Long Time Member 1st Time Poster

[jtslush]

No problem. I've done multiple solo trips. She's off on a topside trip with an old high school buddy right now, where I think they sit on a hotel balcony on an upper floor, look at the ocean, yak at each other and occasionally go piddle around a shop somewhere.

It's not unusual to hear stories where hubby is an avid deer hunter or operates a personal plane. Many women do a lot of shopping alone. And of course some people break the stereotypes or do 'gender neutral' hobbies without their spouse.

It's nice if you share a passion together, but that doesn't have to be every passion either of you are allowed to have.

I ask what the difference is perceived to be with recreational diving. I suspect it's either the money, or the idea the diving spouse is jetting off to 'the tropics,' or maybe that you're not sharing the 'fun' with her.

The cost of diving is a serious issue for many of us (but there are a number of recreational hobbies like that). As for 'the tropics,' I've been on multiple tropical dive trips and I have yet to see the cast of the old Baywatch series (or similar) jogging up and down the beach, or something along the lines of 'Muscle Beach,' etc... No sexy hottie eye candy extravaganzas.

As for 'fun,' well, if you happen to be a stereotypical guy and your wife at all stereotypically 'girly,' have you ever been drug along on one of her shopping trips to Kohl's or similar? My point is that just because an activity is fun for one person does not mean it's fun for another.


It's possible to entertain oneself topside at many destinations. Some people pick dive destinations with that in mind.

I suppose it's the splitting time when on a trip together that I worry about. Probably a conversation to have to ensure it's not too much time split. And of course, a solo trip money would be something to think about. We typically only take a couple of trips a year together, so probably solo for me at this point would be a heck no from the wife.

 

[jtslush]

My wife can't dive (claustraphobia-- not fear of underwater, but of being restricted in a wetsuit). I've gone on one week long tropical dive trip by myself. There would have been nothing for her to do other than sit on the beach and swim. I shore dive alone at home and text her when I'm safely out of the water. She plays poker once weekly while I stay home (usually wins...). No problems here.

I wouldn't mind a quick shore dive. All I have around me is a semi clear lake. It's not super interesting, pretty much just blow bubbles. I'd love to live closer to the coast to take advantage of that.

 

[Rob9876]

I wouldn't mind a quick shore dive. All I have around me is a semi clear lake. It's not super interesting, pretty much just blow bubbles. I'd love to live closer to the coast to take advantage of that.

I hear you, I'm landlocked in Tennessee diving in flooded rock quarries fairly often. Not sure where you are in Texas, but the Florida panhandle (Pensacola, Panama City Beach, etc.) may be within driving range for a weekend or long weekend of diving. They also have weekend-long liveaboard trips out to the Flower Gardens Marine Sanctuary which looks like great diving (there are some review threads on here about that).

 

[drrich2]

I suppose it's the splitting time when on a trip together that I worry about.

Ah, this can be negotiated.

Years ago, a married diver posted his liking for Curacao; it offers shore diving, nice beaches that often have some onsite amenities, and it's larger and has more topside diversions than Bonaire. He could grab some diving while she hung out on the beach, then they could spend time together. I did some boat diving on a trip there.

Curacao Trip Research Notes

Curacao Trip Report with SB Surge Jan. 2019

Another option is to hit a dive destination with accommodations very close to the diving so you can get a couple of morning trips in and be back in time for lunch and to spend the rest of the day with her, and enough going on topside to entertain her. The southern all-inclusive resorts at Cozumel may have one that'd fill the bill. I hit Cozumel, but I stayed at a resort in town and did a lot of diving on a solo trip.

Tres Pelicanos & Casa Mexicana, Cozumel Sept. 2018 Report - Tres Pelicanos/Casa Mexican Trip Report Sept. 2018

My Research Notes from Planning Cozumel Trip - My Research Notes from Planning Cozumel Trip

An all-inclusive with a sandy beach, maybe take a day to hit Chankanaab Park and do a manatee interaction, spend time enjoying shopping and dining in San Miguel, etc...

 

[jtslush]

Ah, this can be negotiated.

Years ago, a married diver posted his liking for Curacao; it offers shore diving, nice beaches that often have some onsite amenities, and it's larger and has more topside diversions than Bonaire. He could grab some diving while she hung out on the beach, then they could spend time together. I did some boat diving on a trip there.

Curacao Trip Research Notes

Curacao Trip Report with SB Surge Jan. 2019

Another option is to hit a dive destination with accommodations very close to the diving so you can get a couple of morning trips in and be back in time for lunch and to spend the rest of the day with her, and enough going on topside to entertain her. The southern all-inclusive resorts at Cozumel may have one that'd fill the bill. I hit Cozumel, but I stayed at a resort in town and did a lot of diving on a solo trip.

Tres Pelicanos & Casa Mexicana, Cozumel Sept. 2018 Report - Tres Pelicanos/Casa Mexican Trip Report Sept. 2018

My Research Notes from Planning Cozumel Trip - My Research Notes from Planning Cozumel Trip

An all-inclusive with a sandy beach, maybe take a day to hit Chankanaab Park and do a manatee interaction, spend time enjoying shopping and dining in San Miguel, etc...

Thanks for the info!!!