Travelling Suggestions

[Ruu]

Afternoon,

Due to some interesting visa issues related to a possible job change, I am going to be at my leisure for a week or two but without a passport in North America in a few weeks time. I'm looking to do some diving somewhere within the region, and I am looking for some reasonable suggestions - I am a fairly experienced "tropical" diver (ie I don't dive in water colder then 24c) and I like coral and fishies bigger than me. Current thoughts include Florida (I am east coast so it is the most convenient), California and Hawaii - I have never dived any of these locations so helpful thoughs and suggestions would be appreciated.

As a side note, I am looking to do some photography while down there and am looking for an u/w digital rig - current favourite is probably the Olympus 3040 (or 4040 if I can find a cheap one) plus Olympus housing. Opinions welcome (and yes I will also be posting this in the u/w photography section).

Dave

 

[kelpmermaid]

California will probably not meet your temperature criteria. Water temperatures here would be mid 60's F, the way things are going.

 

[docmartin]

i would recommend the key largo area. after having spent years going to far away places (galapagos, thailand, hawaii, south africa) plus some stints in the carribean i went there for the first time 3 weeks ago and must say i was very impressed. the fish life is great and it is cheap and convenient to get to from the east coast. however, you probably won't see many fish bigger than you although nurse sharks and big barracudas are encountered on many dives. also taking underwater pix is easy since most reef dives are very shallow with plenty of ambient light.
if you want to see really big fish you may also want to consider north carolina with its many sand tiger sharks. i have not been there and am not sure if this is the right time of the year but i have heard great things.

 

[DeputyDan]

this week that had barracuda larger than my 12 year daughter who was my dive partner.

 

[Ruu]

I had kind of considered the whole NC / SC thing, but aside from a couple of decent wrecks I've heard more or less nothing about the area. It does have the advantage that I could easily drive there, which is a bonus. Are there any good sources of info for the area?

As far as CA is concerned - I thought that SoCal had some warmer more coral filled waters. Am i misinformed (again)? I wouldn't do mid 60's in a freakin' boat - are all CA divers mad?

Dave

 

[crgoode]

I went diving in West Palm Beach for three days about a a month ago. Saw about a half dozen reef sharks in the 4-5 ft. range and lost count of the number of huge turtles we saw, some were easily 5 ft. long and must have weighed several hundred pounds. Saw several decent sized barracuda, 3-4 ft.

 

[kelpmermaid]

Nope, no tropical water or coral here, at least not the kind you mean. The warmest I have ever seen the water here was about 70 F - and that was in an El Nino summer. FYI:

http://www.weatheronline.co.uk/namkwasf.htm

No, insanity is not mandatory to dive here, but it may help. I think it is worth the effort.

Florida may be your best bet -- I personally enjoy the drift diving around Boynton Beach and Pompano Beach. Large nurse sharks, rays, and the occasional Goliath Grouper.

 

[Ruu]

I got back from Egypt in March, and the water temperature there was a frightening 20 - 21 - I would have worn a drysuit and thermal underwear given the chance. I would have worn a submarine given the chance. Looking at the water temperatures you just gave me, I suspect my 3mm henderson isn't going to cut it, no matter how much I pee in it. What on earth do you guys do underwater there? I'm deginning to suspect that you're all so mad that you go down to see the big pink elephants (so THAT's what great whites eat in CA).

Dave

 

[kelpmermaid]

More like Black Sea Bass. Dr. Bill just posted a photo somewhere here...they fall into the general marine life category of "way bigger than me" which never fails to register on my radar.

 

[Ruu]

Presumably the Black sea Bass numbers are being controlled by the polar bear population..

Dave