carmster66
Registered
Just ran across this forum doing research for our next dive trip and I was pretty excited to see the activity. I am the organizer for our annual dive trip, with various other members from here and other places in the U.S. joining in as they wish, so this site will come in handy! I am the least experience diver with five years of experience and an advanced certification. My hubby has been diving at least twice that long and the third musketeer was certified in the Philipines while in the Navy (I think during the war??? ;-)).
We have dived as far away as the South Pacific (Bora Bora shark diving, Christmas Island and Hawaii), but mostly stay in the Caribbean -- Cozumel, Utila, Roatan, Bonaire, Grand Cayman -- or the Florida Keys. We like to try new places to settle on a favorite. They have all been pretty spectacular, but so far we like Utila a lot (very laid back, reasonable prices, nice dives and occasional snorkeling with dolphins or a whale shark, if you are lucky!). I'm not a huge fan of the Keys because the underwater surges make me seasick, but I was enthralled by the Spiegel Grove and Molasses Reef. It's good diving if surges don't bother you or you want to get the experience of ducking into channels, kicking with the surges, and using the fans to tell you where shore is (practice with natural navigation).
Bonaire was a real confidence builder as they hand you a map and truck keys. You decide where and when you want to dive. The sites are well marked both onland and underwater exit points, easy "swims" (put some air in your BC and back paddle a short distance), and there was usually one or two groups either getting into or coming back out of the water. Getting in and out can be difficult with the coral and waves, but there are tricks to this (ask your dive shop)! The Belmar was a great place to stay. Bonaire is a MUST DO for scuba divers -- it really made me into a better diver because I had to pay attention, you learn a lot about your dive style, the dives tend to be easier and you can get a lot of dives in. Some cool wrecks close to shore (ask for "Alice" and "The Hooker"). The pier was a highlight as well (must go guided on this one).
We are getting ready to do some cruise ship diving and try a few more at the end of January. We're trying to decide where to dive -- I'm thinking Dominica, St. Kitts and St. Lucia (the other ports of call are Barbados, Antigua, St. Thomas). Thanks for the suggestions on the links! I'll let you know how it goes!
We have dived as far away as the South Pacific (Bora Bora shark diving, Christmas Island and Hawaii), but mostly stay in the Caribbean -- Cozumel, Utila, Roatan, Bonaire, Grand Cayman -- or the Florida Keys. We like to try new places to settle on a favorite. They have all been pretty spectacular, but so far we like Utila a lot (very laid back, reasonable prices, nice dives and occasional snorkeling with dolphins or a whale shark, if you are lucky!). I'm not a huge fan of the Keys because the underwater surges make me seasick, but I was enthralled by the Spiegel Grove and Molasses Reef. It's good diving if surges don't bother you or you want to get the experience of ducking into channels, kicking with the surges, and using the fans to tell you where shore is (practice with natural navigation).
Bonaire was a real confidence builder as they hand you a map and truck keys. You decide where and when you want to dive. The sites are well marked both onland and underwater exit points, easy "swims" (put some air in your BC and back paddle a short distance), and there was usually one or two groups either getting into or coming back out of the water. Getting in and out can be difficult with the coral and waves, but there are tricks to this (ask your dive shop)! The Belmar was a great place to stay. Bonaire is a MUST DO for scuba divers -- it really made me into a better diver because I had to pay attention, you learn a lot about your dive style, the dives tend to be easier and you can get a lot of dives in. Some cool wrecks close to shore (ask for "Alice" and "The Hooker"). The pier was a highlight as well (must go guided on this one).
We are getting ready to do some cruise ship diving and try a few more at the end of January. We're trying to decide where to dive -- I'm thinking Dominica, St. Kitts and St. Lucia (the other ports of call are Barbados, Antigua, St. Thomas). Thanks for the suggestions on the links! I'll let you know how it goes!
