Advice- new diver needs place to go 9/13-9/16

[Justwander]

I will be traveling solo and need some help on where I should go for this long weekend and dive as much as possible. I live in NYC and want a place that won't take forever to get to. I'm open to anywhere as close as the Carolinas to somewhere in the Carribean. Any advice?

[herman]

Welcome to the board.
I would suggest Key Largo. Lots of easy dives and doing 4 per day is easily done. NC is nice but it is fairly common for us to get blown out and doing more than 2 per day is difficult due to depth and distance of the dive sites.

[Ontwreckdiver]

You have some of the best fresh water wreck diving in the world right in your back yard. The St. Lawrence Seaway. Most of the diving is done from around the Alexandria Bay, NY area on the US side and from Rockport & Brockville,Ont. on the Canadian side. The water temps have been in the mid 70's since Aug. The vis is usually 40 to 80 ft. I'm heading up there for the second time this year on Sept.7, 8, 9 . There is also a lot of good shore diving.

www.scubaq.ca/ontarioscubadiving/brockville.htm

[Cacia]

maybe the Caymans?

you probably want a non-stop...someplace with little crime..and social...great diving.

Oh..and not in the immediate path of a hurricane.

[del_mo]

What herman said.

I'd also add that you can get 4 dives per day in at Ft. Lauderdale/Pompano. Key Largo is generally shallower, so your dives will also be longer. I'd go to Largo.

[robint]

I will be traveling solo and need some help on where I should go for this long weekend and dive as much as possible. I live in NYC and want a place that won't take forever to get to. I'm open to anywhere as close as the Carolinas to somewhere in the Carribean. Any advice?

With only 4 DAYS I would stick to someplace you can dive the day you arrive since you lose at least one day on way back due to "no fly time". I would say Ft. Lauderdale/Pompano/Boynton beach areas - drift diving and wrecks, warm water, lots of dive ops and no problem being solo as they will assign you a buddy or you can request (and pay extra for) a DM to go with you.
Going down to Key Largo would take up another 1/2 day and I don't think it would be worth it.

robint

[jasondcrawford]

I second the Florida idea. I dont know the specifics about the differences between cities to dive from down there, but I do know they'd fit your criteria. North Carolina tends to be more advanced diving than I'd recommend for someone who is a self-described "new diver". And as someone mentioned, you can easily get a few days blown out. Good luck.

[JillGadget]

Gotta go with Key Largo..............As a new divier Key Largo would be prime. We use Horizon divers mm 100 in Key largo. Hook up with them and they will get you a great price at the Ramada Inn, just a few hop skips and a jump from the boat. Everyone there is great! (but then again, I have found all the key's dive ops are good)
http://www.horizondivers.com/ Not all the dives are shallow, you have the Speigal Grove, duanne, Eagles wreck and some of the reefs go deep too. So much to see, so little time. Just remember to take your camera for the Grove!

Good Luck
Jill
ps,, they know me down there as pukegirl:l: