Reliable Caribbean diving for Christmas?

[Sorrows]

Yes, I admit, I spend a significant part of each winter thinking, dreaming of and planning for our future diving vacations. (Oh, like you don't.)

Like many people, we are held hostage by our son's school schedule--thus, we only travel at Christmas and Easter. Spring Break will find us in Cozumel this year, but where to go for Christmas '07?

We've had three winter diving vacations so far--Roatan, Cayman Brac, and Bonaire--and of these three, only in Bonaire was the diving unaffected by storms, rain, wind, chop, etc. I would like to go back to Bonaire, but probably for '08, when the winter break will be a bit longer than usual.

So, my question to all the intrepid divers and winter travelers out there is this: are there any good dive locations that are reliable weather-wise outside of the ABCs?

Dominica and Saba are on my short list for Spring Break vacations, are either of these places a good choice for winter? Any other suggestions? I'd love to hear them!

 

[k4man]

...Like many people, we are held hostage by our son's school schedule--thus, we only travel at Christmas...

Not looking for tears, but this is our life, too. Not only are we governed by our kid's school schedule (sometimes even sporting events/activities DURING breaks) but but my wife and I LIVE the school schedule as we are educators by profession.

Now I can anticipate your next comments...."yeah, but you have the whole summer off to dive..." or something like that. Well, it just never seems to be that easy. After a week-10 days of "tear down" after school is out, there's always a class, seminar, or professional workshop to attend--end of June. July is, honestly, fairly normal, except for the hs band practices of the daughter and summer sport leagues for the son. So, maybe we sneak 2 weeks or so of free time.--July done. August is nothing but 3 weeks of winding back up for football season (band practices, again), meetings and preparations for the professional side, running the boy to soccer practices, karate, and scouts and school is in session.

Don't misunderstand--LOTS of our members on ScubaBoard are/have been parents and live(d) the same life...In the end, however, just wanted to say that it DOES go by quickly (in hindsight) and we should enjoy it while we can!

Until then, happy Christmas and Easter break diving!

 

[Sorrows]

Kevin, as an educator, all you are going to get from me is appreciation and gratitude.

Yes, these years do go by quickly, and we are trying to enjoy them as much as possible--considering we are in the teen years. Let me say that diving has been such a wonderful thing for our family. It's pretty much the ONE thing we all have in common. It gives us something to talk about, a shared interest and a shared goal--to dive, dive, and DIVE!!!

I imagine that in a few years, our son won't be going on dive trips with us anymore. That's going to be tough. I would like to have a super-duper dive trip extravaganza for his senior year (Palua?)--sort of a graduation prize for all of us.

In the meantime, December '07. Any suggestions?

 

[Sorrows]

Well, Bonaire it is, I guess.