Top three reasons to do your local diving

[TSandM]

Thanks for all the responses, people! I'm enjoying them, even the sarcastic ones. I guess I should have entitled the thread something more like, "Three reasons to do your most usual diving," so people could write about diving they actually ENJOY . . .

 

[ScubaSam]

1). No airports, TSA and baggage fees to deal with.

2). Keep existing skills sharp, test new gear, learn new skills.

3). Fresh and salt water sites: Wrecks, shore and quarry diving.

 

[Doc]

Thanks for all the responses, people! I'm enjoying them, even the sarcastic ones. I guess I should have entitled the thread something more like, "Three reasons to do your most usual diving," so people could write about diving they actually ENJOY . . .

Okay, okay, I like to read gangster novels. Here's one I met in person... through diving:

At least one of us enjoyed the diving.

 

[macado]

Nobody mentioned Boston/Cape Ann?

Boston Harbor Islands have some great dive sites and wrecks and are very scenic and Cape Ann has some fantastic shore dives only 45 minutes from Boston. All are very accessible.

1) Lobster hunting, the real ones with claws. MA residents can get noncommercial lobster license for $40 a year. It's fun and thrilling thing to do, makes diving much more a sporting/entertaining event. Alternatively, scallop diving or flounder hunting? If you're not a hunter then I guess this isn't a good reason but sometimes seeing a 10lb monster of lobster makes the diving worth it.

2) Cape Ann also has some abundant shore diving. We may not have the variety of fish that you guys get in Pacific but we still have wolf fish, sea ravens, nudibranchs, spiny dog fish, and ocean pout. I've had some dives inadvertently turn into seal dives while being checked out by some inquisitive harbor seals.

3) Close proximity to home. Much cheaper than flying to Mexico/Florida. Most dive sites are about 30 minute drive for me. Lots of dive charters in the area. Shore diving is also much less expensive.

I'm sure there are other reasons but as much as I love warm water diving, I still like diving in New England.

 

[boulderjohn]

Thanks for all the responses, people! I'm enjoying them, even the sarcastic ones. I guess I should have entitled the thread something more like, "Three reasons to do your most usual diving," so people could write about diving they actually ENJOY . . .

I assume you meant me by the term "sarcastic." I actually do enjoy diving in the Denver metro area, but only because I enjoy diving in general.

This reminds me of a time I had just had a very miserable experience in a mucky local site called Carter Lake. It was made all the more miserable by the inexcusable interference with the local part rangers, who could not find the insurance paperwork that we had filed (and it was really obvious it was their error and not ours) and tried to throw our group, including 12 students, out of the park. In frustration I wrote a totally sarcastic review of the site and sent it to Dive Training, which solicits reviews of local diving. I was shocked when the next issue of the magazine included my review, with only a few of the more outrageous comments (like the joy of ranger harassment) edited out. I haven't looked lately, but I believe the kernel of my sarcastic response may still be on their web site.

 

[DennisS]

1) Beach is 5 min away
2) Short swim to the reef
3) Spiny lobster on the reef

 

[Rainer]

(1) Sea lions. Lots of sea lions. The puppies of the sea.

[vimeo]20507429[/vimeo]


(2) Wrecks. They are life magnets.

[vimeo]16380441[/vimeo]


(3) Oil rigs. Amazing structure, amazing marine creatures (especially the pelagics).

[vimeo]13112346[/vimeo]

 

[Rainer]

And if I had to choose a fourth:

(4) The Channel Islands. These might not be tropical islands, but they deliver some truly outstanding diving.

[vimeo]26306744[/vimeo]


[vimeo]14414059[/vimeo]


[vimeo]26303665[/vimeo]

 

[Jaydubya]

Don't need 3 reasons. One is good enough.

Because I get to dive wrecks like these:

[video=youtube;1cIYDCvQpvQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cIYDCvQpvQ[/video]

 

[boulderjohn]

You guys are all killing me. The official motto of the state of Colorado is "We're just a plane flight away from really great diving."