Calling all Warm water wimp divers

[firelaw]

I was going to put this in the 50+ diver group but I decided there are also younger warm water wimp TM (WWW) divers out there.

We think Ice diving is for lunatics, that you should see Scapa flow on the discovery channel and currents should be kept in wires. A dry suit is one that has hung for two hours in the tropic sun. Caves are for bears. If its a night dive you watch the moon from 30 feet down.

We like 80 degrees plus, no nasty currents, calm surface water and viz where you can take photos without flash at 60 feet. Boats are fine but if its a shore entry something like Waikiki or a pier is required. We like to spend about an hour underwater so shallower is fine.

We've tried Bonaire year round, Sharm in August, Phuket in February, Hawaii in July and head to the Caymans in May.

I'm open to other suggestions

 

[robint]

Cozumel or Belize or Roatan in May-Aug would work for you.

Cozumel is drift diving but easy drift as the boat follows you and picks you up when you surface.
We are staying at Scuba Club again in 3weeks, great shore diving area there, just rubble with tons of fish and critters. We do that dive every day or night after the morning boat dives.
Cozumel Scuba Diving at Scuba Club Cozumel Dive Resort and Scuba Cozumel Dive Shop (see the tour section of the website for photos)

Roatan southside, check out Cocoview Resort. The "front yard" there is excellent shore diving. You can walk right in the water and be greeted with squid, octopus, fish, eagle rays, eels.. right in 3-4' deep water! Welcome to CoCo View Resort (they have excellent videos on their website, check those out) It is my favorite resort that we have ever visited and I don't say that lightly. If you love the ocean, this is the place you want to go.

Just my 2 cents.
robin

 

[Doc]

Count me in Warm water, Pretty fish... that's for me!

I don't know anywhere you can take pix at 60' without a flash (except for some very specific angles and dramatic shadows).

Sharm in August? Well, that is toasty. I've been in July- the foredeck of the liveaboard was uninhabitable for more than 30 seconds.

as per RobinT: CoCoView or Fantasy Island of Roatan in May>Aug. Fits every one of your requirements, now that you have seen Bonaire... which everyone should!

 

[Louie]

So many exciting places to dive...

If you don't have much limitations on time, how bout:

Further south in the Red Sea - a liveaboard out of Marsa Alam; sharks, abundant coral and some wrecks. There may be some current but you'll get the great viz for wonderful photos.

South Pacific; Fiji for the fish and corals and Vanuatu to dive the President Coolidge (a 200metre wreck).

 

[diver 85]

A must, Dominica---in particular, Castle Comfort Lodge....

 

[houtbaydiver]

Quite a tall order (no currents!) but this is a reply from another 50+ who only dives in warm water; go to Kapalai dive resort next to Sipidan (Borneo Malaysia). You can do unlimted unsupervised shore dives around the island, also at night, and the No 1 dive place in the world (Sipidan) is 15 miinutes away by boat. Lots of everything, especially turtles and macrolife ideal for photographers. Sipidan itself is an old volcano with spectacular wall diving, choose your own depth but diving at Sipidan itself is restricted to a certain number of divers per day. Mabul island, another diving paradise, is 10 minutes by boat. Best diving holiday I ever had, stayed 10 nights. Kapalai bungalows are built on a "lagoon"a nd there is no land at all, you just see cristal clear waters from wherever you are in your lovely but not overly luxurious bungalow.
Heading to Maldives in 3 week's time with very high expectations...will check out the currents...

 

[TSandM]

We had a wonderful time off the east coast of Australia. Great weather, great viz, tons of life, and wonderful land accomodations and splendidly hospitable people.

Lembeh was incredible for critters, and pretty, and no current, but the viz wasn't that great. It was worth it, though.

 

[EvaL]

I, too, have slowed down the pace of life and stay away from cold water these days. This may be difficult as I'm not sure what you'd like to see on your dives - big animals or macro ones, soft or hard corals, are topside attractions important(?) etc. I used to frequent the Caribbean but I now prefer Indo-Pacific as the diversity of marine life and range of colors are orders of magnitude better, IMHO, if you can put up with longer flight. The 3 places that pop up in my head are:
1. Phuket, Thailand. You can dive year round (best time is Nov - April, where there are few storms, you can actually swim in the ocean). You can do day trips from Chalong to the islands, or stay on the islands like Phi Phi and do dives from there, or get on a liveaboard and visit the Similans or Hin Daeng. As for topside, there's lots of shopping, eating, (I love Thai massages) and shows of many kinds at Patong and surroundings. Even Phi Phi has a great night scene.
2. Maldives. Many people have done the liveaboards, but I prefer the pampering on the island resorts. There are over 35 islands (at my last count) that offer lodging ranging from economical to luxury (Hilton, Four Seasons). You'll tend to follow more leisurely European dive schedules here, 2 dives in the morning and maybe an afternoon or night dive. Not much of a night life on the islands, except maybe the hotel's lounge that's it.
3. Bali, Indonesia. No currents diving at Tulamben, Amed etc. Coral gardens like what Cozumel used to look like before Wilma at Nusa Penida - these are drift dives and upwelling can bring temperatures down to 65 degrees. Lots to do topside at the beaches, dining, shopping around Kuta, ethnic art and performances at Ubud.
I tend to be adventurous, enjoy learning about cultures (esp. food) and languages in more exotic places. Hence I don't know if you'd like any of these - I hope they help.
Happy journeys!

 

[Kevrumbo]

Sri Lanka is on the verge of opening up again, now that their civil war is over, and with the recovery effort since the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami. Other than the unexploded IED's/land mines (and sea mines?):shocked2:, I'm looking forward to some great diving unseen by most of the western world for nearly thirty years. . .

 

[Nishan]

Hey if your in Colombo anytime during your stay let me know and would be glad to show you some nice wrecks right off the city. West coast dive season is just winding up but the conditions are ok for diving so far. Fingers crossed the monsoon is late this year.

Sadly many of the reefs in SL have ben overfished or destroyed. Still a few nice places but most dont really compare to the best places in the world. The real attraction is wrecks. Everything from 17th Century Dutch vessels to WW1 and WW2 wrecks to modern freighters. I'm planning my third Hermes trip in May and counting down to it