13 replies to this topic

[uwfan]

As the wind and snow are blowing outside...my thoughts turn to warm water, kicking back and enjoying dives and surface intervals with my SD friends. I've already planned a trip next summer to Wakatobi and will be going to Grenada in just a couple of weeks.

But I seem to have a bug right now, needling me to plan another trip (okay, dream of planning another trip after I've saved up some $$$). So, where would you send a relative newbie like me who has had two Cozy trips and dives in Curacao and in the Dry Tortugas? Or where would you take your newbie friends to dive??

Thanks in advance!!

[diverdeb]

I LOVED Grenada! But honestly mostly for the island. If you get to spend ANY time on the island, make sure you take a trip to the rain forest and hike up to the falls, 7 sisters is the one to go to, not the other more tourist-type falls. You have to HIKE to get to the good ones, but it is amazing and beautiful. So pack a decent pair of shoes and GO!!! I promise you will love it. I would love to spend some more time on the island. The diving is pretty good too.

As for another dive trip, Bonaire is a great dive destination. Lots of beautiful reefs and you can get in a decent wreck and the town pier and salt pier are fabulous! My favorite spots were the salt pier during the day and oil slick leap - just for the entry!!!

[ScubaSis]

I vote for Bonaire!!!

I have been to Cozumel, Roatan, and Bonaire. Bonaire made me "fall in love" with diving. It was such nice easy diving. We did boat dives and still think that's the way to go even though they are famous for shore diving. It was my first SD trip and we stayed at Divi Flamingo. We were able to walk to town each night and choose from a large selection of resturaunts. Of course you can't get in a hurry to eat as they are definately on "Island Time". Well worth the wait though and it gives you time to visit and mingle with other Single Divers!!

[shadragon]

If you really want to get away from it all and get some seriously decent diving in for fairly cheap I would suggest here:

Shagra Village

Been there. Done that. Got several T-shirts and loved it.

[Starfish Sandy]

Ditto on Bonaire!!!!! LOVED IT.

Roatan was also very nice and very easy diving -

[scubaski]

Grand Cayman Northpoint or East end Wall Diving or Turk and Caicos for more wall diving. Both location 1st dive on walls or stay on top on edge of reef. 2nd dive always reef.

[uwfan]

I LOVED Grenada! But honestly mostly for the island. If you get to spend ANY time on the island, make sure you take a trip to the rain forest and hike up to the falls, 7 sisters is the one to go to, not the other more tourist-type falls. You have to HIKE to get to the good ones, but it is amazing and beautiful. So pack a decent pair of shoes and GO!!! I promise you will love it. I would love to spend some more time on the island. The diving is pretty good too.

As for another dive trip, Bonaire is a great dive destination. Lots of beautiful reefs and you can get in a decent wreck and the town pier and salt pier are fabulous! My favorite spots were the salt pier during the day and oil slick leap - just for the entry!!!

Thanks Deb! So, how long does it take to get to the falls? I'm adding an extra day...long story, but gonna enjoy the island on Jan 3rd! Is this far from True Blue (if you happened to stay there).

I'm looking forward to the Grenadines...diving!!

[uwfan]

So, another question ('cause ya know I'm gonna ask more questions!)...

When is your new buddy ready for current, and what kind of current would you let a newbie dive? Any words of wisdom??

[scubaski]

So, another question ('cause ya know I'm gonna ask more questions!)...

When is your new buddy ready for current, and what kind of current would you let a newbie dive? Any words of wisdom??

I'm sure you've already experinced current. When your diving in Grenada most of your dives willbe drift dives...The easy way of diving.... Think of the dive as only travelling down a one way street or a one way dive.. You can stop and look at a creature or coral but to backup for any distance willbe tough...Important equipment to have is a SMB (surface marker bouy) and small finger reel, minamally you should already have some sort of inflatable safety sausage. As far as SMB go the larger and brighter the better off you'll be. The Dive Master or guide will probably lead the dive with a SMB or ball float with a flag already deployed shortly after the beginning of dive and just follow along. Stay close to your buddy and all will be right. Drift diving in current is Fun, Fun,Fun!!!

[uwfan]

So, another question ('cause ya know I'm gonna ask more questions!)...

When is your new buddy ready for current, and what kind of current would you let a newbie dive? Any words of wisdom??

