First Time to CCV with Wife & jr divers

I have been diving since the 70's; my wife is AOW with 25+ dives spread out over many years and I have 11 and 13 year old daughters who got OW last Summer and have just a few dives logged in TCI.

After reading these forums carefully, it seemed that CCV would be an excellent choice for building dive experience with the family. The youngest is depth limited and finding decent and calm diving areas which are shallow enough is a challenge. My wife has had some negative experiences with boat diving in moderate seas (heaving ladders and f) and is looking for easy entry/exit and nothing challenging to get acclimated again since we have gone a long time without diving at all. CCV seems to fit these needs well.

Please let me know if I my thinking makes sense. I am eager the get the family into the water and when the kids are older and AOW I plan on Belize and Little Cayman trips. But for now I want to fast track experience - specifically buoyancy. Any suggestions welcome too.

Thanks

My personal opinion.... CCV is PERFECT for new divers! The reefs are such they can pick their depth or stay directly under the boat, very little current, and CCV has a great dive staff.

I have a little more conservative opinion. While the boat entries at CCV are usually easy by many standards they can get a little challenging at times. I was there a couple of weeks ago and towards the end of the week, the waves were getting to the 4 ft range. Not what I consider difficult by a long shot but what I consider mild may challenging to others. Without knowing your families personalities, I can’t say if they would consider them easy or difficult. What the sea conditions are going to be on any given week is a total crap shoot. You do have the alternative of shore diving at the resort if the seas get a little rough. On most of the dives, the DM’s tend to drop to the 60-90 ft range but if you are comfortable following along on the reef edge (very easy to do) then depth is not an issue. It’s very easy to do the entire dive at 40 ft or less.

As an alternative, have you considered Bonaire? The seas are very rarely rough so boat diving is very easy and the number of shore dives is considerably greater. Also, will your family be happy at the resort with nothing to do but dive? CCV is eat, sleep, dive and pretty much nothing else. There is no pool and leaving the resort can be done but it's not the easiest thing. Perfect for me but a family may be better served elsewhere.

There are 2 groups off this board headed to Bonaire in the June/July time frame. Joining one of them would be a good way to dive the island if you have never been there before.
I know one of them has 2 spots remaining but roll away beds might be an option or simply staying at a resort near by and hanging with the group is certainly an option. Drop me a PM if you like and I can fill you in.

very true points... there is no TV or video games to entertain the kids when not diving. That is why it is a "divers only" resort. If your kids will be unhappy with that, then I would consider going elsewhere. Bonaire is a great choice also, but I would definitely want to be sure to stay oceanfront and maybe hire a DM to go with you on some shore dives to help keep an eye on the kiddos.

Cocoview has these weird dive ladder wells in the center of the boats. It's probably a calmer exit but since you mentioned your wife has some anxiety it's worth mentioning since you do have to swim under the boat.

If I wanted family friendly, I'd look hard at Anthony's Key also. They have a pool, a semi-decent (nowhere near as good as CCV's) shore dive, also overwater cabanas if that's part of the appeal. Also the whole RIMS Dolphin program - dive, snorkel, encounter etc. It's five minutes via cab to the West End when you get tired of AI food or want to do a little touristy shopping - it's 45mins. from Cocoview. AKR has a nice fleet of open dive boats with good swim-steps. Both resorts are safe, fenced, guarded.

More upscale than either is Barefoot Cay. They do small group valet diving - their main dive boat is exceedingly easy to board and they also dive the south dive sites. Including Prince Albert at CCV. If you're advanced, Mary's Place is 5mins from their dock. It's a nicer place, you could rent a villa, food is excellent and they have a beach - something else CCV/AKR mostly lack. Also there's snorkeling in their reef protected lagoon. Since it's an island, it's pretty safe. Almost as isolated as CCV except French Harbor is nearby - sort of a smaller town with some stores and a small mall. I personally wouldn't go to Coxen Hole - the main town - after dark. It's pretty aptly named.

Plaza Resort on Bonaire would be my choice for family friendly. Toucan Dive's boats all have swim steps that are basically in the water so entries/exits are easy. They also have a beach (many resorts on Bonaire don't) volleyball, beach toys, large pool, the 18Palms dive site and is a few minutes south of town. They also do a Beach BBQ on Tuesday nights - go to it even if you don't stay there. We had a family of four on our boat with kids about the same age as yours. I noticed that after the 1st day the DM shadowed them surreptitiously after determining that the rest of us could handle ourselves.

