Re: Diving Vacation - Where to Start?

In article <fwjPc.5940$cK.4712@newsread2.news.pas.earthlink.n et>, Von
Fourche <monaco8292@hotmail.com> wrote:

> Ok, if I get Open Water Padi certified, then some time late in the year
> or early 2005 I want to head off to some island in the Caribbean and dive
> for a week.
>
> But how in the heck do I pick what Island I want to go to, and then how
> do I set it up? I just bought a dive site book to the Cayman Islands, but I
> really have no idea if that's where I want to do my first ocean diving.
>
> I'm not looking for the greatest and best dive sites, I just want to
> dive for a week and see lots of coral and fish. Of course I need to pay a
> company to supply me with a guide to take me out to the sites and watch over
> me and all that.
>
> So where do I begin? Are there any tourist companies here in the U.S.
> that specialize in Caribbean diving? Or is it going to be all up to me in
> finding the right resort, finding the dive operators, etc..?
>
> Or should I totally forget diving in the Caribbean and do my first ocean
> dive in Southern Florida?
>
> How do some of you who read and post to rec.scuba set up your diving
> trips?
>
> Thanks
>
>

By focusing on the diving, and less on the details.

Where are you now?

Can you dive there? (the answer is probably yes, although the diving
may be far less than ideal). Many of us live in decent diving locations
and dive locally a lot, but still travel to distant dive locations (for
example, I live in San Diego, but dive in SE Asia somewhat regularily).

If you want to travel to dive, where can you travel to? Where is too
far or too expensive? Are you travelling with non-divers?

rec.scuba.locations is also a good place to post your travel related
questions. I've cross-posted this to r.s.l, so you might want to check
out the responses there as well.

Alan

"Alan Street" <agstreet@nonono_san.rr.com> wrote in message
news:010820042204294798%agstreet@nonono_san.rr.com ...
> In article <fwjPc.5940$cK.4712@newsread2.news.pas.earthlink.n et>, Von
> Fourche <monaco8292@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Ok, if I get Open Water Padi certified, then some time late in the
year
> > or early 2005 I want to head off to some island in the Caribbean and
dive
> > for a week.
> >
> > But how in the heck do I pick what Island I want to go to, and then
how
> > do I set it up? I just bought a dive site book to the Cayman Islands,
but I
> > really have no idea if that's where I want to do my first ocean diving.
> >
> > I'm not looking for the greatest and best dive sites, I just want to
> > dive for a week and see lots of coral and fish. Of course I need to pay
a
> > company to supply me with a guide to take me out to the sites and watch
over
> > me and all that.
> >
> > So where do I begin? Are there any tourist companies here in the
U.S.
> > that specialize in Caribbean diving? Or is it going to be all up to me
in
> > finding the right resort, finding the dive operators, etc..?
> >
> > Or should I totally forget diving in the Caribbean and do my first
ocean
> > dive in Southern Florida?
> >
> > How do some of you who read and post to rec.scuba set up your diving
> > trips?
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> >
>
> By focusing on the diving, and less on the details.
>
> Where are you now?
>
> Can you dive there? (the answer is probably yes, although the diving
> may be far less than ideal). Many of us live in decent diving locations
> and dive locally a lot, but still travel to distant dive locations (for
> example, I live in San Diego, but dive in SE Asia somewhat regularily).
>
> If you want to travel to dive, where can you travel to? Where is too
> far or too expensive? Are you travelling with non-divers?
>
> rec.scuba.locations is also a good place to post your travel related
> questions. I've cross-posted this to r.s.l, so you might want to check
> out the responses there as well.


I'm in the mid-west. As far as expenses go, I'm looking for something
not too costly. I was looking at some resort in the Cayman Islands on the
web, I believe a seven night stay, including two tank dives a day, plus
room, was around $2,000.00

What I really want to do is get down there on Sunday, dive Monday thru
Friday, two-three times a day, under the watchful eye of a diving
professional, just because I'm new to diving. Take Saturday off, and fly
home Sunday.

What I need is a catalog with prices and dive packages and such.

