For someone new to diving...

[heatherlynn3695]

I've only just started diving recently and I'm only open water certified.. Where would be the best place to travel outside the US to stretch my legs in the diving world?

 

[ScubaSteve1962]

you don't have to travel far for some great diving, the Keys has some of the best in the world, WPB has some great drift, then there's the Caribbean, (Grand Cayman, and Bonaire seems to be at the top of everyone's list). There's also Cozumel, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama. If you want to go far, The great barrier reef Australia, the Maldives Isles, the Philippines. I'm sure you'll get a lot more suggestions.

 

[heatherlynn3695]

Well I've actually wanted to go to the Keys since I was a kid, there's just so many places it's hard to decide where to go first. I live in Northern Florida so it's a good place to start.

 

[ScubaSteve1962]

Key largo is a great place and since you are new to diving I would recommend a guided dive unless you're going with an experienced diver. Rainbow Reef provides guides in the water at no extra cost, have shallow dives in the morning, and you only pay for the dives you do after you finish.

Dive Key Largo, Florida Keys with Rainbow Reef Dive Center;scuba diving:diving, Florida keys, florida diving

 

[heatherlynn3695]

Oh ok. My mom is my dive partner actually and we are both newbies. A guide would be a great idea, thank you bunches!

 

[Ordie]

If you go to the Keys, dive in Key Largo, Joe Pennekamp State Park offers some easy diving is also the best diving in all the Keys. I would avoid Cozumel until you are comfortable with drift diving and diving in currents. Roatan Honduras, especially Coco View Resort, offers some great diving for the new diver. Bonaire has mostly shore diving, but the dives are easy with a lot of sites that are perfect for new divers.

 

[PatW]

Heather,

I will second Ordie, Pennekamp State Park is a great place to dive. There are quite a few dives in Pennekamp that are 30' and no current. It is easy diving for a beginner. The Benwood (a wreck) in about 45' of water is a very good dive too. It tends to have quite a few schooling fish around it. There are a pile of boat operators for scuba diving in Key Largo. I use Quiesence. They run 6 paks. The nice thing about going on a smaller boat is things are not as frantic on the big boats with piles of people. Also the small boats can go to places that the big boats don't visit (like really small seldom dived patch reefs).

Pompano Beach has good diving off shore. Also West Palm Beach has good diving. If you dive West Palm, I would highly recommend you try the Blue Heron Bridge. It is the Bridge between Singer Island and the mainland. It has a large parking lot and showers. It is a shore dive (easy entry). The dive is about 25' deep (max). You dive about 90 min before high tide. The dive is a "muck" dive. There are all sorts of creatures there and a fair number of fish. I think the current brings in food. You will see banded coral shrimp, arrow crabs, fire worms and numerous small and even some large fish. With luck, you will probably see things like blennies, bat fish, sea robins, frog fish, scorpion fish, jawfish and maybe a sea horse. While you are at West Palm, you can also dive offshore on a boat.

 

[Doc]

Since you mention "outside the US", I won't send you to Florida

If you really want to develop your abilities, assuming that vacay time ($) is a factor, go someplace where you can get a lot of dives in every day. If you are serious in what you say, this is the best and only way to get it done... to be on the road as quickly as possible to becoming super-comfortable underwater.

I would concentrate on all-inclusive dive resorts... not resorts that also offer diving~ therein lies the difference!

the best place to travel outside the US to stretch my legs in the diving world?

So... what were you really looking for?

 

[heatherlynn3695]

I'm more comfortable with boat diving because I actually have tremendous difficulty carrying everything down to the water. Being 5" , 105lbs, my gear weighs half of me. I also had a back injury when I was younger which doesn't help either. Ive read a little on that huge blue hole? It's perfectly round and you can see it from space. It seemed really interesting and I would love the possibility of seeing a shark or two.

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Oh and thanks for the info on Pennkamp! I'll look into it, we'll probably start in Florida and work our way out and about. -Thanks again!

 

[Lsufootballfan]

Hey Heather, it was a pleasure meeting you the other day. You have one of the best places to dive in Florida right there where you work. If you catch the visibility right (High tide) you can see all kinds of marine life. It's an easy dive if you time it right. Heck, you could probably get a dive in on your lunch break. Lol....The cheapest place outside of the U.S. is definitely Cozumel.They have some of the best diving in the world! Get some time in the water at the jetties then give Cozumel a shot. Roatan and Bonaire are incredible also but a little more expensive due to the air fare.

I'll let you know the next time we drive into Florida and maybe you and your mom can catch a couple of dives with us. I may be there for the weekend of August 4-5.