Greetings!

I brought it up in another thread, so I am under obligation to follow through. Any certified scuba divers out there who would like to share their favourite underwater locations, whether cruise connected or otherwise?

Keith and I recently became certified and would enjoy compiling a list of great spots to dive all around the world.

Please don't limit your experiences with 40ft and lower! Snorkeling locations are welcome as well!

I can only say that we enjoyed diving in St. Bart's as part of the Discover Scuba excursion this past April. That's how we were hooked. I encourage anyone who enjoys snorkeling to take the adventure one step further and Discover Scuba if you get the chance. No worries, no disappointment.

Cheers! <img border="0" alt="[vhappy]" title="" src="graemlins/icon_vhappy.gif" />
Ash

Ash:

I, too, got hooked on a discover scuba cinderella certificate. St Martin, in my case.

As far as great diving goes.... I mean the stiff that spoils you for the rest of your life!.......

You have to book on the PG & do Tahiti.
We did a back to back last year. I dove almost every day. Just amazing.
Dominque (sp?) is the best DM I have every dived with!! He is truly the best!

If you go, say 'hi' to him for me.

Doug

I didn't dive, but I have to agree with you Doug...Dominique was a real pleasure to be around!

In the Carribean - Bonaire and Little Cayman. The Red Sea, Coral Sea, and Yap for Manta Rays. Truk Lagoon for WWII ship wrecks. Best in the world? Palau! Most disappointing - Sea of Cortez. Scariest - Great Whites off Simonstown, South Africa. We're booked on PG for Marquesas next year. Hope the body holds together for SCUBA on that trip!

I've been diving for 13 years, mostly in the Caribbean. I got certified on my honeymoon in Maui.

Favorite Places:

Bahamas-- The Jumbo Grouper like to bump your face mask.
Cozumel-- Drift diving; more animal life than anyplace else I've dove.
Grand Cayman -- Wall diving; at 100 ft of depth, there is still over 1000 feet to go to the bottom.

I'm going to Tahiti on the PG in August, so hopefully I'll have a new favorite to add to my list.

Doug-- which dives in particular on the PG did you like the best? I can only dive 2 or 3 times before DW gets mad.

Welcome Robbo to LCT!

Masaki

I second Masaki's welcome, Robbo.

Bill and I will try to keep Robbo's wife happy snorkeling with us on the PG cruise. (If she's willing to hang out with older folks.) They are among the 18 people I found on CC that will be on the same sailing.

The clear clear clear water and all the incredible sea life of the Virgin Islands and off the very private island of Mustique were the most beautiful.. although agree Tahiti was not bad either.
Have had the Seychelles in back of mind for too long...

Robbo:

We did a back to back on the PG. I dove everything the first week. Skipped a couple the second week.

The first dive is with an outside vendor. It wasn't bad.
But Dominique (thank you, Sheri, my human spell checker!) & Norman do a wonderful job.

I don't have my log book handy, but Mushroom Patch & Table Top (hope I got the names right) were ok. Everything else is a must dive.
And the Shark Gallery.... well, do not miss it.

BTW, the dives really do fill up quickly. Get to the desk & sign up as soon as you can.

My only "bitch" is that they are all only one tank dives.

Oh, and Robbo... I know that you will understand. I really did the Superman pose: Straight arm & other arm with hand on waist in Coz. The drift dives were awsome. I had read about them, but just was not prepared for what happened when I let go of the line! What fun!

Kathy Z: I did some snokling w/ my wife (who does not dive) and it was almost as good as some dives I have been on!
And, please! (large smile) age has nothing to do with it. And if you say so again, I will smit you with my AARP card! (grin).

I'm on DOF. Looks like I will dive in Greece shortly after those above water games.

