Divewop, Shaytay and all divers - let talk
May 23rd, 2008, 04:14 AM
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Divewop, Shaytay and all divers - let talk
Hi,
I've been noticing that a few of you dive and am hoping that some of you can make location suggestions for next winter.
My boat friend owes me one and will set me up on some type of charter situation anywhere I want - sweet.
She suggested the Taumotos (sp.) but I'm not getting a sense that the diving is great and has serious current.
I'd love to hear the places that you've been or places that you've heard of.
p.s. I'm not a super strong diver.
I've been noticing that a few of you dive and am hoping that some of you can make location suggestions for next winter.
My boat friend owes me one and will set me up on some type of charter situation anywhere I want - sweet.
She suggested the Taumotos (sp.) but I'm not getting a sense that the diving is great and has serious current.
I'd love to hear the places that you've been or places that you've heard of.
p.s. I'm not a super strong diver.
May 23rd, 2008, 05:24 AM
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Cybor-
Well, I'm happy to help with this decision!
With boat friend do you mean someone who works with Aggressor, Peter Hughes, or Mike Ball-type liveaboards or a boat friend traveling companion? Either way that is SWEET!
So many choices and so many questions, but here goes a little feedback.
I've never been but I would JUMP at the chance to be able to dive the Tuamotus. ( Was supposed to go in the fall of '06, but had to cancel two months out due to dive buddy.
)
That whole Tahiti, Bora Bora, Rangiroa (French Polynesia) area is supposed to be wonderful.
I don't think the currents would be too bad, depending on your skill level...drift diving can be fun, if you're comfortable with it.
Then you have choices like the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, the Cook Islands, Papua New Guinea, Palau, Yap (Micronesia) the Seychelles or Maldives all which are both supposed to be wonderful. So is the Red Sea.
This would be a very difficult decision to make.
I have been to Fiji and that was great.
Been almost all over the Caribbean, & Belize and several places in Mexico too.
But by far, the best place I've dove, to date, is the Galapagos Islands. That being said, because of the currents and water temps, it is for the advanced diver, as is the Cocos Islands.
And then, your choice would also depend if you want to see the pelagics or if you'd be happy with the smaller marine life.
And of course, diving in the winter months are better in some places than others (kinda like safari choices).
I also have a friend who has a dive biz so she may be able to help give you feedback with your decision to match you somewhere with your skill level.
With dive charters, you also have to worry about availability of space. Lots of times, the more popular charters are booked out up to a year in advance. (Also kinda like safaris.)
If you want to email me so we can discuss further, please do.
Gosh, I'd love to be in your shoes on this one!! I'd be going nuts right about now trying to decide where.
Well, I'm happy to help with this decision!
With boat friend do you mean someone who works with Aggressor, Peter Hughes, or Mike Ball-type liveaboards or a boat friend traveling companion? Either way that is SWEET!
So many choices and so many questions, but here goes a little feedback.
I've never been but I would JUMP at the chance to be able to dive the Tuamotus. ( Was supposed to go in the fall of '06, but had to cancel two months out due to dive buddy.
)That whole Tahiti, Bora Bora, Rangiroa (French Polynesia) area is supposed to be wonderful.
I don't think the currents would be too bad, depending on your skill level...drift diving can be fun, if you're comfortable with it.
Then you have choices like the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, the Cook Islands, Papua New Guinea, Palau, Yap (Micronesia) the Seychelles or Maldives all which are both supposed to be wonderful. So is the Red Sea.
This would be a very difficult decision to make.
I have been to Fiji and that was great.
Been almost all over the Caribbean, & Belize and several places in Mexico too.
But by far, the best place I've dove, to date, is the Galapagos Islands. That being said, because of the currents and water temps, it is for the advanced diver, as is the Cocos Islands.
And then, your choice would also depend if you want to see the pelagics or if you'd be happy with the smaller marine life.
And of course, diving in the winter months are better in some places than others (kinda like safari choices).
I also have a friend who has a dive biz so she may be able to help give you feedback with your decision to match you somewhere with your skill level.
