How to make diving affordable?

[debajo agua]

I want to go dive as often as I can, but my LDS charges about $240 for each of their dives. I don't have the money to spend on that since I'll have to rent all my gear. Even so, I can't afford to spend 200 bucks every time I want to dive! How do I go diving without breaking my bank?

The best advice I can give you is Beware of the LDS! Some, are scumbags. Unless you got money to throw away, you work hard for it, so get the best price possible

I look on Craigslist for a lot of my equipment. It didn't take me long to figured out, there's a lot of fools who paid way-too-much for their equipment. Many will be on Craigslist three years later, trying to recoup some of their money, but it's only worth a fraction of what they paid for it; however, if you take your time, do a little research, you should be able to start to piecemeal some gear together.

Most everything that's bought in the SCUBA industry is recommended to be serviced at least once a year... So everything that's bought used CAN BE SERVICED. Keep that in mind.

It take's awhile to accumulate all your own equipment, but once you have your own, you will be more comfortable.

Caveat Emptor!

 

[BrianUNC1]

I'm surprised Fantasy Lake is the closest option for finishing up your OW. It's a spring-fed quarry, so it's pretty cold year round. You'll want a 5mm wetsuit, and even now I see some people diving with hoods. The thermocline right now is probably around 40 feet, and below that the water is going to be around 60 degrees. If possible, get there early and try to be in the water for your first dive before 9. Visibility will be around 15 feet if you're one of the first groups in, but on weekends it goes down fast. Make sure you have adequate exposure protection and you'll be fine. $15 cash entry fee per diver. Fantasy Lake Scuba Park

 

[DivemasterDennis]

The op's LDS is overcharging by any standard. A new diver can go on a 2 tank boat dive in Maui, with rental gear, for about $175.00. That's pretty expensive. While South Carolina is a lovely place, it should not be that expensive there. I think the LDS is hosing its customers, or should I say fleecing them. My solutions are: find another shop or club, there must be a better deal out there. Also, start acquiring gear. You don't need a compressor or a tank. I assume you have mask snorkel and fins. Next is bcd, regs, and computer. Based on the prices you are paying to dive, the new gear will pay for itself very quickly. There are lots of use friendly dive shops in the world, including South Carolina. I'm sure you will find one.
DivemasterDennis

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Unfortunately you live in one of the worst places for shorediving in the country. It's too flat and sandy off most of the Low Country for there to be any sort of diving. Except for the offshore ledges or wrecks which tend to collect fish etc. Charleston Scuba does several inshore Ledges dives for $130/2 dives but the farther out wrecks are 2/$160. Cheapest seems to be the Frederick Day at 2/$105. Sites & Rates - Charleston Scuba - Full Service PADI 5-Star IDC

Although others have made the suggestion, I don't believe there's any shore diving near Charleston or even Myrtle Beach. If there is, we couldn't find it. I did hear once about a jetty near Litchfield Beach where you can do shallow shore dives - contact Express Watersports in Murrell's Inlet about it. They also said it was a very long walk out to the dive site due to the parking setup.

They're also quite a bit cheaper than Charleston Scuba if you want to make the drive. I'm fairly sure that their 1/2 day trips include 2 dives for that price - but check. Express Water Sports - Myrtle Beach Scuba, Parasail, Kayak & dolphin watch & Ocean Sightseeing, Banana Boat And jet skis rentals, Memorial at sea & hydro testing in Myrtle Beach South Carolina - Dive Sites & Prices

There's the Blackwater fossil dives on the Cooper but I don't suggest you do those un-escorted. Or until you have more experience. It's swift current, low-viz diving where you grope for fossils in the riverbottom. I've heard you share it with gators also...wouldn't surprise me, we did at the golf courses...lol.

People also dive Lake Jocasee. IDK anything about it but look in our Deep Dixie sub-forum for others that do.

Probably the closest decent shorediving to you is in Florida. Either the Destin (panhandle) area or farther down the east coast. Not exactly a day trip unfortunately.

I didn't think about the region aspect of the OP's shore diving situation. Around here there is lots of great shre diving if you are willing to deal with a few surface swims and maybe some minor surf once in a while. I forget that not everyone has that.
In that case I would suggest to get his own gear piece by piece and then use the savings on gear rentals for boat dives since that is really the only option.

 

[mathauck0814]

I didn't think about the region aspect of the OP's shore diving situation. Around here there is lots of great shre diving if you are willing to deal with a few surface swims and maybe some minor surf once in a while. I forget that not everyone has that.
In that case I would suggest to get his own gear piece by piece and then use the savings on gear rentals for boat dives since that is really the only option.

The OP might find it more cost effective to move to a place with more available shore diving! Only half-kidding. We moved to California explicitly for the easy access to the kelp from shore

 

[t4e]

even $160 seems excessive for two dives, aren't there other dive shops around?
we rent our gear for $75 for the whole weekend, which actually means monday too since the dive shop is closed that day, and that is full cold water gear

 

[mathauck0814]

even $160 seems excessive for two dives, aren't there other dive shops around?
we rent our gear for $75 for the whole weekend, which actually means monday too since the dive shop is closed that day, and that is full cold water gear

$160 is high because the wrecks are quite a way off shore there. Locally, we can do a 2 tank dive for $89 (wreck site about 3 miles from the slip). When we dove in the Carolinas last month it was more like 30 miles from the slip. Gas is expensive. The diving is very good - but not easy or inexpensive there.

 

[GlowWorm]

Thankfully I'll only be here another year until I finish school and then I'll be moving to VA most likely. Any good diving around Virginia Beach?

 

[RJP]

Any good diving around Virginia Beach?

Yeah, one state south... in North Carolina!



That said, I don't know anything about the diving in VA Beach, but there appears to be some, and it's a lot cheaper than what you're paying now...

Boat Schedule | LDC

PS - why are you "thumbing the dive" in your profile picture?

 

[Rhone Man]

PS - why are you "thumbing the dive" in your profile picture?

Now, now, Ray. No baiting the newbies.