I'm sure you've already experinced current. When your diving in Grenada most of your dives willbe drift dives...The easy way of diving.... Think of the dive as only travelling down a one way street or a one way dive.. You can stop and look at a creature or coral but to backup for any distance willbe tough...Important equipment to have is a SMB (surface marker bouy) and small finger reel, minamally you should already have some sort of inflatable safety sausage. As far as SMB go the larger and brighter the better off you'll be. The Dive Master or guide will probably lead the dive with a SMB or ball float with a flag already deployed shortly after the beginning of dive and just follow along. Stay close to your buddy and all will be right. Drift diving in current is Fun, Fun,Fun!!!

Yes, THIS kind of current I've experienced. I was actually a bit confused on my first Curacao dive, I couldn't understand after diving in Cozumel why we had to turn back around and swim back the direction we came!! LOL!

I guess, I'm thinking in particular about dives like those I've heard about here along North Carolina to the wrecks (I know, I know, last year was the LAST year...but I might decide to do it sometime ANYWAY.) Do you encounter current? What kind of experience or skills would a new diver want to get to dive such areas?

[Landlocked Dive Nut]

Heidi, I think current is handled differently by different divers, and different gear, leg strength, body position and canny positioning around underwater structures can make a difference! My very first dive trip was all drift diving, with easy current, and I had a blast. The next year I went to Cozumel. I was not prepared for Coz currents, and had to "learn on the fly" how to work those heavier currents. Several times, my head swiveled quickly, and I asked myself "what in the world did I just see?" and there was no way I could get back to it and hover and investigate with my "easy" fins on. I didn't even bother to take the camera down the first several days, until I learned some control. I watched divers who had been going to Coz for years, and learned some tricks from them.

So, newbies could do very well, or they could be completely overwhelmed. I believe a gradual introduction to current is best for most newer divers. I recommend a good surface marker, loud whistle, and a mirror just in case they get separated from their buddy or dive group.

Maybe you can start a separate thread, and the experienced current divers can post their tidbits of wisdom? I know we have some newer divers that have joined recently, and this would be a great topic for them for many reasons.

[scubaski]

Sorry, can't help with NC diving. I'm a WUS. Have to dive Florida or south for me.

[shadragon]

Strong currents are great if the dive profile uses them to the divers advantage like a drift dive. When encountered unexpectedly they can be a bit of a bear like on wrecks. However, that is why most dive ops have recovery Zodiacs and the reason you carry an SMB, mirror, whistle, light, etc. Listen to the dive briefing and ask what to do in case of bad current or if you are driven off course. If you do get carried away, don't panic. Just surface like you normally would. Inflate your BC, SMB and signal for assistance. After enjoy a nice float until the recovery boat comes by. It happens more often than you think and is routine for most dive ops.

[georoc01]

So, another question ('cause ya know I'm gonna ask more questions!)...

When is your new buddy ready for current, and what kind of current would you let a newbie dive? Any words of wisdom??

I'm sure you've already experinced current. When your diving in Grenada most of your dives willbe drift dives...The easy way of diving.... Think of the dive as only travelling down a one way street or a one way dive.. You can stop and look at a creature or coral but to backup for any distance willbe tough...Important equipment to have is a SMB (surface marker bouy) and small finger reel, minamally you should already have some sort of inflatable safety sausage. As far as SMB go the larger and brighter the better off you'll be. The Dive Master or guide will probably lead the dive with a SMB or ball float with a flag already deployed shortly after the beginning of dive and just follow along. Stay close to your buddy and all will be right. Drift diving in current is Fun, Fun,Fun!!!

Yes, THIS kind of current I've experienced. I was actually a bit confused on my first Curacao dive, I couldn't understand after diving in Cozumel why we had to turn back around and swim back the direction we came!! LOL!

I guess, I'm thinking in particular about dives like those I've heard about here along North Carolina to the wrecks (I know, I know, last year was the LAST year...but I might decide to do it sometime ANYWAY.) Do you encounter current? What kind of experience or skills would a new diver want to get to dive such areas?

The first real current I experienced was in Cozumel, and there are definitely some dives that have stronger current than others. And because you don't have to worry about getting back to the boat, this is a could place to learn how to dive in current. The next step is what you described in Curacao. Namely learning to swim into the current and then drift back to the boat.

As far as North Carolina goes, you can have current on the wreck, but you are limited to where they hook on as far as the line goes to where to begin you dive. Which means you may be swimming with the current at first and then have to swim into the current on the return. One other thing you can do is try to use the wreck as a block for the current, making it easier to swim.

NC also featured much deeper dives. I believe the recommendation that WW had on these trips was having Advanced Open Water and at least 40 dives before going. As she called, it..its definitely big boys diving.