With dive charters, you also have to worry about availability of space. Lots of times, the more popular charters are booked out up to a year in advance. (Also kinda like safaris.)
If you want to email me so we can discuss further, please do.
Gosh, I'd love to be in your shoes on this one!! I'd be going nuts right about now trying to decide where.
May 23rd, 2008, 06:08 AM
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No fly,
We were around the Seychelles in March '06' and were told that b/c of the Tsunami the coral was broken up. There were some pockets where the diving was good but mostly not so plentiful.
Have you been? Would love to hear more.
Divewop,
Despite he hassle you've received, I love your handle. I'm part Italian, btw.
Basically, my friend will pay for a cabin on a yacht charter or similar.
In the past I've done this with DH or took the whole boat and brought friends at their expense.
These are not strictly dive boats per say but equipment is available and the captain is always a diver.
One was a gullet (rehabbed fish boat) the others have been catamarans. It mostly depends on what's available - could be anything. I'm not choosy - I'll take a row boat.
I've dove around the Society Islands which was absolutely breath taking.
I'm guessing that Taumotos will be about the same.
As for the Galapolos how difficult is it? I heavy weight lift so I'm fairly strong.
I think the whole drifting thing is more of a mental thing with me - I just don't feel that I have enough hours or experience.
I also thought I'd get freaky about going though caves but I worked up to it slowly by starting with tiny caves.
Thus far, besides the short cold water local dives (RI and Cape Cod),
I've only done The Bay islands and Utila - Honduras, Off the coast of Turkey, Seychelles (minimal - very strong currents) Society French Polynesian Islands.
Would love to hear about the other places you've mentioned.
Hari,
Glad to hear you dive as well. Tell me about the diving in the Maldives.
Is it for babies, LOL.
We were around the Seychelles in March '06' and were told that b/c of the Tsunami the coral was broken up. There were some pockets where the diving was good but mostly not so plentiful.
Have you been? Would love to hear more.
Divewop,
Despite he hassle you've received, I love your handle. I'm part Italian, btw.
Basically, my friend will pay for a cabin on a yacht charter or similar.
In the past I've done this with DH or took the whole boat and brought friends at their expense.
These are not strictly dive boats per say but equipment is available and the captain is always a diver.
One was a gullet (rehabbed fish boat) the others have been catamarans. It mostly depends on what's available - could be anything. I'm not choosy - I'll take a row boat.
I've dove around the Society Islands which was absolutely breath taking.
I'm guessing that Taumotos will be about the same.
As for the Galapolos how difficult is it? I heavy weight lift so I'm fairly strong.
I think the whole drifting thing is more of a mental thing with me - I just don't feel that I have enough hours or experience.
I also thought I'd get freaky about going though caves but I worked up to it slowly by starting with tiny caves.
Thus far, besides the short cold water local dives (RI and Cape Cod),
I've only done The Bay islands and Utila - Honduras, Off the coast of Turkey, Seychelles (minimal - very strong currents) Society French Polynesian Islands.
Would love to hear about the other places you've mentioned.
Hari,
Glad to hear you dive as well. Tell me about the diving in the Maldives.
Is it for babies, LOL.
May 23rd, 2008, 06:08 AM
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I enjoyed the Tuamotos. Great shark diving. Except for the fact the Frogs that run the dive shops are asses, change dive spots without asking, they group dive instead of buddy up, which can lead to problems, and if you do not have at least Advanced Open Water card - its not for you.
One of my favorites is the Red Sea. Easy and Great reef diving.
I enjoy diving with whale sharks, and a couple good places for that included Ko Tao(have friends who work at a dive shop there, Pemba and Zanzibar Is.(taking a break from safaris).
The Cook islands weren't all that great. did Aitutaki, Rangiroa and Manihiki(black pearl farming in the lagoon). Part of the problem there is the lack of surrounding reefs, so you can do some exposed open ocean diving with mean currents.
Could carry on about quite a few like Divewop, but the place(s)I want to go is Micronesia. Some of my fav dives are wreck dives, and this place has that and more from what everyone tells me.