Just don't go the week of 22 June as the SB Invasion will be there then. Or join the Invasion - there's 6 spots left as of today. You have to decide by Friday though... I'd bet 1/2 the people on any of those boats that week are Instructors or better - probably be pretty safe diving that week...lol http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/invade-bonaire-2013/437012-invade-bonaire-2013-package-deal.html

is looking for easy entry/exit and nothing challenging to get acclimated

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One thing about Bonaire shore diving is that some of the entries are pretty rough - over ironshore/coral rubble both on and just off the beach. So you need to be somewhat sure-footed and able to gear up - minus fins - for most entries.

For that reason you may want to consider Curacao instead as almost all those entries are off sandy beaches - the few that aren't have dive docks. More to do on Curacao in terms of family friendly activities also. And it should be easier to get to from just about anywhere.

Kids are OK without TV. Diving will tire them out enough that I don't think it will be a problem. They really like diving and I can plan a few excursions off the resort to change things around. They did not get a enough diving at TCI/Beaches last Fall so just diving appeals to them - I know CCV is very different in approach. Also the older one can get a few core dives for AOW. They tell me they are good with the dive, dive sleep idea. With the hammocks they won't need the beach. My girls dove very well in TCI and have enough experience that I am comfortable being a DM for them. Although it would be great to get local DM's to point out the little things. I totally agree on that one.

I considered Bonaire but the shore diving may be too remote. I think my wife will be more comfortable knowing that people are in close proximity instead of a car ride to somewhere. My goal is to reduce the stress level on everybody, including myself.

I think the wife would enjoy the center wells. Her issues are mostly associated with large cattle boats where 3 groups are drifting around getting organized. Personally I find surface work more tiring than the dive. Simple matter to just stick to the shore dives and skip the boat is the seas are too big. Naturally she will be focused on the kids so I want to reduce that stress as much as possible. I imagine that after a few days the uncertainty will be gone.

I considered Bonaire but the shore diving may be too remote. I think my wife will be more comfortable knowing that people are in close proximity instead of a car ride to somewhere. My goal is to reduce the stress level on everybody, including myself.

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fwiw, the Chamber is at Anthony's Key - a 45min? ride from Cocoview. We unfortunately needed it once.

Curacao has on-site dive operators, snack shops/restaurants and other facilities at/near most sites. Most people on Curacao speak English, Dutch, Papamientu - kids are taught English in school - and like to practice... So communicating in an emergency - we had two minor ones - wasn't a problem. It's not that we don't have DAN but having someone to call an ambulance late at night locally was useful.

I'll shut up now...

No worries. I appreciate the input. I have no direct knowledge about Bonaire or Curacao - or Roatan for that matter. Hearing from people who have more extensive Carribbean and specific Roatan/CCV experience is the goal.

Just looking for great diving.

We're wrapping up another yearly trip to CoCoView. As bad as some people might believe it is, if they had tried it, maybe they wouldn't be so scared of the only boats in the dive industry that had holes in the middle of them. A chamber 45 minutes away is as sufficient as one on premises. Be grounded in fact.

Heed the cautions of CCV booking agents well in terms of kids. If they are gonzo for diving, great. Otherwise... Look elsewhere. A safe environment in every respect.

here are some images that will explain: CoCoView Explained In Pictures Photos by Doc_Adelman | Photobucket

Hersheys or Godiva, Killington or Park City, Bacon Cheeseburger or Filet.... They all taste good sometimes, but unless you've tried them, you can't know.

Be sure to post a trip report.

IMHO --- CoCoView Dive Operation is the pinnacle, everyone else is somewhere down the hill.
The boats a roomy, never ever felt crowded.
The boat capt and DM are warm and friendly, knowledgeable, and accomodating to everyone.
The DM does a dive briefing using the CCV placemats which have a color diagram of the reef. Nice touch.
The layout of the boat, easy in and out of water is best anywhere.
The dock - private dive gear room for each boat, you have huge lockers, keep your gear there and feel safe and gear has enough space to dry out.
The dock - rinse bins everywhere, some for gear and some for cameras.
The dock - showers for everyone, right there, to rinse off after dives and change to t-shirts and shorts.
The dock - nitrox tanks brought to your locker, you test them, then DM takes to the boat for you.
The dock - large board lists where each boat is going each day... everyone not going the same place.
The dock - clothes lines to hang up wet gear in the sun to dry, if you want.
The dock - at night they lock each locker room, and a guard stands on the dock.

Seriously... best Dive Operation we have ever dealt with over the past 14 years.

my photos: CoCoView Resort Photos & Videos

robin