Help Choose a Dive Trip!

[benver]

I'm a newbie, but I'm blown away by how generous people are on this board with sharing information. I'm wondering if any of you might be willing to help my husband and I choose our next trip?

We both have approximately 90 dives, about 10 cold water, and 10 high-current and surge, but about half of our dives are in the diver's paradise of Bonaire - so high visibility, calm waters, easy as can be. We have PADI O/W certificates and SSI Advanced.

We've done one liveaboard and enjoyed it, so we're sort of looking for another week long liveaboard or shore diving or whatever you recommend! We'd love to see big sea life (whale sharks, rays, sharks, etc.) and aren't interested in caves or wrecks as much as sea life and reefs. The liveaboard we were on was a bit too militant and disorganized for us (the conditions were bad and they were unprepared for that, so there was a lot of yelling and rushing), and we LOOOOVED the laid back go-at-your-own-pace of Bonaire. So we're looking for a good liveaboard that will allow us to dive primarily on our own (no need for a guide every dive), and at our own pace. We'd like to be able to stop and watch the micro-life instead of rushing to keep up to the guide. We have our own equipment and are self sufficient with it, so no need for a lot of help.

Thanks so much!

 

[tarponchik]

If liveaboard, why not Belize Aggressor? They are pretty relaxed and we liked them.

If you prefer another shore diving trip, try Curacao. It is a lot like Bonaire but also very different. If you stay in the North (or West, as the locals prefer to call it, for reasons unexplained), say in All West, you'll have plenty of macro opportunities.

 

[diversteve]

Turks/Caicos Explorer was a good trip. Lots of sharks, rays, turtles, grouper plus the boat moors in shallower water near the islands and there's lots of fish nurseries surrounding coral heads in shallow water. We had a couple of photographers on our trip - one seemed to spend a lot of time under them. He got some great shots of tiny nudibranchs, smaller fish etc. Good crew, great food, good-sized rooms. They never put a DM in the water unless asked - most dives we just went on our own. This trip report (credit to Mike Southard) shows it better than I can explain it. Saudio's Trip Reports

To snorkel with Whale Sharks try Utila. There's good diving there also. We stayed at Deep Blue Utila during one of their prime Whale Shark research weeks 2 years ago. We snorkeled with six over 3 days and participated in a cell sampling (didn't go so well...) They limit the amount of guests and bring in experts for lectures/research during those times. Also put a spotter boat out so you know where they've been seen after your dives - you usually spend a couple hours looking for them in deeper water each day. There's also the Utila Aggressor but I don't think anyone is allowed to dive with Whale Sharks from it. (Honduran law)

To dive with Whale Sharks on this side of the world you have to go to Belize - specifically the Gladden Spit area at the right time of year. The Belize liveaboards never go that far south but the land-based diveops near Placencia and Hopkins do - also some of the atoll-based resorts also run day trips there.

If you're comfortable with colder water/higher current conditions look at the Socorros liveaboards. At certain times of the year they see Whale Sharks, almost always giant Mantas, many species of sharks, dolphins etc. It's a long crossing from Cabo San Lucas, MX so trips are often 8-10days. Some boats to look at: Solmar V, Rocio Del Mar, Baja Aggressor.

 

[erywcy]

As another reader mentioned, Curacao is fabulous. We like to stay at the Hilton, the staff is excellent, the rooms clean but a little dated...regardless it is located where diving to the north (west is what they call it) or the southern sites, like Superior Producer you are conveniently located. The Dive Bus will handle any shore diving needs, from taking you if you'd like that or to just giving great advice and directions if you want to do it on your own....I can't say enough good things about them, top notch and second to none in that catagory (we've dove many places so I feel confident in telling you that) If you want to do some boat dives, I'd go to the West End and use Dive West (which was Ocean Encounters West). Curacao, like Bonaire is an excellent shore diving destination...Enjoy

 

[Doc]

.... We'd love to see big sea life (whale sharks, rays, sharks, etc.) and aren't interested in caves or wrecks as much as sea life and reefs.... The liveaboard we were on was a bit too militant and disorganized for us (the conditions were bad and they were unprepared for that, so there was a lot of yelling and rushing).... We'd like to be able to stop and watch the micro-life instead of rushing to keep up to the guide.