One of my favorites is the Red Sea. Easy and Great reef diving.
I enjoy diving with whale sharks, and a couple good places for that included Ko Tao(have friends who work at a dive shop there, Pemba and Zanzibar Is.(taking a break from safaris).
The Cook islands weren't all that great. did Aitutaki, Rangiroa and Manihiki(black pearl farming in the lagoon). Part of the problem there is the lack of surrounding reefs, so you can do some exposed open ocean diving with mean currents.
Could carry on about quite a few like Divewop, but the place(s)I want to go is Micronesia. Some of my fav dives are wreck dives, and this place has that and more from what everyone tells me.
May 23rd, 2008, 06:52 AM
#7
luangwablondes, I've only been diving once to Grand Caymen so I have nothing to contribute except for your comment about Micronesia. Years ago a guy told me all about his honeymoon trip to Truk Lagoon and it sounded fascinating. I had to google to see if I could find any pictures online and I did. Truk Lagoon looks like a wreck divers paradise. Here's one website http://www.truk-lagoon.com/san_fransisco_maru.html Click on the ship name to see the pictures they have posted. (There are over 20 ships on this website.) Very cool.
May 23rd, 2008, 06:59 AM
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Cybor,
I'm not a super expert, but I've been to a few nice places that I strongly recommend:
-maldives (great Manta ray action)
- northern tip of Sulawesi (Indonesia): in the Lembeh strait you have amazing critters, incredible "muck diving", and in Bunaken you have world class wall diving, and it's not too hard
- Philippines: I did some diving around a tiny island off the coast of Busuanga in the Palawan province, don't remember the name but it was excellent, we did an awesome wreck dive of a japanese WWII ship, and there were no tourists (though that was 10 years ago).
Other interesting places I've been to: Barbados (great but not as good as the above IMO), Fiji (enjoyed it, saw a few white tip reef sharks), Tenerife (canary islands- great dive with like 20 sting rays swimming around us, but not much else) and Looey Key in Florida (surprisingly good, lotsa fish at shallow depths, but also lotsa people)
Of places I’ve haven’t been to, I heard really good things about the Red Sea, Coral Barrier Reef, Papua and a couple of islands off the coast of Borneo: Derawan (indonesia) and Sipadan (Malaysia)
I'm not a super expert, but I've been to a few nice places that I strongly recommend:
-maldives (great Manta ray action)
- northern tip of Sulawesi (Indonesia): in the Lembeh strait you have amazing critters, incredible "muck diving", and in Bunaken you have world class wall diving, and it's not too hard
- Philippines: I did some diving around a tiny island off the coast of Busuanga in the Palawan province, don't remember the name but it was excellent, we did an awesome wreck dive of a japanese WWII ship, and there were no tourists (though that was 10 years ago).
Other interesting places I've been to: Barbados (great but not as good as the above IMO), Fiji (enjoyed it, saw a few white tip reef sharks), Tenerife (canary islands- great dive with like 20 sting rays swimming around us, but not much else) and Looey Key in Florida (surprisingly good, lotsa fish at shallow depths, but also lotsa people)
Of places I’ve haven’t been to, I heard really good things about the Red Sea, Coral Barrier Reef, Papua and a couple of islands off the coast of Borneo: Derawan (indonesia) and Sipadan (Malaysia)
May 23rd, 2008, 07:38 AM
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All of my diving has been in the Carribbean and Atlantic; I have dove Bonaire, Curacao, Aruba, Cozumel, Belize, St. Lucia, Turks & Caicos, Key West, Key Largo, and Key Biscayne (Miami). Our favorite is Bonaire; it is mostly shore diving, very laid back but with great restaurants - not touristy and the diving is extremely good with great visibility. Bonaire does not have the large stuff (but have seahorses, etc.); but it has the largest variety of marine life in the Carribbean and NOAA rated its reef the healthiest. We also really like both Belize (Ambergris Caye) and Turks & Caicos. Both of these have a lot of the big stuff such as hugh groupers, reef sharks and nurse sharks. Ambergris Caye is laid back (no cars except the taxi - only golf carts on the island); Turks & Caicos is more commercial and expensive. We did not like St Lucia very much but that may have been more the island then the diving. We have always stayed on the island; have not done a live aboard. Will be interested in what you decide.
