where to go diving?

[twothumbs]

New to this board (sorry if this has been asked). I'm making a last min trip and just wondering how good the diving is at these places. I am a new diver (padi cert) while my father has been diving for 25yrs (advanced crt).

any suggestions on these places would be greatly appreciated

1)punta cana
2) st martin
3) anywhere you can get a direct flight from nyc

thanks

J

 

[ScubaSixString]

New to this board (sorry if this has been asked). I'm making a last min trip and just wondering how good the diving is at these places. I am a new diver (padi cert) while my father has been diving for 25yrs (advanced crt).

any suggestions on these places would be greatly appreciated

1)punta cana
2) st martin
3) anywhere you can get a direct flight from nyc

thanks

J

Its murkier, colder, and not as colorful, but why not dive where you are? The caribean is nice (so i hear) and all, but you'll dive more if you don't confine yourself to it.

 

[7ftDiver]

You would be surprised how much there is to see around the NY area. Besides youll better your skills by diving in less than perfect conditions. Off the southern coast of LI there are tons of shipwrecks to explore. just my 2cents

 

[Damselfish]

telling someone to dive at home hardly answers a question about where to travel to...

I know nothing about Punta Cana. I have not been to St Martin, it's not really known as a great dive destination but being new I'm sure you'd still get some enjoyable dives in.

Look for direct flights to Cayman, Turks&Caicos, Cozumel. I'd suggest Bonaire or Curacao but I don't think there are direct flights from NY. You can probably get to next door Aruba direct though it's not as good for diving. You might be able to get to St. Croix, BVI, St Lucia, or Barbados direct, again not the "big" dive places but could be pretty nice. I would think you can get also direct flights to the Bahamas or Puerto Rico, though the better diving there isn't right at the main gateways. Or you could always do a trip to the FL Keys. Bermuda isn't known as a great dive destination, but it's pretty close and if you're into wrecks it might be fun.

 

[ScubaSixString]

"telling someone to dive at home hardly answers a question about where to travel to...
"

The only real question asked was in the title ,"where to dive". I haven't been to any of the places asked about, but i dive in the northeast. I was simply saying he doesn't HAVE to travel to dive.

 

[Damselfish]

"telling someone to dive at home hardly answers a question about where to travel to..."

The only real question asked was in the title ,"where to dive". I haven't been to any of the places asked about, but i dive in the northeast. I was simply saying he doesn't HAVE to travel to dive.

well sure, but since they gave examples of
"1)punta cana
2) st martin
3) anywhere you can get a direct flight from nyc"
I think it's safe to assume they weren't talking about the Hudson River.

 

[diversteve]

3) anywhere you can get a direct flight from nyc

I'd vote for Cayman, the diving is outstanding, you can get there in 4-5 hrs. from JFK. Check Cayman Airways, they'll probably have the best deal. Post-Ivan, I saw some really good condo/dive deals offered there earlier this year.

Or Bonaire, but it would be a long layover on AA through San Juan. You'd probably waste a whole day getting there. But the diving's excellent and it's generally flat calm.

I'd rate Cayman better for bigger fish/animals and Bonaire better for smaller stuff.

Isn't there another tropical storm/hurricane coming soon? May have to plan your trip around it. Bonaire is out of the hurricane belt so it's least likely to be affected, Cayman was trashed last year by Ivan, they're still recovering from it.

One more thought, I've read that Curacao(never been there) diving is similar to Bonaire, and there's a lot more other things to do there, might be easier to get to also.

my .02

Steve

 

[MEL-DC Diver]

Actually, I have heard that the reef around Puta Cana is pretty dead and that the best diving around that part of the DR is Catalina Island - a 1 or 2 hr drive away. Not saying DR diving is bad, just that diving off of Puta Cana is pretty average.

 

[TheRedHead]

New to this board (sorry if this has been asked). I'm making a last min trip and just wondering how good the diving is at these places. I am a new diver (padi cert) while my father has been diving for 25yrs (advanced crt).

any suggestions on these places would be greatly appreciated

1)punta cana
2) st martin
3) anywhere you can get a direct flight from nyc

thanks

J

JetBlue offers great fares on direct flights from NYC to Ft. Lauderdale ($59 one way) and the diving is world class in that area including West Palm Beach and Boynton.

I've never dived in St. Martin but have read that the diving is mediocre with the surrounding islands offering better dive sites. This site http://www.caribdiveguide.com/St_Maarten.htm states that:

"Not all of St. Maarten/Martin's reef sites are actually coral reefs. Many of the sites are rock formations encrusted with sponges, hydroids and coral. In the north, in particular, there are some interesting layered rock formations. In the south, Proselyte Reef (see sample dive below), was formed by lava flows. In other areas, old coral reefs can be seen below new growth of coral and sponges."

St. Croix, on the other hand, offers incredible diving and is inexpensive compared to some of its neighbors. I'm not sure there is a non-stop flight from NYC to STX. I dived with a shop N2theBlue near Cane Bay and would highly reccomend them to provide an experience that both your and your more experienced father would never forget. They do the deep wrecks as well as all the shallow sites extending the dive times in shallow sites to your air limits. No rush, rush to get back to the dock and for the afternoon trip. The Cane Bay Wall can be dived from shore for the cost of rentals and you can do shallow and deep profiles. Navigation is simple in and out.

I would also recommend Cozumel and there is a entire forum here devoted to its wonders.

 

[del_mo]

JetBlue offers great fares on direct flights from NYC to Ft. Lauderdale ($59 one way)....

Or consider a "little" drive south to the Keys...Key Largo, or the middle Keys.