Getting my feet wet and need advice

[NYCDiveGuy]

Hello Board,

I'm a dive student that will be getting certified shortly. I am so pysched to start diving, but I am not sure where would be a good place to start? I am based in NYC, but travel a bunch throughout the US & Europe.

Can anyone recommend great short trip diving destinations? Any place where diving is friendly to newbies??? Ideally I'm looking for places in the caribbean, Keys, or Mexico where I can dive for long weekends and fly back home.

I'm also interested in hearing if you know of any small dive ops that cater to newbies.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Eric

 

[Doc]

The Keys, or better yet- Fort Lauderdale is newbie heaven.

Your mission is to get out and log dives and get comfortable. Perfect your skills, most notably buoyancy.

If you must spend extra money, a trip to Nassau or Freeport/Lucaya is an option.

Anything close and cheap is ideal. They are, for this reason, quite adept at watching out for newbies. You are still in control of your own destiny. Go and do it a lot. Build up for the "cool stuff".

 

[Dive-aholic]

I 2nd Ft. Lauderdale. Lots of shore diving on a reef that's a short swim from shore. It's only about 15-20 feet deep, but full of marine life and the perfect depth to work on buoyancy.

 

[scubajcf]

Puerto Rico is not a bad (non stop) option for a quick hop from NYC.
North/South Carolina (non stop) for some good wreck diving adventures.
Miami/Key West (non stop) for a more tropical feel.
Bermuda is a very quick trip (non stop) from NYC.

Where do you travel in Europe?


jcf

 

[DiveMaven]

I'd second South Florida and the Keys. My husband and I dove Key Largo after we got certified and there was nothing more amazing than warm, clear water and hour long dives to build confidence and give us time to practice our skills.

 

[Doc]

I am based in NYC, but travel a bunch throughout the US & Europe.

Now that I slept on this... Europe you say?

A trip to Egypt's Sharm el Sheik to dive in the Red Sea is a simple, inexpensive flight away.

It's cheap, a quick trip from Europe that is as regular as a bus route, they do weekend excursions all the time.

The dive ops are well accustomed to "newbie divers". I suggest staying at the Camel Hotel and dive with Camel Dive or the Red Sea Diving College.

Easy breezy and a bargain.

Here's my trip report from July '06 http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=153045

 

[moneysavr]

SE Florida would be a great choice,

 

[NYCDiveGuy]

Thanks for the suggestions.

When in Europe, I usually am in Paris, Amsterdam, or Brussels. I'm actually heading out to Paris the first week of October. I'll check out the diving recommendations in Egypt.

Also, I've scheduled a long weekend trip to Key Largo for some diving!