Doug

Doug
Thanks for the information on PG diving. We booked on for the Marquesas cruise next year and then learned that the diving is limited on that itinerary, so we tacked on Society cruise at the front end. Three weeks might be a bit much, but it's a long flight! I communicated with Norman by e-mail - he was very helpful. My wife dives with a 50 cubic ft. tank - he indicated that they were available. Were the night dives worth it? I find that the older I get, the more attractive a drink or two and staying dry after dinner becomes!

Thanks for the welcome everyone and thanks for the PG info Doug. Kathy-- My wife may take you up on your snorkeling offer.

Per the PG brochure the available dives are:

Raitea -- Mushroom Patch
Bora Bora -- Table Top & Tapu
Moorea -- Ledges & Shark Gallery

Sounds like Doug recommends the Tapu/Ledges/Shark Gallery over the other dives--good to know.

Doug, If I go on a morning dive, will I have time to do a shore excursion afterwards? Some of the excursions sounds so great (Bora Bora 4x4 & Waverunner, Dr. Poole's Dolphin expedition) I'd hate to miss them.

Lucky for us we are flying into Tahiti a day early, so we'll be on the ship promptly at 3PM and first in line to sign up for diving and excursions.

Rob

So as not to completely hijack Ash's topic for my own cruise planning, I will also offer up the worst place I have ever gone diving (Doug should appreciate this):

Brooklyn, NY

I got talked into going on a dive off Sheepshead Bay (near Coney Island). I had to wear a 7mm wetsuit with hood that made you melt/suffocate in the early June 75 degree heat on the boat, yet couldn't really warm you up once you plunged into the 58 degree water that had a visibility, I kid you not, of 8 inches.

Almost made me quit the sport.

Robbo - ROFL! I would never have thought to go diving in Brooklyn. Then again, people go quarry diving so I guess whatever gets you into the water.

Masaki

Robbo:

Yes, the AM dives will get you back for lunch.

The Bora Bora Waverunners were so good that we did it both weeks of our B2B!

HrProf:

Sorry, I didn't do any night diving.

Doug

HrProf - as I've mentioned above, we are not divers. But the one night snorkel we did with a guide on Bonaire was outstanding. It's a different world underwater at night. We only stayed in the water 30 minutes. The guide, Bill and I were wearing skins but the other couple just had their swimsuits and that gal was freezing. Seeing the coral animals, lobsters, tiny shrimp etc. was all incredible!

Robbo - we'll look for you & your wife on PG. We'll also be boarding early after spending Friday night at the Radisson Plaza Resort (if they are open by then)! Are you flying Air Tahiti Nui flight #1 out of LAX on the 20th?

Doug W - OK, I've slapped myself with my AARP card. I will try not to mention age again.

Kathy
Where did you stay in Bonaire? It is one of our favorite Caribbean dive destinations. Has the best shore diving of any island - swim out 50 yards and get to the drop off to 120 feet. Fish life is prolific but not high voltage

We stayed at the Plaza Resort in the Spring of 1998. It was new then and offered very reasonable rates for an enormous room that had fantastic views. The afternoon dive boat would always go to a location where we could snorkel and we got to do that for free! Even snorkeling from the shore during the day at the resort we spotted a few very large lobsters trying to hide under a ledge.

We also went on a one day excursion on the "Woodwind" for a sail, snorkeling and beach barbeque that was great.

Robbo:

Thanks for the memory jog.

Ledges was, IMHO, the weakest dive.
I think that Mushroom Patch was also merely ok.

Tapu & Shark Gallery were truly outstanding. I believe that TableTop was the dive that had different dive profiles based on the skill level group you were in. Nice animal life as I recall.

Doug

Brooklyn!! & here I thought that my cert dives in Newport, RI were awful. I think I had viz of 2-3 feet. Paradise compared to the soup you were in. Of course, my 1st post cert dives were in the Cayman Islands where the Viz was 100+feet on a bad day. Somehow it all balances out.

Ah, memories! My wife and I did our cert dives in LI Sound in April - 45 degree water! Followed up as you did, Doug, with a "warm water" trip to Grand Cayman. It was required to keep my better half in the sport!