May 23rd, 2008, 07:39 AM
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My diving experience was mostly in the Caribbean. I'd vote for Little Cayman... great reefs, but the wall diving there is spectacular! That was the first place I went diving and found it to be fine for someone that's "not a super strong diver" , yet great for those who are. The first trip was on a liveaboard boat, but I've also been back and stayed on the island.
May 23rd, 2008, 09:07 AM
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Wow, I knew I'd get good info. here and pointing me in the right direction.
My PC's smokin from all the googling.
Please feel free to carry on, I'm more than sure that everyone here would love to hear about your experiences and extra cool places that you're thinking about.
Re; Climate and best times to go to the places you've mentioned.
I'm finding some good and some conflicting info. online about the best times to go. As stated, I'd love to go during my winter end of Feb./March.
My PC's smokin from all the googling.
Please feel free to carry on, I'm more than sure that everyone here would love to hear about your experiences and extra cool places that you're thinking about.
Re; Climate and best times to go to the places you've mentioned.
I'm finding some good and some conflicting info. online about the best times to go. As stated, I'd love to go during my winter end of Feb./March.
May 23rd, 2008, 10:31 AM
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Cybor,
Don't forget about Mozambique...supposed to be pretty cool diving there...and you could tie it in with a safari!
A little bit about Galapagos diving...
The Galapagos liveaboard of the Aggressor fleet (who I went with) requires a diver to have logged at least 60 dives, I believe, and to also consider themselves an intermediate to advanced diver.
The southern islands are colder diving, but relatively easier to dive. When you dive Wolf and Darwin Islands in the north, that's when the currents kick in. And they can be anywhere from 1 to 3 knots. All the diving in Wolf & Darwin is done off of dinghies and you stay in groups when diving. Everyone does a back roll of the boat at the same time so the group can stay together. You all descend as a group and then when the divemaster signals, you stop and grab onto a rock or similar and watch the show come to you. And boy, does it come!!
The divemaster will signal everyone when/if s/he wants to move again. And everyone follows.
It can be a little intimidating at first, but like I said, it's well worth the reward. You just have to be overly cautious as to not lose the group you're with or get swept away in a current and end up in Australia!
You will be donning at least a 7 mil with gloves(to hold on with) and sometimes a hood depending on how cold you get.
Unfortunately, if you want to see the whale sharks you have to go between June and end of Oct. which is their season in the area. But you won't be short of other cool pelagics, hammerheads, galapagos sharks, bunches of rays, turtles, eels, etc., if you go at other times of the year
Here's the link for the Galapagos Aggressor info:
http://www.aggressor.com/subpage9.php
Grand Turk in the Turks & Caicos is another one of my favs. I've been diving there since '96 and it's still a well-kept secret. Similar to Little Cayman it's mostly wall diving and the island is only 7 miles long by a mile wide.
Bonaire too, is another one of my favs. Like Bobcaat says, it's not touristy at all. Just mostly divers and it specifically caters to divers.
But if I were you, I'd choose somewhere that wouldn't be otherwise accessible if you were going on your own dime. Like Micronesia, Malaysia, Thailand or some of the other exotic locales mentioned earlier.
And if your DH doesn't want to go, let me know if you need a dive buddy! All this talk about diving makes me want to get back in the water!!!
Don't forget about Mozambique...supposed to be pretty cool diving there...and you could tie it in with a safari!
A little bit about Galapagos diving...
The Galapagos liveaboard of the Aggressor fleet (who I went with) requires a diver to have logged at least 60 dives, I believe, and to also consider themselves an intermediate to advanced diver.
