Good dive spot for me and my son?

[Lewis]

Wow thanks alot for all the input. My son already tell all his friends and teachers our scuba adventures. Makes me feel good. Plus he loves to dive/swim. So it works out great. Yea after looking at moneys again. I do not think I will have that much so I guess we are looking at Fla or Coz. I may lean towards Fla since my 16yr old will probally want to go.

Thanks again for the info. I be checking back.

Lewis

 

[kyleterry]

I took my 13 yr old son (13th birthday present) on a week dive trip. we went through Stuart Cove dive boats and stayed at Paridise Island. It was a great trip I would highly recommend. Now my three younger sons are counting days to their 13th birthday.

 

[Dee]

Now I love Cozumel and although you'll find a few sites with minimum currents, all of Coz is drift diving. We've made 11 trips to Coz and I have to say that the currents there this year have been phenominal! And if one or both of you are still having bouyancy problems, I think you should look for somewhere else.

Key Largo in Florida would be my best suggestion. We live just east of Houston. Key Largo is a 24 hour drive from here. We usually drive about 10 hours the first day and get to Panama City, then make the Keys the next afternoon. Coming home, stop at one of the fresh water springs, dive and rinse your gear at the same time!

I think it's great you and your son have diving to share. He'll cherish the connection all his life. Let us know what you decide to do...and write us a trip report!

Dee

 

[Walter]

I have to agree the Keys are a much better choice than Cozumel for beginners. Cozumel dives are almost exclusively live boating. I am very much against the practice because it simply isn't safe.

There are three methods of diving in current from an unanchored boat where you drift with the current. All three are commonly called "drift diving" although it is usually a misnomer.

Drift diving is rarely used. A weighted line, often the anchor line, is dropped to the desired dive depth. Divers descend along the line to the desired depth, holding on the line as the boat drifts along, they are always connected to the boat.

Live boating is common in Mexico, especially Cozumel. It is a fairly risky method. Divers descend and drift with the current. The boat “follows the bubbles.” Using this method, it is easy to lose divers or to accidentally strike a diver with the boat.

The preferred method is float diving. It is similar to live boating, except one of the divers has a reel attached to a float, which the boat follows. Divers stay close to the diver with the reel and therefore do not get lost. Divers ascend next to the line and stay next to the float until acknowledged by the boat crew. They then swim away from the float for pickup. This ensures the boat does not strike divers.

When I go to Cozumel, I take my own float and reel as I refuse to live boat.

Food for thought.

Walter

 

[Rick Murchison]

Without a doubt, and well within your budget, Bonaire is the easiest, best 12 yr old place there is. You are not dependent on boats, you can dive as much or as little as you want. The lee side of the Island is calm, with no current to speak of, and plenty of reef and life above the sixty foot limit. Vis is always good, and water temperature is rarely below 80 - so a 3 mil or even a skin is adequate for most divers. Rent a van or pickup. Buddys or Lions Dive both have drive-through tank pickup, and the reef right in front of them (they're next door to each other) is just wonderful. See
msnhomepages.talkcity.com/SupportSt/rickmurchison/bonaire00.html
for some shots from our last trip there, where I certified three twelve year olds and an eleven year old.
Rick

 

[scywin]

I first learned to dive when my son and a group of his scouting buddies decided they wanted to go diving at the Boy Scouts Florida Sea Base in Islamorada, FL. We got certified one summer and went to Sea Base the following summer. Trying to keep up with a bunch of teenagers is a tough way to learn a sport!

Sea Base has sailing and diving excursions, but it also is tough to organize a group to go. You need to plan well in advance, but you might also be able to hook up with a group that needs an extra to fill out their crew.

If you have a son in the Scouts, you definitely want to go to this place at least once.

 

[King_Neptune]

scywin,

Next year, Sky Diving?

hehe

=-)

 

[scywin]

In addition to scuba, I happen to be a pilot and have taken scouts through the aviation merit badge. It wouldn't surprise me!

 

[madeiraherman]

For a special holiday, think about MADEIRA (dive)Paradise in the Atlantic Ocean.

 

[scubadweeb]

From one Texan to another--I dove Key Largo back in November and again in March. The water is clear (over 75 foot visibility), little if any current and the water was like glass (not a choppy spot in sight). The average dive was about 30-50 feet and the reefs were beautiful! Pennekamp is an underwater park and has a ton of marine life. I took a friend who was certified a year ago and hadn't been ocean diving and it was a smashing success! Airfares are pretty reasonable - Southwest took me from Dallas through New Orleans then to Ft Lauderdale. We rented a car ($80 for the weekend) and drove to Key Largo (about an hour and one half). We stayed at Marina Del Mar resort ($130 double occupancy) and dove with Ocean Divers. They were great. Keep in mind that down in Key Largo they don't have dive masters diving with their day boats unless you specify you want a guide. There is an additional charge. However, the diving is such that you probably wouldn't need one.

Hope you find a great spot. My husband & son have been diving for years and they love it!