Ideas for next year

[mystybluediver]

As said above I am looking for ideas. Next year I reach the dreaded 50 and it's my turn to choose where we go!! The 'we' is my husband, and my brother and sister in law. We all enjoy shore diving without a guide, taking photos, (my albums have more fish than family!) shallower dives, 18 metres and not too much current. Yes I know I have described Bonaire which is my all time favourite but would like to try somewhere different. To date have dived in Bonaire, Curacoa, Aruba, Grand Cayman, Red Sea, Maldives and Tenerife. Would probably prefer Macro photography and not a great lover of sharks, unless they are the smaller variety. Would really appreciate any ideas and experiences you can share with me.

cheers

sorry I as an ignorant newbie i posted this in the wrong forum so it is also it the greetings section

 

[Doc]

:10:

Ideas for next year....As said above I am looking for ideas.

Better hurry, as of your post, that's only 60 shopping days to go!

Next year I reach the dreaded 50 and it's my turn to choose where we go!! The 'we' is my husband, and my brother and sister in law. We all enjoy shore diving without a guide, taking photos, (my albums have more fish than family!) shallower dives, 18 metres and not too much current. Yes I know I have described Bonaire which is my all time favourite but would like to try somewhere different.

By ticking off the criteria above: You have also described the AI resort of CoCoView with the unique South Side diving on Roatan. Bonaire is my favorite dive destination island, Roatan's CCV is my favorite single dive destination AI Resort in the Caribbean. If I were to pick, it would be a toss up... between and island nation and a single resort. Get it?

To date have dived in Bonaire, Curacoa, Aruba, Grand Cayman, Red Sea, Maldives and Tenerife. Would probably prefer Macro photography and not a great lover of sharks, unless they are the smaller variety.

Macro? South side Roatan. We don't see much sharky variation anywhere in the Mar Caribe, but I understand exactly what blows your skirt up. I like the little odd-fellows better than the obvious ones that everybody manages to gawk at. Those funny bottom feeder Sharks are the shiznitz. (Whoops, I don't know if a 50 year old knows what that means!)

Belize also fits your needs well in most regards. To make it a precise fit, you might well look at the Nekton liveaboard, which allows you "reverese" shore diving. When we were aboard, the safety "bubble watchers" on the deck watched our dives at night and joked that our 2hr BT forrays looked like we were making a shore landing. All sorts of cool little stuff in shallow- one night we found multiple Toadfish, hundreds of 1" Squidlets and Pipefish were everywhere. Land based there is good as well, but not the same kind of instant access. Most folks do 20m at 50 minutes and then go look at the stars. We stayed low and slow... and long.

As an aside, if you liked the Maldives (probably refering to the great shore dive access, altho I did liveaboard), I found it to be similar in may regards to the Out Islands of the Bahamas, notably San Salvador (also a Nekton "Southern Bahamas" Itinnerary, the island is well known because of the resident Club Dread, which is easily avoided) Delightful diving, lots of structure. The critters are a lot bigger in Maldives, though! The island is well served by The Riding Rock Inn, but again, a lack of shore diving provided could be a negative for you (unless you switch to the simulated shore dive of the liveaboard).

Many folks go on the liveaboards there and dive it like every other destination, deep and fast. Slow and shallow (when it's an option) is the key for me. I saw this same mistake being made in the Red Sea (Sharm). Even when we were near the fabulous walls West of Shark Observatory (I cant remeber the exact name), divers went deep and fast looking for Sharks. There and in the Starits of Tiran... in shallow....that's where I discovered Sea Moths. You hit all my hot buttons: slow, shallow, macro, photo, leisurely, easy, accessable.

Sounds like either option would hit all your needs.

