Warm water destinations for checkout dives

[SteveInMD]

I'm looking for a few recommendations for places to go to do the check-out dives for my kids. I'm having trouble finding wetsuits that fit my kids very well and it has been a struggle. They seem to be too skinny and tall for any off the rack wetsuits. So, I'm looking for a good reputable Padi shop (they a Padi class now) for their checkout dives in warm water, accessible for a long-weekend trip leaving from the Washington DC area (we don't have time for multi-stop long layover flights), with relatively protected dive sites. I was planning on taking them to Key Largo over Easter weekend but now I'm worried it will be too cold. I'm trying to make the a pleasant experience for them. Any suggestions?

 

[tbone1004]

you're safest bet is to do it in the springs somewhere where at least it will be consistent. At Easter time they're going to have to be in wetsuits, it's just a fact of life, you aren't going to find 80+ degree water without going out of the country. Sorry to be bearer of bad news, but Key West doesn't even hit 80 until May and that's pushing it for most people without wetsuits on, will be high 70's first week of April and if they're skinny, doing repetitive dives with evaporative cooling on the boats won't be good. Largo will be a degree or two colder, but if they don't have a good cold tolerance they'll need at least a hooded vest to keep them warm.

Springs in Florida will be a guaranteed 70F give or take a degree or two and you can call and see if they'll have wetsuits that will fit them, or at least come close enough that some binder clips will take up most of the slack. Something like Ginnie Springs is about 2 hours from Jacksonville and Orlando to give you direct flight options, but you do still have to wait 18 hours before you get on the plane which is somewhat problematic.

Might be worth calling Gypsy Divers in Raleigh to see if they have suits that will fit, they work with a lot of kids and might actually have a 7mm that they can use. Water temps will be around 60 but the vis will be relatively clear and you don't have the 18 hour till flight requirement. You're in a bit of a bind with Easter as early as it is this year and the cold weather we've been having

 

[HJeffreyM]

The British Virgin Islands are close enough for a short trip. Although I'm not sure that anywhere you need to fly to can be considered a "long- weekend" excursion. That said, I highly recommend Dive BVI (divebvi.com). Great boats, great people. I don't think your boys could get better training or nicer dive sites anywhere in the Caribbean.

 

[SteveInMD]

Looking at flights we could get to Puerto Rico for the weekend. We can get there Friday eveing and fly out Monday afternoon, so we can fit in the 18 hours needed after the last dive. Can anyone recommend a good safe dive outfit in Puerto Rico?

 

[scubadada]

Unless you could swing a destination like Grand Cayman, I would imagine Key Largo is your best bet for warm air and water temps and "protected" sites. I would expect the water to be in the mid to highs 70s.

Maybe one of the larger operators would have acceptable wetsuits for your kids, have you called around? Perhaps mselenaous or netdoc, extremely familiar with Key Largo, could make suggestions. Consider sending them a PM.

Good luck, Craig

 

[mikeycanuk]

All kids wetsuits are similar in sizing, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 Henderson or Bare. You don't get options until you hit the adult suits.

Barbados was where we got certified, might be too far? But it's way down south and warm. Our son was 10 when he get certified.

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[KathyV]

I'm looking for a few recommendations for places to go to do the check-out dives for my kids. I'm having trouble finding wetsuits that fit my kids very well and it has been a struggle. They seem to be too skinny and tall for any off the rack wetsuits. So, I'm looking for a good reputable Padi shop (they a Padi class now) for their checkout dives in warm water, accessible for a long-weekend trip leaving from the Washington DC area (we don't have time for multi-stop long layover flights), with relatively protected dive sites. I was planning on taking them to Key Largo over Easter weekend but now I'm worried it will be too cold. I'm trying to make the a pleasant experience for them. Any suggestions?

Maybe this group could advise you regarding suits and good locations:
Family Dive Adventures

 

[tbone1004]

that's actually a good point, your best bet is probably to contact Pete, he lives/dives/teaches on Key Largo and can probably find you wetsuits that will fit

 

[tursiops]

It will be easier to find a wetsuit that fits them than to find warm water in the US over Easter weekend.
Even Key West and Fort Lauderdale are marginal in April: Key West Sea Temperature April Average, United States Water Temperatures, Fort Lauderdale Sea Temperature April Average, United States Water Temperatures
San Juan and Caymans and Cancun/Cozumel are fine: San Juan Sea Temperature April Average, Puerto Rico Water Temperatures, North Side Sea Temperature April Average, Cayman Islands Water Temperatures, Canc.

 

[diversteve]

The logistics of getting to the BVI's make that a little rough since you'd have to fly into St. Thomas from the DC area plus ferry over. The fast ferries run hourly so it's not as bad as it sounds. May not be real warm there yet though next month - the east end of the BVI's is technically in the Atlantic. One other gotcha about the previous suggestion is that DiveBVI is an SSI shop and I don't think PADI will accept a reverse crossover. Otherwise they're a great outfit. But they're on Virgin Gorda which has less ferry service - since you're fighting the clock. If you did want to do the BVI's, I'd go for a PADI shop on Tortola - they're all listed here: bviscuba.org. I suppose St Thomas itself is an option also. It's a little colder there though - currently 79^o. Bolongo Bay/St. Thomas Diving Club is known to work with beginners. And they have a beach there for classes.

I'd look warmer. It may not sound like much but a few degrees might matter if you can't find anything but rental shorties - which is common. Aruba is a 7hr. flight each way from BWI. Water temp is 80^o right now. I used 4/4-4/8 as dates. Nice thing about the return flight is it's at 4:50PM so you can dive all day Mon/Tues.

Grand Cayman looks like about 5.5 hrs. out/ 7+ back total with a stop in MIA - from DCA. for $495. Water temp is 81^o currently. It's pricey there but one advantage is there must be almost 2 dozen PADI shops on the island for cert dives. Save a little money and stay off Seven Mile Beach - Comfort Suites or Sunshine Sutes are options. Ambassador Divers is also at Sunshine Suites - I recommend them regularly.

Also there's several easy entry, excellent shallow shore dives either on the NW side if you have time. If the kids are old enough to leave alone, you could wall dive also. All the shops: Cayman Islands Tourism Association - Things To Do In Cayman, Cayman Culture,Cayman Islands Watersports After the kids are certified they can dive Stingray City (15' deep) or the Kittiwake wreck also. It's a big boat, shallow - 60' tall sitting on a 70' bottom and escorted. Stingray City trips are generally in the afternoon so that may work out also.

I used April 4-8th for this - figuring you may not find much open on Easter so two days for diving. To look at other destinations, use this surfing website for water temperatures. Surf Forecast and Surf Reports Worldwide | Surf-forecast.com

I use Matrix - ITA Software by Google for flights - much of the same data is available on Google Flights - just not as much tweakable detail.

I don't think you're really going to find anything warm in the Keys/SE Florida yet.

---------- Post added March 14th, 2015 at 08:06 AM ----------

Factor in that the better diving is not in San Juan but SE in Fajardo or south in La Parguera(sp?) San Juan is pretty murky at times.

One of the shops does teach at a shallow beach site a little to the east of the cruise port in San Juan. I think there's "Dogs" in the shop name.