New to diving

[letsgo1]

hello gang, i'm checking out this site for some tips. We are new to diving, the wife and i got about 7 dives in recently in St Lucia. we have 2 kids, ages 16 and 14. They are certified and we would like to schedule dive trip this next June. i've heard alot of good things about Honduras, but I also was told it may to too advanced for New Beess. what about Jamaca? any tips would be appreciated.
thanks

 

[Torontonian]

I got my diving certification in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. Diving there is not very good. Little fish, little reef growth, and they don't take care of their environment.

You can think about going to a Beaches or Sandals AI resort. Diving (even gear rental) is all included. Certified divers can get 2 dives a day. There are locations in Jamaica, St. Lucia, Antigua, and Turks & Caico. T&C has good diving, clear water, good reefs, and there are walls.

Can also consider a cruise trip that goes to a few good diving ports. A west Caribbean cruise can go to G. Cayman, Cozumel, Belize, and Costa Maya (or Honduras). A S. Carribbean cruise can go to St. Thomas, Dominica, Barbados, St. Lucia, and Antigua (and/or St. Marteen).

Hey, or a week in Cozumel. Arrange some type of package, diving is inexpensive and very good in Coz.

 

[Papa_Bear]

Good advise! Here are some hot spots: Two Tanked Productions HD & SD Underwater Productions and video services

 

[letsgo1]

thanks i appreciate it. i'll look into Coz too,

 

[robint]

there are lots of good options for you!
Yes, Roatan, Honduras would be a good option. Look at anthonyskeyresort.com the kids would probably love the dolphin encounters and other activities they have there.
Also look at Belize, Cozumel, and Grand Cayman. Skip Jamaica.

Check out some dive/hotel packages here:
Caradonna Dive Adventures - Dive Travel and Vacations
and
Caribbean Dive Island Vacations at Bay Adventures

 

[petermichelle]

We went to Fantasy Island in Roatan when we'd only had about 10 dives ever and we loved it. Had a wonderful time and went back again the next year. The dive shop there is really friendly and helpful. Just let them know you're new and they'll help you. Coz and Belize are also good choices.

 

[chauncy19]

Letsgo1,
I'd go to bonaire. great diving and shore diving is best way to improve and add to diving skills in IMHO. also there is a malaria risk on Roatan atleast according to my bloodbank aka hospital. many different resort options to choose from. Cozumel is also a good choice because of price but nothing beats the freedom of shore diving in Bonaire again IMHO. If you need some hand holding hire a local dive master to show you the way.

 

[DeputyDan]

I do family dive trips to Bonaire.

Bonaire has Everything you would want in a dive trip. My kids that have been to Roatan (Coco View) liked it better than Boanire but it is an entirely different travel experience

That being said, Roatan diving is good and your lack of experience should not be an issue there.
Coz would be more challenging for a new diver than Roatan would.

 

[ragtopjen]

Let me put in my vote for Bonaire as well. I just returned from there, when I got on the plane, I had about 6 open water dives after certification, my Dad even less and it couldn't have been better suited to gaining experience and confidence. There are so many dives with easy entries and barely any surf or current. The biggest concern I found is that it is so clear there that I found it easy to descend farther than I meant to, so I had to keep a very close eye on my depth gauge. Other than that, the biggest decision was "should we go left or right on the reef".

I know my Dad was also very pleased with the experience. We did a bit of diving in Hawaii and the Keys and he wasn't always entirely comfortable in the water, but he gained alot of confidence in his abilities. I think this was the first diving that he was actually pointing reef life out to me. Previous we would come up from a dive and I woud say "did you see that..." and his response was always that he hadn't, he was working too hard on skills to really see much.

And there is so much to see, I think I saw something new on every dive. But then again, it is still new to me, so I hadn't seen much. Or at least that's the way I felt.