worlds best top 10 destinations

Dan Bracuk wrote:
> "Reef Fish" <Large_Nassau_Grouper@Yahoo.com> pounded away at his
> keyboard resulting in:
>
> :For these reasons, I think the present "poll" is an exercise in
> :futility
>
> I think it could be fun.
>
> Dan Bracuk
> If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure.

Fun; at least moderately educational; a pleasant change from endless
arguments about guns; and less inhibiting than a carefully phrased and
lengthy question which acknowledges that nobody in this group has
experienced every dive site on earth.

Since there was not a precondition that only divers with 1,000+ dives
could have a vote, I'll mention my two favourites are the cenotes and,
with any luck, wherever my next dive happens to be.

cheers,
Wayne

Dan Bracuk wrote:
> "Reef Fish" <Large_Nassau_Grouper@Yahoo.com> pounded away at his
> keyboard resulting in:
>
> :For these reasons, I think the present "poll" is an exercise in
> :futility
>
> I think it could be fun.
>
> Dan Bracuk
> If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure.

Fun; at least moderately educational; a pleasant change from endless
arguments about guns; and less inhibiting than a carefully phrased and
lengthy question which acknowledges that nobody in this group has
experienced every dive site on earth.

Since there was not a precondition that only divers with 1,000+ dives
could have a vote, I'll mention my two favourites are the cenotes and,
with any luck, wherever my next dive happens to be.

cheers,
Wayne

Cpt. Dale Bennett schrieb:
>
> The problem with such lists is that they almost always end up containing the
> most popular destinations, not the best. When a destination makes the list
> it will, almost by definition, no longer deserve to be there. To find the
> best destination you have to go where no one else is going. In other words,
> you have to find it yourself.
>
> Safe diving,
> Cpt. Dale
>

Unfortenately Cpt. Dale is right. if a spot is well known as world class
dive spot it most likely will be spoiled.

I saw it on the Similans and Richelieu Rock in Thailand.
12 years ago it was an unbelievable dive site. It was remote.
You had to travel over night on a live aboard to the similans
and another day to Richelieu Rock and there were only some few
(less then 10) live aboard boats in the Simailans.

It was nearly impossible to avoid big whale sharks and mantas. You had
big schols of jacks, barakuda, snapper and bat fisches. You had nice
covered rocks and reefs. On Richelieu Rock you sometimes dived a canyon.
On one side the rock - on the other side a wall of travellies.
On sand at the bottom of the deep reefs (40m +) you always found lepard
sharks and in the morning big groups (30+) of sting rays. It truly was
one of the best site in the worlds.

But now there are more then 100 boats (live abords and day boats from
Khao Lak) visiting maybe 15 dive sites. So the most common "animal"
you see there are other diver. No sharks, no mantas, few rays.
The rocks (granite) on the west cost that were covers with small soft
corals and small sponches are now clean finned by divers.

Sad but true: The better the site - the better it must be protected and
restricted. If not - it get destroyed.

Clemens Hoffmann

Cpt. Dale Bennett schrieb:
>
> The problem with such lists is that they almost always end up containing the
> most popular destinations, not the best. When a destination makes the list
> it will, almost by definition, no longer deserve to be there. To find the
> best destination you have to go where no one else is going. In other words,
> you have to find it yourself.
>
> Safe diving,
> Cpt. Dale
>

Unfortenately Cpt. Dale is right. if a spot is well known as world class
dive spot it most likely will be spoiled.

I saw it on the Similans and Richelieu Rock in Thailand.
12 years ago it was an unbelievable dive site. It was remote.
You had to travel over night on a live aboard to the similans
and another day to Richelieu Rock and there were only some few
(less then 10) live aboard boats in the Simailans.

It was nearly impossible to avoid big whale sharks and mantas. You had
big schols of jacks, barakuda, snapper and bat fisches. You had nice
covered rocks and reefs. On Richelieu Rock you sometimes dived a canyon.
On one side the rock - on the other side a wall of travellies.
On sand at the bottom of the deep reefs (40m +) you always found lepard
sharks and in the morning big groups (30+) of sting rays. It truly was
one of the best site in the worlds.

But now there are more then 100 boats (live abords and day boats from
Khao Lak) visiting maybe 15 dive sites. So the most common "animal"
you see there are other diver. No sharks, no mantas, few rays.
The rocks (granite) on the west cost that were covers with small soft
corals and small sponches are now clean finned by divers.

Sad but true: The better the site - the better it must be protected and
restricted. If not - it get destroyed.

