Prefer shore boat diving?

[IceIce]

There are pros and cons:

Boat dive: - Sea sick
- Crowd
- Easy gear donning
- Multiple way of entries
- Lots of diving option

I enjoy boat dive way of entries, we can do backroll which is very convinient, and giant stride from practically almost every point of the boat as long as it's not too high. For some big boat, we use dinghy and it would also be just an easy back roll.
Some boat in Asia called jukung with two long legs on boat side, we can do face-out entry, sit at the edge facing out and just drop. Or we can jump in first and gear up in water.

Most diving sites are only reachable by boats, especially remote healthy diving sites.
DIving with boats in certain area, we can get best treats along the way. Dolphins, whales, flying fish, magnificent sunset and just the peaceful blue sky and sea.

Big setback is sea sickness (solved with pills) and crowd, but normally we still have enough space for our own. Most dive operators in Asia are very good in putting you with diver with the same profile, certification, preference of diving, photography (relax diving) so everyone is more understanding towards other's diving pattern.

Other advantages are we only have to assemble the gear once for boat with compressor, we have deck for sun and shade area to sleep and ladder to pee.


Shore dive: - One entry option
- Shore wave - ouch!
- Less diving option
- More relax

Shore dive is relaxing, you can suit your own pace and time. That is one great advantage.
Personally I find entry and exit of shore diving can be quite pain in the ass, especially when the wave are cracking to the shore, it can make me ended up as a beached whale. But once you get used to it, it's easy.
It's only how far you can you walk to the water or along the beach fully gear that determine how long the backpain going to last.
Less diving option - self explanatory.

I think I prefer boat diving, I just love sitting on the wind, looking at the blues and swimming in the ocean as my surface interval.

 

[Garrobo]

Boat.

 

[Teamcasa]

Both have their advantages and drawbacks. If I had to choose just one I like boat diving better. But since I am not forced to make that decision yet, I happily do both.

 

[El Orans]

No boat required: scubafoto/Gallerij/Zeeland

 

[DiverLS]

I live in Reno, NV - the only shore diving I do is Lake Tahoe (boring) for gear check out.

To get the blue water diving, I have to drive. The closest place is Monterey and beach diving there is CROWDED. So I boat dive to get the most dives in the shortest time.

I also take longer drives to S. Cal and take the liveaboards there, the Peace, Horizon or Truth Aquatics. That way I can get in 4-5 dives a day.

I did try shore diving in the blue in N. California. The start of the dive was fantastic, thought no problem. Then the surf came up. With the weight required for a drysuit and the higher fat content of a woman, it was impossible. Once I was down on my knees there was no getting up. Luckily I was there with the dive club and was not the first person in that position. I was rescued post haste.

So, I prefer Boat, Boat, Boat.

 

[tropitan]

Thank you all for your input. We had unseasonably calm water in Kona today, so we did two shore dives: FANTASTIC!!! Thanks again.

 

[NudeDiver]

Boat.

Succinct - and self-explanatory. I hope you run for president some day.

 

[Damselfish]

I only do warm water diving now, though when I started diving at home I did mostly shore diving. The hassle of the shore diving around here is part of what made me give it up. I like shore diving when it's really convenient, like my gear is in a locker by the dock and I can jump in right there. Otherwise I much prefer boat diving, it's just so much more convenient to me. I have little interest in hauling my gear all over an island on vacation. I'm mostly fine with boat schedules, as they serve to get me out of my hammock.