Big Sea Life and dawdling along looking at actual micro (smaller than macro) or even macro- are mutually exclusive types of diving, rarely found on the same trip. Big critters like deeper, cooler, more off-shore current heavy areas. Micro is best observed in heavy cover of lush walls. You mention visibility. For macro (or micro) visibility is irrelevant. Larger critters- you might like a high viz 150' look-see, but again- not this type of critter's "happy place", either.

There are many places that I can think of that provide a dive guide naturalist DM where you will not feel rushed, but instead will find the benefit of their trained observational skills.

I think you might get a much better response if you mentioned which liveaboard you tried but found lacking. Bonaire is truly a diver's paradise, but then again, you haven't yet been to heaven. Luckily, there are several heavens scattered around the world.

How much time do you have, and how much money do you want to spend? Two very important points before anyone can begin to offer you a useful answer.

 

[robint]

You sound like you enjoy the exact kind of diving vacation that we (me and my husband) enjoy.
I have a suggestion for you: CocoView Resort, Roatan.

read my trip report: CoCoView Resort, 2008
4-5 dives per day are easy, some people even do more... grab a tank and go 24/7. The house reef has 2 walls and a huge wreck in the middle. Boats go out twice a day, for 2 tank dives, all included in price. The first dive is a reef somewhere on island, then on way back they drop you off at one of the walls to dive on your own back to the resort. Same system for after lunch.

their website: CoCo View Resort Roatan Scuba Roatan Diving located in Roatan, Honduras diving, scuba and snorkeling.
great photos and videos on the website, watch them!

Best way to put it, CoCoView Resort is like a liveaboard, as close as you can get to a liveboard, but you get an oceanfront room. ALL rooms are oceanfront or over the water, too. Don't let anyone tell you it is just like any other resort (that is cheaper) on the island. That is BS. Cocoview is exactly what you are looking for! And the food and ambiance are amazing! The crew and staff are amazing!

here you can clearly see the sand channel to walk out to the reef. You can also see the platform at around 3-4" depth, to stop and put on your fins, etc. They have this all there for their guests, a well thought out resort for DIVERS ONLY.

and here are some divers heading out for a night dive!

robin

 

[Lorax]

I am a certified diver and a travel agent and would be happy to help - -all contact info at Girlfriend's Gateway, and yes that is co!

 

[mselenaous]

The Scubaboard Invasion Trips are always a BLAST! Fun time, fun people, new life long friendships and dive buddies. Last year's Cozumel Invasion was so awesome, many are going again this year! And it's an awesome deal too. http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/invade-cozumel-2012/396102-invade-cozumel-2012-package-deal.html

 

[benver]

You sound like you enjoy the exact kind of diving vacation that we (me and my husband) enjoy.
I have a suggestion for you: CocoView Resort, Roatan.

read my trip report: CoCoView Resort, 2008
4-5 dives per day are easy, some people even do more... grab a tank and go 24/7. The house reef has 2 walls and a huge wreck in the middle. Boats go out twice a day, for 2 tank dives, all included in price. The first dive is a reef somewhere on island, then on way back they drop you off at one of the walls to dive on your own back to the resort. Same system for after lunch.

their website: CoCo View Resort Roatan Scuba Roatan Diving located in Roatan, Honduras diving, scuba and snorkeling.
great photos and videos on the website, watch them!

Best way to put it, CoCoView Resort is like a liveaboard, as close as you can get to a liveboard, but you get an oceanfront room. ALL rooms are oceanfront or over the water, too. Don't let anyone tell you it is just like any other resort (that is cheaper) on the island. That is BS. Cocoview is exactly what you are looking for! And the food and ambiance are amazing! The crew and staff are amazing!

here you can clearly see the sand channel to walk out to the reef. You can also see the platform at around 3-4" depth, to stop and put on your fins, etc. They have this all there for their guests, a well thought out resort for DIVERS ONLY.

and here are some divers heading out for a night dive!

robin

Oh wow! That looks amazing and right up our alley! Thank you so much!

 

[benver]

The liveaboard we were on was the Kangaroo Explorer in Australia. I think it could have been a good experience but the conditions were pretty bad since there had just been a cyclone (we went in March 2010) and there was one super stressed out guide who did a lot of yelling.