Clemens Hoffmann

In article <N7qdndoAxuR8OkPeRVn-hQ@comcast.com>, captndale@comcast.net
(Cpt. Dale Bennett) wrote:

> The problem with such lists is that they almost always end up
> containing the most popular destinations, not the best. When a
> destination makes the list it will, almost by definition, no longer
> deserve to be there. To find the best destination you have to go where
> no one else is going. In other words, you have to find it yourself.

I would agree with that, and also say that it depends on what you like to
do........

I have only done the Senote's in the Yucatan, not done Florida sink holes
so doeas that mean they are not on my list of 10, others would dissagree.

I guess you could ask what are "your" favourite top 10 dive sites.....


www.seatreker.com
Dave Morgan @ Work in the UK

In article <N7qdndoAxuR8OkPeRVn-hQ@comcast.com>, captndale@comcast.net
(Cpt. Dale Bennett) wrote:

> The problem with such lists is that they almost always end up
> containing the most popular destinations, not the best. When a
> destination makes the list it will, almost by definition, no longer
> deserve to be there. To find the best destination you have to go where
> no one else is going. In other words, you have to find it yourself.

I would agree with that, and also say that it depends on what you like to
do........

I have only done the Senote's in the Yucatan, not done Florida sink holes
so doeas that mean they are not on my list of 10, others would dissagree.

I guess you could ask what are "your" favourite top 10 dive sites.....


www.seatreker.com
Dave Morgan @ Work in the UK

In article <1138673154.159206.17770@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups. com>,
Large_Nassau_Grouper@Yahoo.com (Reef Fish) wrote:

> whose readership are primarily local Floridians who think Key Largo
> is God's gift to the scuba divers in the world.

Would also agree with most of what you said........i dived Key Largo a
couple of years ago, i thought it was dead........i struggled to find some
photos for my website..........Sharm is also (in my wifes eyes) dead, but
look at the photos on my site and you will see it has plenty to offer, it
is far too over crowded these days though......simply too many tourists
and divers.

www.seatreker.com
Dave Morgan @ Work in the UK

In article <1138673154.159206.17770@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups. com>,
Large_Nassau_Grouper@Yahoo.com (Reef Fish) wrote:

> whose readership are primarily local Floridians who think Key Largo
> is God's gift to the scuba divers in the world.

Would also agree with most of what you said........i dived Key Largo a
couple of years ago, i thought it was dead........i struggled to find some
photos for my website..........Sharm is also (in my wifes eyes) dead, but
look at the photos on my site and you will see it has plenty to offer, it
is far too over crowded these days though......simply too many tourists
and divers.

www.seatreker.com
Dave Morgan @ Work in the UK

In article <c1qtt1djhi7ukk73odf6rbedvqgbk0b8vk@4ax.com>,
NOTbracuk@pathcom.com (Dan Bracuk) wrote:

> I think it could be fun.

Well for what its worth......here are my top ten........please be aware
that i can only judge from where i have dived........(now fancy that)

1. Lembeh Straights, Sulawesi.....(most recent trip)

2. Underneath SEAVENTURES resort off Mabul, Sabah.

3. Chuuk Lagoon, Micronesia (not having done Bikini)

4. Sipadan, Sabah.

5. Around Kavieng, New Ireland Papua New Guinea.

6. Yucatan Senotes.

7. Yap, Micronesia.

8. Coral Sea, farther out than the GBR.

9. Christ i'm struggling here..........Bali, Fiji, Sharm, these are
places i have dived but are they the best............they may be MY best
but where do i want to go back to more than anything......

www.seatreker.com
Dave Morgan @ Work in the UK

In article <c1qtt1djhi7ukk73odf6rbedvqgbk0b8vk@4ax.com>,
NOTbracuk@pathcom.com (Dan Bracuk) wrote:

> I think it could be fun.

Well for what its worth......here are my top ten........please be aware
that i can only judge from where i have dived........(now fancy that)

1. Lembeh Straights, Sulawesi.....(most recent trip)

2. Underneath SEAVENTURES resort off Mabul, Sabah.

3. Chuuk Lagoon, Micronesia (not having done Bikini)

4. Sipadan, Sabah.

5. Around Kavieng, New Ireland Papua New Guinea.

6. Yucatan Senotes.

7. Yap, Micronesia.

8. Coral Sea, farther out than the GBR.

9. Christ i'm struggling here..........Bali, Fiji, Sharm, these are
places i have dived but are they the best............they may be MY best
but where do i want to go back to more than anything......

www.seatreker.com
Dave Morgan @ Work in the UK