Dive options when limited to 40 feet

[Craig66]

My 10 yr old just got certified. As a junior she is limited to 40 feet. I am looking at dive destinations where a reasonable number of the dive sites can be enjoyed and still stay safetly within the 40 feet limit(50 as an absolute limit). I am looking for options that are in the Carribbean including Florida and the Bahama's. I want to avoid deep dives where we would be expected to hover midwater above a reef at 80 feet. And ideal dive would be on where at 40 feet would like to be either on the sand or just above a reef system.

Thanks

Craig

 

[muddiver]

Most reef life, weather it is Hawaii, or the Carribbean is within the upper 40 to 50 feet of the water column. No need to go where it is deep.

 

[redacted]

I believe every dive site in Bonaire can be done as an excellent dive without exceeding 40 ft. The only thing you will have to pass on is the Hilma Hooker although she could still do the reef adjacent to it and look down and see the ship well. The best diving at most of the Bonaire sites is at 30 ft and above unless you just want to go deeper. Down deeper, the sponges and corals may be in a bit better shape since the storms a few years ago but you don't miss any of the better critters by staying above 40 ft.

 

[Rescue Diver68]

Key Largo. It is where I took my Nephew while he was Junior. Lots of shallow sites and if your daughter decides to stay home one day of diving you can dive the Spiegel Grove, Duane,Bibb, or the Eagle.

 

[gypsyjim]

A second vote for Bonaire. The top of the reef is in the 20 to 30 ft range on most sites, and there is so much to see at 40 ft!

I took my two there, when they first certified, and they are hooked on bonaire for life. My son, too was limited to shallower dives on our first trip.

 

[adurso]

Bonaire, Florida Keys, Lauderdale by the Sea (beach) or Blue Heron Bridge. Venice Florida beach dives with limited viz but fossils are really cool to find.

My youngest did her first boat dive at ten off of Venice to hunt meg teeth; we have gone back every year since to hunt fossils there.

 

[Garrobo]

Yep. Upper Keys including Key Largo and a few miles south to Tavernier and Islamorada.

 

[scubadobadoo]

Bonaire. Easy entry, shallow, tons of life, unlimited diving, and shallow, no sea sickness, no schedule.

I love diving in Florida (I grew up there) but I have had bad luck with weather in Florida (my experience) so I stopped going there. Nothing stinks worse than being in Key Largo and having the boat canceled after flying there with your entire family. It's an expensive gamble and when diving with kids, moderate weather can become no fun on a boat and especially at the shallow sites. Bonaire is reliable. I have never missed a dive in Bonaire. I have missed an average of one day of diving every time I have gone to Florida to dive and I dove with boats that went out when others won't. Sometimes I missed more than a day and got blown out almost the entire week. I got sick of waiting until the morning to see if the weather would hold. JMHO and bad luck experiences.

 

[Buoyant1]

Another vote for the Keys! PLENTY to see without going below the 40 ft. level!

Snappers Ledge and the Aquarium off of Key Largo both had me bottomed out at 34'

Samantha's reef and Rock Key off off Marathon were in the 20's I also did a cool dive on Flagler's barge that got me the whole way down to 24 ft.!

Sombrero reef off off Big Pine is in the 30's


And most of the reef's off of Key West range between 20 and 30 something!

And truthfully...you don't see a whole lot of different life below those depths, so you won't be missing too much! One of my favorite dives last year was on Snapper's ledge, I saw more on that dive than most of the other dives I did! (and at one point, I just found a spot in the sand (at about 25 ft) and watched things swim by!

 

[Craig66]

Thanks all for the advice - I think Key Largo it will be