Happy New Year! -Where are you diving in 2009?

[KOMPRESSOR]

Happy New Year everyone! One of my projects for 2009 is simply to dive more. I've set up a schedule for a couple of "now or never" diving trips for myself.

And it starts off in the end of January with a trip to Egypt. Since it's some 10F outside here now that was an easy choice! Haven't decided on operator or place yet, but trips to Egypt comes fairly cheap in the winter.

To keep the average temperature down a 2-3 weeks live aboard trip around Svalbard is scheduled in July-August, starting in Tromsø (Norway). Where Svalbard is? Well... Follow the line of the 78'North to somewhere between Greenland and Norway (but further north...), and you find it! Diving with walrus, seals, belugas and polar bears anyone?!

Svalbard - Dive destination for 2009!

Found a video of the boat we are chartering:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wV2YJC1htM0


What else? Set aside time for Nauitec education for sure!


So, what are your diving plans for the new year??!

 

[JeffG]

Florida - ITK 2009

BC (Sunshine coast) sometime. (Still undecided on the time.)

and then some local diving.

and another trip to Mexico in November.

 

[capt. dave]

Happy New Year! I was certified in October, 08. My plan is to dive up in 1000 Islands and area. Santa gave me the basic equipment BC, Reg, octo and computer. Now looking at a knife, lights, safety equipment, extra toys and creating my "save a dive kit". I am a boater with captains license, so I will be looking for diving buddies on Oneida Lake, Lake Ontario and 1000 Islands. I owe alot, if not ALL of my knowledge to this site. Thank you everyone here for that. This is completely different than boating but another step in my long range plans.......If you are or have been boating, you'll know what I mean.

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

First trip to Bonaire on January 4, 2009!

 

[thunsaker]

I will definetly do a lot of local diving in CA mostly around Laguna Beach and Catalina. I will probably also go to Monterey and San Diego since I will be getting a drysuit and it is so cold in those areas. I also want to do some tropical diving probably somewhere in the Carribean. That will probably be in November of 2009.

 

[cowdog77]

Cozumel....maybe Thailand.
And dips at home for overdue rescue cert.

 

[robint]

my 2009 diving goals:
1. get in at least 50 dives, at least half of them salt water
2. go somewhere new (we are talking about NC, Yucatan cenotes, and Maui - don't know which one will win out)
3. do 2-3 days in California diving Channel Islands or San Diego wrecks or both
I am not going to make any goals other than these for now - the economy and jobs are so uncertain!

Here is the thread of last year's goals from everybody on SB:
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ba...34-what-your-diving-goals-plans-new-year.html

2008 my goals were:
Nekton liveaboard to Bahamas in April with a group of friends, and California with friends for 2-3 days of cold water kelp diving. It would be nice to get out to Pacific for a big trip again - Philippines, Indonesia, or Fiji in fall/winter but don't know if the $$$ will be there. Also I would like to upgrade my video rig this coming year, doubtful though due to $$$. Hope to do 50 dives again but I don't know if that will happen as work schedules look insane for whole summer.
I did the 50+ dives, the Nekton in Bahamas in April but didn't make it to another Pacific trip. We went to Roatan instead and loved it. I did upgrade my video rig by getting a light rig for it, no HD yet. We also did go out to Calif to dive for 2 days......... so I did accomplish most of my 2008 goals.

robin

 

[CLEAR BLUE]

Many local dives. West Palm Beach, Ginnie Springs, and Blue Grotto in February. Hawaii (a week on Maui and a week on the big island) in October. Rescue class this summer.

 

[Hockeynut]

The mud pit.:depressed:

 

[Scubagolf]

2009 trips planned:
1. Feb 14 - 21: Cruise on the Celebrity Summit with diving in St. Maarten, Dominica, Grenada, Bonaire and Aruba.

2. June 10 - 18: Cozumel

2008 dive trips in the book:

1. May 12 - 20: Kona Coast of the Big Island of Hawaii. Dove with Jack's Diving Locker and completed the AOW and did my 100th dive.

2. Sailed for 10 days on the MS Paul Gauguin in French Polynesia. Great diving, great boat, and terrific PADI dive staff on board.