What are the best US dive cities to live in?

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dladowitz

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Location
Oakland
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Hi,
I'm looking to move to a city in the US for diving. I'm planning on working part time, likely via internet and Voice over IP phone. What are the best US dive destinations that someone could live at taking home $2000/month. I live in California and have given up on cold water diving. I've been to Key West once. Diving seemed decent though I'm guessing there may be better.

I'm going to get my Divemaster and Assistant Instructor certifications. When I'm done I'd ultimately like to quit my job if I can find work on a boat. Does anyone know how hard this would be? And can you live off a Divemaster salary? Any idea what it is?

thanks
David
 
Hi,
I'm looking to move to a city in the US for diving. I'm planning on working part time, likely via internet and Voice over IP phone. What are the best US dive destinations that someone could live at taking home $2000/month. I live in California and have given up on cold water diving. I've been to Key West once. Diving seemed decent though I'm guessing there may be better.

I'm going to get my Divemaster and Assistant Instructor certifications. When I'm done I'd ultimately like to quit my job if I can find work on a boat. Does anyone know how hard this would be? And can you live off a Divemaster salary? Any idea what it is?

thanks
David

Check out Florida - from Palm Beach south to Miami.
But there are thousands of DMs and Instructors out there. There has been lots of discussion about this subject here on SB. No, you cannot live off a DM salary. You need a real job to support you, then diving on the side.
 
I agree, South Florida is the best place to look.

One thing I can tell you for sure...Northern VA and DC are not ideal places for diving. :wink:
 
what about puerto rico, guam or the US Virgin Islands?
How do they compare with the rest of the words best diving?
 
As I get older I am sad that I was not born and raised in San Diego.

Great diving and great quality of life.
 
what about puerto rico, guam or the US Virgin Islands?
How do they compare with the rest of the words best diving?
"best" is very subjective. It all depends what you want. If you really want to know what people consider the "best", then get a copy of ScubaDiving magazines annual ratings... they tell you what the readers think each year for "best beginner diving", "best shore diving", "best wall diving", "best wreck diving", :best macro diving", "best big animal diving", ....etc.

So there are alot of "bests" out there.... PR, Guam, and USVI are not the best of anything in particular. I haven't been to any of them but from others I know who have and from what I have read, they are all decent, not bad but not the "best". I think living there, diving every day or at least a few times per week, they would all be awesome, depending what you expect to get out of your dives. If you are a photographer or videographer (like me), then you would find something fabulous about every dive. I dive regularly in 62 degree cold water, fresh water spring with nothing in it but rocks and crawfish... anyplace with a few colorful fish thrills me. It is all what you WANT to get out of diving.

Hope this helps.

robin:D
 
Hmm, I've dove in San Diego, and while it's better than where I live in Northern California, it wasn't anything compared to Florida or Hawaii. I've done two years of cold water diving and I think I'm done with it.
 
I luv Cocoa Beach....Lived here most of my life...divings not the greatest....but we are kinda mid point with the greatest spring diving to the north and the best south diving along the south east Florida Coast
 
Check out southern fla. maybe live in Fla city work in Key Largo?

Pensacola possibly.
 

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