The southern islands are colder diving, but relatively easier to dive. When you dive Wolf and Darwin Islands in the north, that's when the currents kick in. And they can be anywhere from 1 to 3 knots. All the diving in Wolf & Darwin is done off of dinghies and you stay in groups when diving. Everyone does a back roll of the boat at the same time so the group can stay together. You all descend as a group and then when the divemaster signals, you stop and grab onto a rock or similar and watch the show come to you. And boy, does it come!!
The divemaster will signal everyone when/if s/he wants to move again. And everyone follows.
It can be a little intimidating at first, but like I said, it's well worth the reward. You just have to be overly cautious as to not lose the group you're with or get swept away in a current and end up in Australia!
You will be donning at least a 7 mil with gloves(to hold on with) and sometimes a hood depending on how cold you get.
Unfortunately, if you want to see the whale sharks you have to go between June and end of Oct. which is their season in the area. But you won't be short of other cool pelagics, hammerheads, galapagos sharks, bunches of rays, turtles, eels, etc., if you go at other times of the year
Here's the link for the Galapagos Aggressor info:
http://www.aggressor.com/subpage9.php
Grand Turk in the Turks & Caicos is another one of my favs. I've been diving there since '96 and it's still a well-kept secret. Similar to Little Cayman it's mostly wall diving and the island is only 7 miles long by a mile wide.
Bonaire too, is another one of my favs. Like Bobcaat says, it's not touristy at all. Just mostly divers and it specifically caters to divers.
But if I were you, I'd choose somewhere that wouldn't be otherwise accessible if you were going on your own dime. Like Micronesia, Malaysia, Thailand or some of the other exotic locales mentioned earlier.
And if your DH doesn't want to go, let me know if you need a dive buddy! All this talk about diving makes me want to get back in the water!!!
May 23rd, 2008, 10:45 AM
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BTW...Feb, Mar is the time the humpbacks are migrating thru the Turks & Caicos islands so that's always a fun time. And I think the Aggressor has a liveaboard stationed off the Dominican Republic at a place called the Silver Bank (which is very close to the T&C) from Jan thru end of Mar so folks are able to spend lots of time snorkeling with the humpbacks when they're there. Unfortunately, those charters don't allow diving, just snorkeling as to not scare off the humpbacks.
May 23rd, 2008, 11:38 AM
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My husband is a die hard diver. Every place we have been to has its greats for diving. Drift diving-Cozumel. Wall diving-Little Cayman. Shark diving-Hawaii and Grand Bahama Island. Shore diving and pretty much favorite-Bonaire. Also loved Belize-Blue Hole. Night dives-Bonaire and Belize. Since I'm not a diver I loved all the places we went to except for Bonaire. Bonaire is truly for divers. At our resort everyone dove-I was the only one at the pool. Not much else to do there but my husband absolutely loved the diving there. Belize or should say Ambergis Caye was neat. I loved the golf carts and everything else about the island. He has never done the live aboard bit because I don't dive and I can't convince him to go by himself. Next year we will again be back to a dive vacation-Grand Turk. Then it's off to Crete and Australia as we have friends that have 2nd homes there where we can stay. Then we have found a great trip that combines Macchu Piccu with the Galapagos. Where ever you decide to go diving will be unique as each destination has been for my husband. Have a great time!!
May 24th, 2008, 04:35 AM
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would propose the following:
- mike ball's coral reef expedition
- mike ball's png trips
- peter hughes PNG (new britain/new ireland)
- manthiri in the maldives
- fakarava in french polynesia
- matangi princess in fiji
to be on tha safe side the aboce suggestions are for experienced divers and - you should have done at least 100 dives from live-aboards.
- mike ball's coral reef expedition
- mike ball's png trips
- peter hughes PNG (new britain/new ireland)
- manthiri in the maldives
- fakarava in french polynesia
- matangi princess in fiji
to be on tha safe side the aboce suggestions are for experienced divers and - you should have done at least 100 dives from live-aboards.
May 28th, 2008, 06:45 AM
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Sorry for the delay, I've been away and couldn't wait to get back to this thread.
A couple more questions:
laungew,
Are you saying you need to be advanced in general or only b/c of the non buddy system that you encountered in the Taumotos?
I also found the French expats who seem to run things in the Society islands to not always be so helpful - they seemed to hate us ahead for being from the US. They hated the Brits and Germans even more so I didn't feel too left out.
What time of the yr. did you go?
Everyone else,
I'd love to see pictures and websites, if available.
A couple more questions:
laungew,
Are you saying you need to be advanced in general or only b/c of the non buddy system that you encountered in the Taumotos?
I also found the French expats who seem to run things in the Society islands to not always be so helpful - they seemed to hate us ahead for being from the US. They hated the Brits and Germans even more so I didn't feel too left out.
What time of the yr. did you go?
Everyone else,
I'd love to see pictures and websites, if available.
May 28th, 2008, 12:10 PM
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Cybor
Most of the best shark diving was at 75-100ft, so you do need that advanced open water card. The Frogs are adamant about you having the certification for those depths. The group diving system is kind of funky because you follow the guide/leader and really doesn't leave much for individual investigations or a buddy responsible to turn to if sh't happens. It takes the fun out of diving. The guide points and everyone gathers around and looks. Too much putzing around for me. On one dive there was a girl who was having a bit of difficultly and she inflated her bc at about 75-80 ft.-another story. The trailing diveshop guide and the dive master were nowhere around so I raced up about 25-30 ft. to catch her. The other divers(frogs) just took off with the guide. I experienced a few other adventures with these guys. My advice if you go, have a strong buddy with lots of dives under he belt. Stick together and do your thing, but keep the dive master in sight and follow. I ticked off probably each and everyone of them when I realized what the program was and did my own thing. Not a very good recommendation - is it? with 500+ dives I tend to do what I feel comfortable and safe with.
I was there in March and fortunately I had hooked up with a French girl who kept me amused all the time. She verbaling abused them when they talked about me in French. I have made many French acquaintances over the years, and traveled in various parts of the world with some. Meet them off their home ground, and you find some fabulous people.
Most of the best shark diving was at 75-100ft, so you do need that advanced open water card. The Frogs are adamant about you having the certification for those depths. The group diving system is kind of funky because you follow the guide/leader and really doesn't leave much for individual investigations or a buddy responsible to turn to if sh't happens. It takes the fun out of diving. The guide points and everyone gathers around and looks. Too much putzing around for me. On one dive there was a girl who was having a bit of difficultly and she inflated her bc at about 75-80 ft.-another story. The trailing diveshop guide and the dive master were nowhere around so I raced up about 25-30 ft. to catch her. The other divers(frogs) just took off with the guide. I experienced a few other adventures with these guys. My advice if you go, have a strong buddy with lots of dives under he belt. Stick together and do your thing, but keep the dive master in sight and follow. I ticked off probably each and everyone of them when I realized what the program was and did my own thing. Not a very good recommendation - is it? with 500+ dives I tend to do what I feel comfortable and safe with.
I was there in March and fortunately I had hooked up with a French girl who kept me amused all the time. She verbaling abused them when they talked about me in French. I have made many French acquaintances over the years, and traveled in various parts of the world with some. Meet them off their home ground, and you find some fabulous people.
May 28th, 2008, 02:12 PM
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DH and I spent 9 days at Quilalea Island, Quirimbas, Mozambique in June 2007 and we went there to dive. We are realtively new to diving and have only dived Fiji, Byron Bay Australia and now Mozambique.
The diving at Quilalea was great with heaps of fish and large turtles but not one shark, big or small. The weather was very windy whilst we were there so there were some rough rides to the sites but once underwater it was fine. I think the woest day of visibility was about 15 feet. The rest of the time was about 25 - 30 feet. They had a great house reef which is reportred as being one of the best in the world.
The diving at Quilalea was great with heaps of fish and large turtles but not one shark, big or small. The weather was very windy whilst we were there so there were some rough rides to the sites but once underwater it was fine. I think the woest day of visibility was about 15 feet. The rest of the time was about 25 - 30 feet. They had a great house reef which is reportred as being one of the best in the world.
