Coraline_Reef
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Are there any good US destinations anyone would recommend as somewhere close to practice diving - other than wrecks? Hopefully a place with good marine life?
Good US Destinations?
- Thread starter Coraline_Reef
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Greg D.
Contributor
close to you or me?
scubajunkee
Contributor
Monterey, CA....hands down. Awesome marine life!
--Ericson
--Ericson
I would also say Monterey, CA. I dove Monterey when I lived there and then moved to Guantanamo. The diving off Cuba was great! But I enjoyed Monterey diving more. There's something almost magical about the kelp forests. And FULL of interesting marine life, from sea lions down to nudibranchs, and just about everything in between.
CAPT HOOK
Contributor
Florida Keys, now if you are looking in Texas can't help you there.
nolatom
Contributor
If you're in Texas, try the Flower Garden Banks--great marine life. Not really a "practice" dive, and a long boat ride, but worth it. You'll have to wait til next spring, but contact www.gulf-diving.com and you can get all the info.
Welcome to the board.
I saw you post elsewhere, as a new diver, I would suggest the upper th the middle Fla Keys . Thats about as good a spot as any. Reasonably warm water even in the winter, lots of life on some fairly shallow reefs. The boat rides are fairly short and most shops do a good job picking sites suitable for entry level divers.
I saw you post elsewhere, as a new diver, I would suggest the upper th the middle Fla Keys . Thats about as good a spot as any. Reasonably warm water even in the winter, lots of life on some fairly shallow reefs. The boat rides are fairly short and most shops do a good job picking sites suitable for entry level divers.
OP
Coraline_Reef
Registered
Thank you all so much for your help. This is a great site & I am already feeling more comfortable with the idea of getting started because of all of you.
Where would the best area/place be to stay in Monteray Bay and Flower Garden Banks - as far as where the reefs are? Is there shore diving or only boat diving?
Where would the best area/place be to stay in Monteray Bay and Flower Garden Banks - as far as where the reefs are? Is there shore diving or only boat diving?
Lisa0825
Contributor
Since Flower Gardens was mentioned here, I thought I'd ask my question here... the prices on the Flower Garden trip seem pretty high.. $400+ for a weekend dive. Seems I could go to Cozumel for a weekend for the same price.
Why so high? Because it's a long boat ride?
Why so high? Because it's a long boat ride?
I haven't done the FG trip but came very close last summer - the price is "high" because it's a liveaboard trip for the weekend - that price includes everything (the accommodations on the boat, the diving, DM, the food) - you'll just need to add a tip (standard for liveaboards is ~10-15% of the price). You also have to factor in the fact that fuel prices aren't cheap right now. Yes, you could go to Coz for the weekend (and mind you, I'm not knocking Coz, because it's GREAT 
) but FG is different because the sites are less accessible.
Personally, I think you should plan to do both at some point. You're just starting out - time to start your "list"
. (I've got one and although I've been lots of places, mine just keeps getting longer and longer every time someone tells me about somewhere new they've been that I haven't - now to just win that Powerball jackpot...).
) but FG is different because the sites are less accessible. Personally, I think you should plan to do both at some point. You're just starting out - time to start your "list"
. (I've got one and although I've been lots of places, mine just keeps getting longer and longer every time someone tells me about somewhere new they've been that I haven't - now to just win that Powerball jackpot...).Similar threads
