Shore Diving Location Destinations

[Flutter]

I saw a post from 2000 with this topic but none since. We have dived & enjoyed Bonaire, Curacao, and have a trip booked for Cayman Brac. We are always looking ahead for another great shore diving locale. We were cert in 2005, AO cert last yr, are a husb/wife team, dive Nitrox, and I prefer locales were we can obtain 63 cu Nitrox tanks, If possible (being not as young and strong as I once was) or can get our vehicle close to the entry, & local dive shops are set-up for shore divers. We have done & enjoyed some boat diving, as well, but love the independence & flexibility of shore diving. (We would be open to a location that might mix the two). ​Any suggestions where we should cast our net for the future? Considering Roatan . . Thanks!

 

[diverjen]

I am interested to hear the response/recommendations as well! We love Bonaire and will happily go back, but its always nice to know what else is out there!

 

[Roatan Joe]

I saw a post from 2000 with this topic but none since. We have dived & enjoyed Bonaire, Curacao, and have a trip booked for Cayman Brac. We are always looking ahead for another great shore diving locale. We were cert in 2005, AO cert last yr, are a husb/wife team, dive Nitrox, and I prefer locales were we can obtain 63 cu Nitrox tanks, If possible (being not as young and strong as I once was) or can get our vehicle close to the entry, & local dive shops are set-up for shore divers. We have done & enjoyed some boat diving, as well, but love the independence & flexibility of shore diving. (We would be open to a location that might mix the two). ​Any suggestions where we should cast our net for the future? Considering Roatan . . Thanks!

Honestly, it's really hard to beat Bonaire for shore diving in the Caribbean.. Roatan is nice and there is limited shore diving available, such as Coco View. Some of the West Bay diveshops will normally be willing to shore dive Mandy's Eel Garden, but it would have to be a guided dive. Most all of the West End and West Bay dive shops will not rent you tanks for unescorted shore diving. I would NOT go to Roatan if you're wanting to focus on just shore diving. Bonaire is called the World Capital of shore diving for a reason!

 

[diversteve]

Within the Caribbean other places are Grand Cayman, St. Croix and Aruba. Since you've done Bonaire/Curacao I think you'd be under-impressed with Aruba. Many of the Grand Cayman sites also have operators/AI resorts on them so you rent from them. Since you're going to Brac unless you wanted to add a few days I wouldn't bother. Roatan is not really a shore dive location since most of the better ones have AI resorts on them and are for guests only. Info on all of them.

Scuba Shore Diving Site Listing for: Cayman Islands, Caribbean
Scuba Shore Diving Site Listing for: USVI, St. Croix, Caribbean
Scuba Shore Diving Site Listing for: Aruba, ABC Islands
Scuba Shore Diving Site Listing for: Honduras, Roatan, Caribbean

Given any thought to Hawaii? Maui in particular has the most dive sites and the easiest entries. There are several sites where you can park within 100' of the water. If they're busy (typical) many have gear drop-offs. Kona may have better dives but often longer carries and entries over sharp lava. A couple like the pier in town are pretty convenient. Sites are really spread out all over the "Big" Island also so factor that in. Plus you can't cross the island if diving since the minimum elevation east/west is about 4,000'. Kauai has Tunnels Beach or Koloa Landing to the south - it's an old boat ramp so you park 50' from the water. Not much else there for shore diving though. Due to orientation, the north side is shut down after about Oct. 1st till mid-April due to big wave activity. I don't know Oahu.

Scuba Shore Diving Region: Hawaiian Islands

 

[Doc]

Honestly, it's really hard to beat Bonaire for shore diving in the Caribbean.. Roatan is nice and there is limited shore diving available, such as Coco View.

+1 on the Bonaire comment.

But re-arrange the words: More correctly stated, on Roatan, the Shore Diving is limited to CoCo View. What CCV offers is captivating. I have done entire two week stays and never gotten onto a boat once. Many of us have just gone shore diving, 25 logged in a week. Yes, they have 62cf nitrox tanks.

You say you might like boats too? CCV's are nearly handicapped accessible. Excellent for us in the hobbling-along category.

Never found it the least bit boring or repetitive. Here's the shore dive:

 

[scooterintexas]

Look here: Be Alive... ShoreDive!

I like Hawaii shore diving. Certainly different from Bonaire, but great fun nonetheless.

 

[diver 85]

Honestly, it's really hard to beat Bonaire for shore diving in the Caribbean.. Roatan is nice and there is limited shore diving available, such as Coco View. Some of the West Bay diveshops will normally be willing to shore dive Mandy's Eel Garden, but it would have to be a guided dive. Most all of the West End and West Bay dive shops will not rent you tanks for unescorted shore diving. I would NOT go to Roatan if you're wanting to focus on just shore diving. Bonaire is called the World Capital of shore diving for a reason!

You forgot Spooky Channel-----absolutely great nite dive.......but saying that, not much shore diving off Roatan....

 

[diversteve]

You can't get to Spooky since BIBR closed unless there's no one staying at:

The villas are part of Sunnyside, a 12 acre lot with private homes. Sunnyside has a private dock that is situated directly in front of Spooky Channel and excellent snorkeling and diving.

We contacted the rental agent about it and had planned to do it but there were several owners in residence that week so we couldn't.

Where to get tanks is also an issue. Although I've heard Sueno Del Mar might let them off property.

 

[diver 85]

You can't get to Spooky since BIBR closed unless there's no one staying at: We contacted the rental agent about it and had planned to do it but there were several owners in residence that week so we couldn't.

Where to get tanks is also an issue. Although I've heard Sueno Del Mar might let them off property.

..............lol, ole 'Brother Ray' will do anything for a buck ---I'm assuming he still owns Sueno? ie Ray(& Michele) Lopez....

We owned on the water less than a mile east of BIBR from '94 thru '08 & exclusively used BIBR as our dive op the last couple years----used to make dives from there @ 5 (US)bucks a dive, & dove spooky Channel many a-times @ nite....Remember there was the BIGGEST green eel I'd ever seen that lived there--great little nite dive.............Ah, those were the days.......

 

[diverjen]

Other than Hawaii, are there any non Caribbean dive locales that compare to Bonaire for shore diving/dive freedom?