mid january recommendation?

[sdwho]

Our next planned trip is not until June (T&C Aggressor). But the first blast of cold weather has me thinking that I've got to go where its warm before then. Long weekend type trip -- so I want to limit travel time.

What do east coast USA'ers recommend for a quick dive getaway in mid-January...

Seth

[Tim Ingersoll]

What is your budget?

[sdwho]

not unlimited, but no major constraints

[peterjmaerz]

Hmmm,

Also depends upon your tolerance for colder water. Mine is about nil, so I've been forced to head pretty far south for my winter dive sojourns. I'd think of Bonaire as being one of the most easily accessible islands from the East coast that'll have guaranteed circa-80-degree water. The Bay Islands would probably do the trick as well, but that would be prohibitive, I'd think, in terms of travel time from VA. The Southern Bahamas or Turks and Caicos would be possibilities, though I've dived neither and would think them on the fringe of susceptibility to colder blasts from the North.
Cozumel is certainly within the range of cold fronts, but I'm not sure about Grand Cayman, though I believe it, too, would be an uncertainty in January.

But, again, this opinion's to be taken with a grain of salt, coming from a cold water wuss....


Good luck...

[peterjmaerz]

See below....


http://undercurrent.org/UCnow/planner.shtml

[TedJ]

There are great deals to Aruba and although it's not known as the top line diving spot, low airfares, direct flights, clearing customs on the island and more than enough to dive and see for a long weekend would rate it a possibility. Bonaire also and I've recently returned from Curacao at the Hilton and Seascapes diving which was very nice.
TedJ

[Tim Ingersoll]

I'd stick to either Cozumel, Little Cayman or Turks & Caicos. You might try being land-based on Provo to see what you miss when you are on a live-aboard. Great restaurants! The diving with Caicos Adventures is pretty awesome.

[ckerl]

We just returned from Dominica and I would highly recommend it for January. Check out Nature Island Dive. See my posting on a different thread.

For a more generous budget, Thailand is excellent in January. We dove with Ocean Rover - top-notch liveaboard in the Adaman Sea.

[wandernsoul]

Florida is definitely easy and cheap, but not all that warm in winter. Bonaire, though I've not been, isn't all that easy to get to. Provo, Turks and Caicos, would probably fit the bill, but I'm not sure how $$ it is. (I always go to Grand Turk, which of course is harder to get to). I'd say Cozumel would be a good choice for you. Warm, cheap, great diving, and pretty easy to get to. Not as cheap from the east coast, but still pretty reasonable.
Let us know what you come up with.

Another eastcoaster with the need to get warm.
Beck