Thanks

"Von Fourche" <monaco8292@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:68kPc.5972$cK.2961@newsread2.news.pas.earthli nk.net...
>
> >
> > > Ok, if I get Open Water Padi certified, then some time late in the
> year or early 2005 I want to head off to some island in the Caribbean and
> dive for a week.
> > >
> > > But how in the heck do I pick what Island I want to go to, and then
> how do I set it up? I just bought a dive site book to the Cayman Islands,
> but I really have no idea if that's where I want to do my first ocean
diving.
> > >
> > > I'm not looking for the greatest and best dive sites, I just want to
> > > dive for a week and see lots of coral and fish. Of course I need to
pay
> a company to supply me with a guide to take me out to the sites and watch
> overme and all that.
> > >
> > > So where do I begin?

Start with taking your lessons. Find out if you actually enjoy diving as
much as you have enjoyed talking about it before you've ever made it to the
water. Then talk to your instructor, the people working in the shop and
other divers. Everyone loves to talk about their favorite places to dive.
Start off diving at home and then go from there. It's not all that
mysterious, at all.

Heck, you've been reading dive magazines for over a month, hasn't any place
in any of the articles appealed to you yet?

> Are there any tourist companies here in the U.S. that specialize in
Caribbean diving? Or is it going to be all up to me
> in finding the right resort, finding the dive operators, etc..?
> > >
> > > Or should I totally forget diving in the Caribbean and do my first
> ocean dive in Southern Florida?
> > >
> > How do some of you who read and post to rec.scuba set up your diving
> > trips?

When I first started travelling to dive, I went with my shop on group trips.
Eventually, I got the swing of things and now I plan and book most but not
all of my trips myself.

Geez, VanF, I hope you don't over-think yourself on everything you do in
life, like you have been doing so far. Take your lessons, pay attention,
learn the skills, practice the skills, go diving. Diving is a very relaxing
sport for many of us. Sometimes it can be a zen-like experience . . .

I'm concerned that you may have trouble finding that zone. ;^)

"chilly" <slarson@shaw.canada> wrote in message
news:5WlPc.159621$ek5.80613@pd7tw2no...
>
> "chilly" <slarson@shaw.canada> wrote in message
> news:COlPc.159515$ek5.90240@pd7tw2no...
> >
> > "Von Fourche" <monaco8292@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> > news:68kPc.5972$cK.2961@newsread2.news.pas.earthli nk.net...
> > >
>
> By the way, VanF, have you checked out the forum found at ScubaDiving.com?
> Lots and lots of stuff there about travelling to dive. Also, lots of
> pictures of great stuff shot by regular people. Well, maybe not so
regular
> people. They are divers, after all.
>
Oh yes, and they also have the perfect place for you to ask all your
questions, found here:

http://www.newdiver.com/forum/

"Von Fourche" <monaco8292@hotmail.com> pounded away at his keyboard
resulting in:
: What I need is a catalog with prices and dive packages and such.

Visit a travel agent and grab some of the tour company catalogues.

Dan Bracuk
If at first you don't succeed, you run the risk of failure.
The Best of rec.scuba http://www.pathcom.com/~bracuk/RecScuba/


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Von Fourche wrote:
>
> What I really want to do is get down there on Sunday, dive Monday thru
> Friday, two-three times a day, under the watchful eye of a diving
> professional, just because I'm new to diving. Take Saturday off, and fly
> home Sunday.
>

www.divenassau.com. They have a six-night, five-day, two per day package
for $1003. I just got back from a week with them. They're not as slick
as, say, Stuart Cove's, and in my view that's a good thing. Very
friendly and competent.

--

Pete Becker
Dinkumware, Ltd. (http://www.dinkumware.com)

In article <fwjPc.5940$cK.4712@newsread2.news.pas.earthlink.n et>, Von
:Fourche <monaco8292@hotmail.com> wrote:
:> But how in the heck do I pick what Island I want to go to, and then how
:> do I set it up? I just bought a dive site book to the Cayman Islands, but I
:> really have no idea if that's where I want to do my first ocean diving.
:>
:> I'm not looking for the greatest and best dive sites, I just want to
:> dive for a week and see lots of coral and fish. Of course I need to pay a
:> company to supply me with a guide to take me out to the sites and watch over
:> me and all that.


