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Fantastic lists! Thank you to everyone for posting. Please continue.
And to ScubaJim:
That is some list there. All I can see missing is Bonaire and Cozumel.
I have been to both. You need to go. How about joining forces and coming up with a group trip to Cozumel next year?
I quote: "Bonaire is the most boring place I have ever dived. Every dive site looks exactly the same, they just have a different name" Or words to that effect!
To be honest, the Caribbean is not my thing, though I sell it. Compared with the Indo-Pacific it has almost nothing to offer except high prices. I can think of only 2 or 3 dives in the Caribbean that I have come out from and gone "Awesome!" (or in the case of us reserved Brits, "I say, that was spiffing, what!")
As for Cozumel, well, I know people who have been there and to Belize and say Belize is much better. So why would I wanna go?!!!!
Given a choice I would never go to the Caribbean if I could go to the Indo Pacific. I am sure those who have done both would agree....
And of course what didn't put on my list is how many times I have been to some of the places on my list!!!
Why don't we join forces and come up with a decent dive trip like PNG!!!
Ah! Jim. You Brits sure have a way with words!
Sometimes boring is good, no? If you have a good thing, like Bonaire, why not do it over and over again and name it something different everytime? Hehehehe
As for Cozoumel, I have only been there 4 times. Belize 1 time. I beg to differ there. Cozumel is anything but boring. Big fish, small fish, coral, a new fun wreck, caves, caverns, cheap prices, good food, a bit of something for everyone.
Ok you have me on PNG. I have never been there. And I do know people that rate is as #1 in their book. But the flight is so darn far for me. If I'm going to fly .. I would either pick the Red sea or Australia, so I can see top side sites too. What do you think about that?
Did Mr Doubilet say the diving was good? If I recall he didn't!!!
Well, I can't speak from personal experience on Cozumel, so I can't compare with Belize. Where did you go in Belize?
As for PNG, well you need to look at the "land tours" link on the PNG section of my web site to see that this place has more than enough to offer you. The largest tracts of untouched rainforest in SE Asia, the best bird watching in the world, the most amazing cultural melting pot of people (706 individual languages - not dialects, languages - from a population of 4.5 million), volcanos, incredible scenery, brilliant trekking, tons of WWII stuff, surfing (like wow, man), white water rafting. You name it, it's got it!
As for the Red Sea, well the desert does pall after a while, and the interesting stuff, like the ancient Egyptian monuments (with a random chance of being gunned down by a lunatic!) are not accessible from the Red Sea unless you fly.
As for the diving in Oz, having worked on the GBR & in the Coral Sea for 18 months in the late 80s I can assure you that it in no way compares to the diving in PNG. I have been 7 times, and the shortest trip I have done there is 3 weeks. I have only scratched the surface.
OK Let's at least get one thing straight here. Bonaire is world class diving. So sorry Mr. D. But while there might not be a variety of caves, caverns, and such, the water is warm, Vis is the best, and coral, fish, and micros are well preserved. The diving is easy. Rarely currents to deal with. Kinda like diving in a giant bath tub. Boring and too easy? Maybe. But do we always have to work to dive?
PNG does sound wondeful. For diving. But I like old ruins, and would like to see Greece, Turkey, Israel, and Egypt in the same trip and dive them all, if I'm going to fly more then 6 hours anywhere.
Lazy. I guess so in my old age.
So I would consider teaming up for the Asia, Middle East, Africa, trip first.
I'll diplomatically defer to you on Bonaire, Natasha!
As for Greece, Turkey & Israel yes interesting places to visit topside but bugger all to see underwater. And my advice is to visit Israel at a later date, perhaps when any potential Middle East conflagration has finished (!)
Egypt has spectacular diving if you go to the right place, but it is becoming somewhat overcrowded.
The most spectacular old ruins I have seen have been in Cambodia. They may not be as old as those in Egypt, but they are far more beautiful.
Well,
Florida Keys
Orcas Island, WA.
Edmonds Reef, WA.
Warm Lake, UT.
Homestead Crater, UT.
Deadwood Res., ID.
Some lake in Missouri
Payette River, ID.
Boise River, ID.
Lucky Peak, ID. (At least once a week.)
Lake Lowell, ID.
Must get moose & squirrel .... sorry, could not help myself!
Have not read the whole thread but some good fresh water sites not mentioned recently as follows:
Tobermory Canada - Great wreck diving
Kingston Canada - More great wreck diving
Mackinaw Straits in Mi. - Even more great wrecks
*** hmmm, think he likes wreck diving?
Bonne Terre mine south of St. louie - A geat one time trip
Holding my own on ocean travel, but not with Scuba Jim. What are you a Royal or something? LOL!
Cozumel - Great bang for the buck IMO
Grand Cayman - Good diving, the exchange rate suks for US
Little Cayman - better diving than above, less beat up
Puerto Rico - Great diving before the hurricane
Turneffe Island (Belize) - Really cool island & diving
Hawaii - Maui, Kauai & Big, Big has the best sites IMO
Bonaire - again much better before the hurricane
Cuba (Gitmo) - Was in the Marines once upon a time
Palau - Wow
Chuuk - Wreck diving heaven
Working on a trip to Vietnam, have a former Marine buddy who is stationed there for the DOJ & says the diving is da bomb!
__________________
Lord Stanleys' Cup, back home in Hockey Town GO WINGS!!!!
Okinawa: Where I was certified! My first Tiger shark.
PI (Phil. Islands): Cool WWII wrecks
Australia: Great time, wish I did more diving!
Thailand: My favorite place to dive! My first Whale Shark.
Burma: Wow, what a wild "on the edge" dive exp. My first Bull shark.
Guam: Great!
Africa: too few dives, too many flies! But I'll go again ASAP!
Florida: Very nice.
St. Croix: My first wild dolphins!!! 8 in all, 4 babies, 4 adults (8 footers!)
Did some Great Lakes, small quarries and a few odds and ends! Next stop, Bonnaire then back to Thailand!
