What's the best place to dive & increase logged dives in the Caribbean? (during December or in general)

[salmonidae]

Base in NA, recently got my ow & aow, looking for somewhere not too expensive to increase my logged dives (37 more to go to Galapagos

Planning my next trip for December. Would like to freedive and scuba.

Done some research and I'm not too sure what to choose:
Cozumel & tulum cenotes - cold and bad weather during winter? Average price, 2 tanks 130$+. Highlight: bull shark dive in December
Roatan - good env and price (100$ 2 tanks), rainy season
Utila - cheaper than Roatan (85$ 2 tanks) and has a good vibe but the diving env is not as good as Roatan
Bonaire - great to go during December, shoredives, best for advanced divers to dive without guide (130$, 2 tanks)
Caracao - similar to Bonaire with less people, cheaper (115$, 2 tanks)
Bahamas - bimini? great to dive with hammerhead sharks (maybe combining miami Jupiter for shark dive since they are very close)
Turks and caicos (pain in the ass to go there, expensive, 2 tanks 200$+)
Belize - apparently not the best time to visit (has more stuff in other months)
Dominica - sperm whales (liveaboard only)
Dominican Republic - humpback whales (only during january &april, not the best timing, leaving it for the future)

Any experience or recommendations?
Very appreciated.

 

[tursiops]

Don't do boat dives if you want to affordably increase your dive count. Do shore dives. Bonaire, for example, provides free and excellent shore diving.

 

[rongoodman]

If you want to clock a lot of dives in a short period of times, a liveaboard is the way to go. You can typically get 27 dives in over the course of the week if you're up for it. The Explorer Venture boats are less expensive than the Aggressor fleet and often run discounts.

 

[salmonidae]

Don't do boat dives if you want to affordably increase your dive count. Do shore dives. Bonaire, for example, provides free and excellent shore diving.

Thanks! The issue is I'm not confident enough to dive alone or with a buddy with around 10 dives in total… I think Bonaire is more affordable than boat dives in Cozumel for exemple, when only doing unlimited tank without a guide. Otherwise it’s much more expensive I feel. But good point, I might register for a navigation course first and dive without a guide

 

[34109411]

well if you have only 10 dive i don't know if galapagos is for you. Most dive shop will ask a check up dive before taking you. Also make sure you are comfortable in really strong current and swell along with doing negative entry. No time to do some bla bla bla in the galapagos once you are off the boat. Carrying a dsmb and know how to use it will be a great idea.

Cheers

 

[salmonidae]

If you want to clock a lot of dives in a short period of times, a liveaboard is the way to go. You can typically get 27 dives in over the course of the week if you're up for it. The Explorer Venture boats are less expensive than the Aggressor fleet and often run discounts.

I want to increase my dive count but I’m not in a hurry. And liveaboard is out of budget for me now I’m still a student. But thanks for the info I’m saving it for the future hehe

 

[salmonidae]

well if you have only 10 dive i don't know if galapagos is for you. Most dive shop will ask a check up dive before taking you. Also make sure you are comfortable in really strong current and swell along with doing negative entry. No time to do some bla bla bla in the galapagos once you are off the boat. Carrying a dsmb and know how to use it will be a great idea.

Cheers

Def not for me until I have at least 50 dives. Its like one of my final destination so I don’t want to go there and see all the good stuff too soon lol

 

[-JD-]

Something to consider ... Blackbeard's Cruises Bahamas Liveaboard Diving Official WS

If you take a couple of classes like Deep and Night, you'll get time with an instructor for some supervision. You might ask to see if they would let you "shadow" some of the other classes (checkouts & AOW) until you get more comfortable as they will certainly do checkouts first.

With a couple classes, the trip would come in about US $1900-21000 (Diving, Food, "Lodging", Transfer, Tips, Rentals - Excluding Airfare) Gives you roughly 18 dives. You might also factor in coming in the day before and staying at the marina "hotel" as an insurance against travel delays. Once the boat sails, getting to it would range from $$$$ to impossible.

Lots of folks of all ages, can be HS student to retiree, actually interacting with one another. Good, generally calm, diving (minimal current). It is diving on your own (as a buddy team), so a chance to build your self reliance in relatively benign conditions - but respect it.

 

[34109411]

Don't do boat dives if you want to affordably increase your dive count. Do shore dives. Bonaire, for example, provides free and excellent shore diving.

go to utila or roatan boat dive are cheap.

 

[tursiops]

go to utila or roatan boat dive are cheap.

Even so, you can only do 2 or 3 or 4 a day. 6 a day -- at no cost - is easy in Bonaire, especially off the dock.