out for each other.

I am not trying to discourage anyone from Cozumel, but if you do choose it, (we have been there several times with no similar problems) just stick together and watch out for each other.

 

[ItsBruce]

I'll put in a good word for Hawaii, and in particular Kauai. We were there at the beginning of July. There were good reefs and more turtles than you could shake a stick at. My kid had a very good time (although he is now 15 and has done Hawaii on 6 different trips).

Also, my family did a Club Med to Ixtapa two summers ago. There was plenty for the kids to do and the diving was great (tough it had to be booked through an outside operator).