 

[mystybluediver]

Roatanman,,

Thanks for your reply, couldn't agree more slow and shallow, perect dive for me is at least an hour staying in a relatively small area seeing how many different critters I can spot. Roatan is already high on my list, the best time for me because of other committments would be October, hows the diving that time of year? Although thats the best time it is flexible, just about anything can be moved for some good diving!! And you're right a 50 years young person has no idea what shiznitz is please explain

 

[robint]

here's another vote for a liveaboard, Nekton would be great for you.... it really is just like shore diving but no fighting waves or lugging gear. WE did the Nekton Cay Sal trip in '06 and loved it. This summer we did Bonaire and loved it also but it was more work than doing a liveaboard. I bet you would love the Belize trip and they also have a new itinerary starting for winters to Puerto Rico/St. Croix that sounds good.
There is also Turks & Caicos Explorer or Turks & Caicos Aggressor. Same thing, awesome diving and relaxing.
There is also the Kona Aggressor in Hawaii.
Nekton Diving Cruises - Comfort, Stability, Worldclass Diving
Explorer Ventures: Adventures in Live-Aboard Diving
Aggressor Fleet | The ultimate in live-aboards since 1984

It's your big 50, go for a liveaboard. It is absolutely a blast and great diving.

robint
30 days til Palau on BBE!

 

[Doc]

couldn't agree more slow and shallow, perect dive for me is at least an hour staying in a relatively small area seeing how many different critters I can spot. Roatan is already high on my list, the best time for me because of other committments would be October, hows the diving that time of year? Although thats the best time it is flexible, just about anything can be moved for some good diving!!

The 4th Quarter of the year is an oft discussed weather question in the Caribbean. Along the Northern coasts of South America and Central America, there is such a "lift" to weather systems that most pass to the North and West... the most common and typical Caribbean storm path. That aside, the islands such as ABC's and (to a greater degree as they are further North) the Bay Islands still can suffer the backlash and swirls of rain spinning off of the Tropical Storms as the head NorthWest towards Belize, Cozumel and Texas.

In the Bay Islands, it is the "rainy season". The driest weather is April-August, but with your appreciation of the tiny and unusual, understand that each month, each full moon, each seasonal variation brings a new wow into the water column.

And you're right a 50 years young person has no idea what shiznitz is please explain

I am 55 years old and I do. When I was with a bunch of your fellow Englishmen in the Red Sea, I had no idea what their most commonly word was: bollocks. I have sinced looked it up.

 

[Panunee Yacht]

How about Derawan Is-Sangalaki Is-Kakaban Lake-Maratua Is in east Kalimantan, Borneo, Indonesia. If you are u/w photographer, you will love it because not only wide but also macro critters you can find.

 

[OnTheSpot]

Hi,

If you seriously want good quality diving then there is nowhere on earth that can compare to the Coral Triangle of South East Asia - where scientists agree is home to the greatest marine biodiversity on the planet.

How about (Mabul) or (Lembeh)?

There are many other great destinations in South East Asia and I am sure that if you look around you will find exactly what you are looking for. I have met plenty of divers familiar predominantly with the Mexico/Caribbean area who are blown away by the quality diving here

Cheers

 

[-hh]

As said above I am looking for ideas...We all enjoy shore diving without a guide, taking photos, (my albums have more fish than family!) shallower dives, 18 metres and not too much current. Yes I know I have described Bonaire which is my all time favourite but would like to try somewhere different. To date have dived in Bonaire, Curacoa, Aruba, Grand Cayman, Red Sea, Maldives and Tenerife. Would probably prefer Macro photography and not a great lover of sharks, unless they are the smaller variety.

Perhaps try Little Cayman, as there's generally no current and the sites (even on the sheer walls) are 'shallow friendly'. There's macro here, although not generally known for it as much as for wide angle.

For self-guided shore diving, instead of staying at the oft-recommended-here Little Cayman Beach Resort (LCBR), consider Sam McCoy's Lodge (www.mccoyslodge.com.ky/). Its not a Hotel...its closer to a B&B...but more importantly, it is the only place on the North side of the island. A friend who goes there frequently routinely does afternoon shore dives, swimming out to the far west section of Bloody Bay wall right from their property.


-hh

 

[Malene]

Hello,
I would recomment Indonesia or the Philippines with a preference for Indonesia, and especially Manado (Bunaken) and Lembeth.
In the Philippines, the Visayas are a great place for tiny stuff.
IMO diving in this part of Asia is the fantastic. Colours and variety of fish / critters / nudibranches are without equal, and make even diving in the Red Sea a bit pale !
And also, to celebrate your 50, it would be nice to go a totally new destination !

 

[DiveMaven]

How about Wakatobi?? Well known for it's macro and comfort.