Don't overanalyze something simple. Pick a place and go. The worse
that can happen is that you won't have a good time. By the way, there
are worse places than the Cayman Islands.

Dan Bracuk
If at first you don't succeed, you run the risk of failure.
The Best of rec.scuba http://www.pathcom.com/~bracuk/RecScuba/


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Pete Becker <petebecker@acm.org> wrote:

>Von Fourche wrote:
>>
>> What I really want to do is get down there on Sunday, dive Monday thru
>> Friday, two-three times a day, under the watchful eye of a diving
>> professional, just because I'm new to diving. Take Saturday off, and fly
>> home Sunday.
>>
>www.divenassau.com. They have a six-night, five-day, two per day package
>for $1003. I just got back from a week with them. They're not as slick
>as, say, Stuart Cove's, and in my view that's a good thing. Very
>friendly and competent.

I'm interested in going somewhere in February. Would this be cheaper
than going to Cozumel at say

Vista Del Mar 7 Nights
Accommodation &
5 Days Diving $530 each
2 tanks dive trip
Full equipment rentals
(BCD Mares, regulator w/computer Sherwood, full foot fins and mask
Mares, wet suit Shorty)
One complimentary night dive
One complimentary shore diving tank at the dive shop premises
No extra charge for advanced locations
Storage available at the dive shop
Dive Operator: Dive With Martin.

or Aqua Safari where about the 7 nights 5 days package is $432 each
including tax.



grandma Rosalie

"Rosalie B." wrote:
>
> Pete Becker <petebecker@acm.org> wrote:
>
> >www.divenassau.com. They have a six-night, five-day, two per day package
> >for $1003. I just got back from a week with them. They're not as slick
> >as, say, Stuart Cove's, and in my view that's a good thing. Very
> >friendly and competent.
>
> I'm interested in going somewhere in February. Would this be cheaper
> than going to Cozumel at say
>
> Vista Del Mar 7 Nights
> Accommodation &
> 5 Days Diving $530 each
> 2 tanks dive trip
> Full equipment rentals
> (BCD Mares, regulator w/computer Sherwood, full foot fins and mask
> Mares, wet suit Shorty)
> One complimentary night dive
> One complimentary shore diving tank at the dive shop premises
> No extra charge for advanced locations
> Storage available at the dive shop
> Dive Operator: Dive With Martin.
>
> or Aqua Safari where about the 7 nights 5 days package is $432 each
> including tax.
>

Do they provide a tent, or do you sleep under the stars? <g> Seriously,
it depends on the quality of the dive shop and the accomodations. I
haven't been to Cozumel, so I'm not in a position to comment on them.

--

Pete Becker
Dinkumware, Ltd. (http://www.dinkumware.com)

"Someone" <someone@somewhere.net> wrote in message
news:410E9320.5010906@somewhere.net...
> Look at Roatan, Honduras. From the midwest fly into Houston then take
> the direct flight on Saturday with either Continental or TACA to Roatan.
> Check out Anthony's Key Resort and Coco View Resort (2 of the very best
> on the island) they each have 3 boat dives each day, night dives during
> the week. Also the rates include 3 meals/day. This with the airfare of
> about $520 from Houston roundtrip makes this one of the best bargains.
> A week of diving with airfare should be under $1500 each.



Your saying with airfare, room, and a weeks worth of diving should be
under $1,500 around the Caribbean? Or is that just Honduras? What about
renting equipment? I have no equipment except mask, fins, boots, and
snorkel. I would need to rent the rest.

I don't mind paying up to $1500 just for the diving/resort, and extra
for the airfare.

How much diving during a week is normal at these dive resorts? Do most
people make three dives a day? Or limit it to two a day? I know you need a
complete day off before flying home. I'm wondering if two dives before
lunch and one afternoon dive is tiring after a couple of days.