U'vill Dive
Registered
Hi all. So many questions, so uncertain where to start.
Hubby and I (in our 50s) got PADI certified in St John USVI in Jan '07. Did several boat dives while there, then a shore dive by ourselves. THAT was that. We came back next year and did our own shore dives, going at our own pace, no DM showing us what we were capable of spotting on our own.
First solo dives were from blue cobble of Little Lameshur bay around to west side of Europa bay, swam half way there, dove rest of way there and back from 25 to 65 deep. Came upon two squid, gorgeous colors, hanging there eyeballing us; best animal contact bar none, including dolphins....Consider ourselves good swimmers but pretty pooped after that one.
Did South Haulover bay on a quiet day down to 45, vis 60 to 80 (?) then again on a rough, poor vis day (35 to 45 ?). Did Lime key (hard hike). Did St John two years running. Then nothing for a year.
Then went to big island, Hawaii in July 2010 and did the 'must' dive at The Sanctuary (Honaunau), ended up swimming with dolphins and hitting 100 feet deep (as a challenge to each other); what a blast for beginner solo divers, easy access off coral when surf not overly choppy or tide not all the way out, beautiful schools of fish, sea turtles....So enraptured we did that one thrice.
Next dive, drove around looking for Keei (?), found a guy's driveway who said, sure, park and enjoy my boat ramp, so we dove off his small stone beach and boat ramp. Lots of arches and a couple of sea caves, but missed out on the reef shark we heard later likes to lurk in the back cave....darn.
Did a few easy dives out of the bay in front of King Kamehameha hotel down to 48. Vis not great. Then finally we did 4-Mile in Kona. Slippery rocky shore but the lava tubes out there were fun.
Next year only got to go to Monterey in Ca. Desperate to dive we went with a dive company (can't remember who) and I did one dive in 6 ml at the Breakers (fricking hard to walk, looking like Michelin Man in thick wet suit) still froze my nickers off. My husband was actually brave enough to go out again in that, brrrrrrrrrr, water. Vis 10-25. Depth only 35. Interesting kelp but had to follow the leader with a DM. Hate that! Can't stop to look at anything except see where his/her fins went.
Haven't dove since.
But wait! We are going to Grand Cayman last week of april, in one month! Have rented a house on North-west end, Bonnie's Arch condos. So excited I could pee my midi......
Only I feel guilty. We have no friends who scuba dive, though I've heard Colorado is the state with the most registered divers, we can't seem to meet anyone who does. In Gr. Cay we will have an air conditioned house with a master bedroom for us, but no one we know who could use the other bedroom. What a waste.
Still, it won't lessen my enjoyment at being there.
So here are the questions.
1) Does Grand Cayman have a pest spray program as I've heard for sand fleas (flies, bugs, whatever). Can I safely walk the beaches in the evening or must I douse myself in deet morning and evening?
2) Is there any way I can get to stingray city without having to use a follow the leader DM. I don't want to feed them, I just want to watch (the stingrays, not the DM
).
3) If I am on Gr. Cay 8 nights very end of April, what are the odds of the weather letting us dive the main wall at Turtle Reef at least once?
4) My husband wants a dive computer, looking around I am not ready to spend 900 on a Shearwater Petrel, what looks like to me the best bet. Should he wait till we can afford that great dc, or buy a really cheap one to begin with (his eyes are older and poor screens will be hard for either of us to see).
5) What day exactly does Macabuca have it's renowned weekly BBQ.
6) If we did do one guided boat dive what site do you recommend we ask to go to? What Dive op goes there?
7) And finally does anyone have any suggestions to eat/see/do/dive there
Wow, that is a lot
but being excited about a dive trip will do that! Let me know......:cool2: (yeah, ok, I got a thing for emoticons)
Hubby and I (in our 50s) got PADI certified in St John USVI in Jan '07. Did several boat dives while there, then a shore dive by ourselves. THAT was that. We came back next year and did our own shore dives, going at our own pace, no DM showing us what we were capable of spotting on our own.First solo dives were from blue cobble of Little Lameshur bay around to west side of Europa bay, swam half way there, dove rest of way there and back from 25 to 65 deep. Came upon two squid, gorgeous colors, hanging there eyeballing us; best animal contact bar none, including dolphins....Consider ourselves good swimmers but pretty pooped after that one.Did South Haulover bay on a quiet day down to 45, vis 60 to 80 (?) then again on a rough, poor vis day (35 to 45 ?). Did Lime key (hard hike). Did St John two years running. Then nothing for a year.
Then went to big island, Hawaii in July 2010 and did the 'must' dive at The Sanctuary (Honaunau), ended up swimming with dolphins and hitting 100 feet deep (as a challenge to each other); what a blast for beginner solo divers, easy access off coral when surf not overly choppy or tide not all the way out, beautiful schools of fish, sea turtles....So enraptured we did that one thrice.Next dive, drove around looking for Keei (?), found a guy's driveway who said, sure, park and enjoy my boat ramp, so we dove off his small stone beach and boat ramp. Lots of arches and a couple of sea caves, but missed out on the reef shark we heard later likes to lurk in the back cave....darn. Did a few easy dives out of the bay in front of King Kamehameha hotel down to 48. Vis not great. Then finally we did 4-Mile in Kona. Slippery rocky shore but the lava tubes out there were fun.
Next year only got to go to Monterey in Ca. Desperate to dive we went with a dive company (can't remember who) and I did one dive in 6 ml at the Breakers (fricking hard to walk, looking like Michelin Man in thick wet suit) still froze my nickers off. My husband was actually brave enough to go out again in that, brrrrrrrrrr, water. Vis 10-25. Depth only 35. Interesting kelp but had to follow the leader with a DM. Hate that! Can't stop to look at anything except see where his/her fins went.Haven't dove since.
But wait! We are going to Grand Cayman last week of april, in one month! Have rented a house on North-west end, Bonnie's Arch condos. So excited I could pee my midi......Only I feel guilty. We have no friends who scuba dive, though I've heard Colorado is the state with the most registered divers, we can't seem to meet anyone who does. In Gr. Cay we will have an air conditioned house with a master bedroom for us, but no one we know who could use the other bedroom. What a waste.
Still, it won't lessen my enjoyment
at being there.So here are the questions.
1) Does Grand Cayman have a pest spray program as I've heard for sand fleas (flies, bugs, whatever). Can I safely walk the beaches in the evening or must I douse myself in deet morning and evening?
2) Is there any way I can get to stingray city without having to use a follow the leader DM. I don't want to feed them, I just want to watch (the stingrays, not the DM
).3) If I am on Gr. Cay 8 nights very end of April, what are the odds of the weather letting us dive the main wall at Turtle Reef at least once?
4) My husband wants a dive computer, looking around I am not ready to spend 900 on a Shearwater Petrel, what looks like to me the best bet. Should he wait till we can afford that great dc, or buy a really cheap one to begin with (his eyes are older and poor screens will be hard for either of us to see).
5) What day exactly does Macabuca have it's renowned weekly BBQ.
6) If we did do one guided boat dive what site do you recommend we ask to go to? What Dive op goes there?
7) And finally does anyone have any suggestions to eat/see/do/dive there
Wow, that is a lot
but being excited about a dive trip will do that! Let me know......:cool2: (yeah, ok, I got a thing for emoticons)
