Scuba Diving

[jules11vb]

How many of you guys are certified divers?? I am PADI certified and my boyfriend, Ryan, only needs to do his checkout dive to become certified. I learned how in 2002. I've really only been diving in a few places...freshwater quarries in Knoxville, freshwater springs in FL., and one trip to the Bahamas. Just thought I would see if there are any other divers out there.

 

[gflat65]

Haven't been in over a year, but am dying to get back in the water. My wife got a resort course on our honeymoon, and every vacation since has been a diving vacation.

 

[jimmybling31]

i need my certification dives and that's it.

 

[AlexStinson]

i need to learn to swim

 

[jimmybling31]

i need to learn to swim

i think they have a class at the ymca...just act like you are 8... I'm just kidding. lol

 

[ironman]

I got the itch last year after snorkelling and have been looking at the wife and I getting ours together. I have a friend with a place in the keys and a offshore boat that I could go to, so the opertunity is there. That could be the next year of club meetings, choo choo dive center all getting our certs! LOL! I dont want to see brandon in his swimmies though:wink:

 

[gflat65]

If you can do certification through a college, it is a lot cheaper than through a shop. Of course, you get instant gratification with resort courses.

 

[jtl2]

Wife and I are PADI certified haven't been in quite a while. Been diving at quite a few locations (Dale Hollow lake to Bora Bora). Biggest problem diving and reef keeping is putting a price tag on everything you see underwater.

 

[reefcraze]

I've been diving for the last 4yrs. now. Philippines is the best so far.Looking forward to go in Bonaire this summer.

 

[gflat65]

Bonaire is pretty nice. We went for our honeymoon. Who are you diving with? klein has some really nice things to see (pelagic, so you could see some large manta, etc down around the 120-140ft mark). I saw the largest sea stallion I've ever seen (sea horse that grew 5" everytime someone told the story-it was a good 5" with tail partially coiled, though).

 

[scouncil]

I'm YMCA certified, but my husband isn't. Chatt State offers a pretty inexpensive course (cheaper than the dive centers- like $120 per person for an 8 week night time course), though I don't think that includes the cost of the check out dive which could be a local place or FL. He's tried to sign up for the last couple of semesters, but it's always been cancelled due to not enough people signing up.

I've been to Cozumel and St. Barth's which have both been nice. Cozumel was really nice, but I've never been to Bonaire (have heard it's fab....).
Susan

 

[ironman]

The wife and I are planning a cruise, Im wanting to get certified before hand to do some diving, Any places that are a must for diving that can be planned on a standard cruise package?

 

[scouncil]

Cozumel is frequently on cruises and they have a lot of "resort" courses. I don't know about the others.

 

[jimmybling31]

Cozumel is frequently on cruises and they have a lot of "resort" courses. I don't know about the others.

i have snorkeled in cozumel, but it really wasn't the best place in the caribean. a lot of destruction from tourism there. I can't remember the place i went that I liked so much though. they had a cool little restraunt there with a dive center next door. it was sweet.

 

[jimmybling31]

The wife and I are planning a cruise, Im wanting to get certified before hand to do some diving, Any places that are a must for diving that can be planned on a standard cruise package?

don't do the ones where it's a cruise excursion. they suck and are overpriced. pay a taxi to take you to a place that he thinks is very nice. normally the locals know of better places than the cruise group. just slip them an extra 10 bucks at the end or beginning and they will treat you right. did that in jamaica and ended up seeing some nice waterfalls and snorkelling at a magnificent reef.

 

[scouncil]

I don't snorkel since I scuba. You can hardly see anything snorkeling....

 

[gflat65]

Ifg you know where the cruise is stopping, make arrangements on line with the dive shop. They usually will make arrangements to come and get you when the boat docks(not always, though). We've not done a cruise, but that's what those who were on cruises have done when we've been on outings with them. Be sure to tip your boat captain and your dive master... We usually expect to tip about 20-25% of what we spend (and we usually drop between $1000-1500 for a week of diving).

Cozumel in '03 was really nice. Palancar Caves is one of the best places I've ever gone, if you can request that. We were back to Cozumel for a day of diving in '05 (think it was '05-after Wilma and the other two hurrricanes sat on Cancun/Cozumel). The reefs were destroyed and covered in sand. There was very little sand on the beaches and 17' drifts in the forests. Even the wall dive had a lot of sand on it. The second dive (reef flat) had a bommie here and one 25' over there, then another 20' over there... Few and far between. Cancun didn't have the sand problem, but macro algaes were taking over when were there last.

The Bahamas are a common pot for cruise ships, as well as many others (Cozumel, St. Maartin, etc.). The further out we've gone, the more corals we see. St. Maarten is as far towards the edge of the shelf as we've been and while the density of different species seemed lower than other places, the number of corals were greater (and seemed to be doing very well-not having to compete as much with the algaes, etc.). Be careful of the DR, but there can be decent diving there, too, as I understand. Puerto Rico should have some really good diving, too.

It's pretty wide open, so just check out dive shops on line once you know where you're headed. If I had my way (I would tear this old building down-sorry, too much dead channel), I'd be a dive instructor with my own dive outfit, making just enough money to buy worms so I can catch dinner, but loving every minute of every day... We were told two continuous weeks can get you a master certification, and would only run around $2000.

 

[gflat65]

BTW, the last time we went snorkeling was the first day we were in Bonaire. We got to see a ton of squid (they were all around us once we noticed them). We got her certified the next day, so that was it for snorkeling (unless you count going to the beach and padding around while she sun bathes).