Scuba Diving Destinations

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Traket92X

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Traket
In about a year, my wife and I hope to head for a Scuba trip together. We will be starting the trip from Austin and heading off in a plane doing 150-175 kts. Are their any good scuba locations within a days range? We would likely spend 3-4 days at the destination.

We are both advanced open water divers but would likely go with an instructor the first few times as we haven't gone in 3 years.
 
Yes, you have the Keys and the Bahamas available in a day's flying. Look up Staniel Cay Yacht Club, it will be an excellent time, they'll pick you up at the airport in a golf cart, take you you your little villa house at the yacht club with a pool, as well as a dive shop and marina. You can even rent a boat and/or snorkel in the Thunderbolt cave from the Bond flick. There are some nice spots right to the north you can have your own private cove and beach.
 
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Traket92X said:
We are both advanced open water divers but would likely go with an instructor the first few times as we haven't gone in 3 years.
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This is a nature of scuba - unless you dive in the same known location (typically with obvious beach/shore access) you pretty much always dive with an instructor. First of all many best dive locations (say Caribbean, etc) are accessible by boats only, it means when you 'buy' such a dive it automatically comes with a dive master. I was once diving in British Virgin Islands with a friend who chartered a sail boat, we rented tanks and we thought we would enjoy some scuba - the problem was we had no idea where good spots were. The dive shop would not give us a map with GPS positions of good dive locations so our dives were mediocre.

Cozumel is very good and even closer is Cancun/Playa del Carmen with access to famous cavern diving, they are called cenotes. Divers from all over the world come to Yukatan for this very unique dive experience. If you have never done cenotes diving - you owe it to yourself to do it at least once (they are all supervised very safe dives), breathtaking experience.
 
Divemaster on the boat does not equate to dive guide on the dive. Typically the Divemaster sits on the boat unless it's unbearably hot. If you want a guide or instructor, that's usually extra. Normally once the boat is secured on the dive site, the lines are down as is the ladder, the "pool's open" proclamation is made and people go off diving.
 
Henning said:
Typically the Divemaster sits on the boat unless it's unbearably hot. If you want a guide or instructor, that's usually extra.
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Not my experience and I have done hundreds of dives in the Caribbeans.
There was always at least one and often two 'instructors/guides' for every scuba 'group'. He is not your 'personal' instructor but he tends to needs everyone in the group. Yes, if you want your personal instructor - you pay for it.
 
Traket92X said:
We are both advanced open water divers but would likely go with an instructor the first few times as we haven't gone in 3 years.
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Since you haven't been diving in a while, Pennecamp Marine Park in Key Largo would be a great place to 'get your fins wet' again. They have plenty of dives ranging from shallow beginner to deep wreck dives. Most of the dive shops sell 3 day, 10 dive packages that sound like it would be perfect for you. Marathon airport is very easy to fly in and out of. The last time I flew in there to go diving, I had the rental car company leave a car at the airport for me. I drove up to Key Largo and dove for three days. From the description you posted, this would certainly be an option to consider.
 
I liked Roatan a whole bunch. Been there twice both times in a GA airplane. You might stop at Cozumel on the way back for some drift diving. Give Roatan a "google".
 
Gah! I like to keep Roatan secret. Don't go! It's a horrible place! Bugs! robbers! Hurricanes! Locust!
 
Athens Scuba Park, Athens, TX.
 
It was humor, Alex. He said within a day's range and didn't specify it had to be blue water.

And yes, I would prefer something of the salt water variety.


Another selection for Texas is the Flower Gardens reef www.flingcharters.com out of Freeport, TX. I've been out with them several times and always enjoyed myself.
 
AggieMike88 said:
It was humor, Alex. He said within a day's range and didn't specify it had to be blue water.

And yes, I would prefer something of the salt water variety.


Another selection for Texas is the Flower Gardens reef www.flingcharters.com out of Freeport, TX. I've been out with them several times and always enjoyed myself.
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Gotcha :thumbsup:. I remember everyone talking about diving Possum Kingdom, so I went. Let's just say I found out where all the illegal drain pipes end up.
 
It looks like the closest suggestions will take me to at least the tip of Florida. At that distance, a non-stop to Ft. Lauderdale starts sounding attractive.

That being said, it was a drift dive in Cozumel that got me hooked on scuba diving. Many years later, my wife did one of the dives on a cruise ship and thought it was awesome (it was crap). After that I promised to take here somewhere better. We did Bonaire the next year and Tavanier two years later. Sounds like Cozumel would be the best place for the next trip. What I saw there would blow her mind compared to what we have seen so far.
 
Riding Rock Inn and Marina on San Salvador http://www.ridingrock.com/ in the southeast corner of the Bahamas is a great rustic place to go diving. Nice walls, reefs, lots of critters. The routine is sleep-eat-dive-repeat. We've seen small singles (182s, Arrows, etc.) fly in.

After the first dive, where the divemaster/instructor checks to see if you really can dive, you're on your own to follow the group or go off exploring with your buddy.

Not crowded. in fact one year we were the only guests at the resort for most of the week. During one dive, two dolphins swam in to play. Stayed for about 30 minutes. Lots of video. Saw then twice after that.

If you want a faster pace, there's a Club Med on the other side of the runway. Oddly enough, they have their own time zone. One hour ahead of the rest of the island.
 
Here on the Emerald Coast lots of cools spots to go in Pensacola ( the Oriskany ), Destin, Panama City - Call Jeff @ http://www.diversemporium.net/ super super nice guy, has a boat and/or will probably tell you all the best spots because he is is a super nice guy !

I'll put it this way - after I finished up my open water course on base where it was nice and cheap I wandered into his shop to look at some equipment. Two hours later I learned as much from him about diving as I learned in the entire open water course ! He loves his job and you can tell. Also, he used to fly back when he was a wee lad - we've talked about flying a bunch also :)
 
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You'll really like the whole Staniel Cay experience if you want a nice mellow laid back vacation with warm clear water and good diving.
 
This post is timely for me. I just got back from the Keys and SNUBA'd twice on Sombrero Reef. Then Friday we snorkeled Looe Key. Looe Key was amazing with rays, shark, and a huge Grouper hanging out under the boat.

We now own our own snorkel gear; time to get certified for open water scuba, I'm hooked!
 
years ago, I went to Roatan and stayed at a placed call "Caribbean Sailing Yachts" or something like that. It's been 20 years so that place is probably long gone and/or name change.

I've also been to Anthony's Key. Great place.
 
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