I’m a new diver (4 dives so far) and will be taking my AOW class in October. I was hoping to go diving sometime over break (I teach so will be off late Dec./early Jan.), but so far I’ve been finding it difficult to find a good place to dive as a single diver during this time that’s not crazy expensive. I’m in the eastern U.S. (closest airport is Dulles). My dive shop has trips but they conflict with work. I would be traveling solo and don’t have much of my own gear yet (just have booties, fins, snorkel and mask). I know there is the Surge trip later in Jan. and am considering though it ends very close to when school starts again. I’m also not so sure about the double occupancy for it. Any suggestions of where to go for a few days to scuba while vacationing. Thanks!
New and wanting to dive
- Thread starter V. James
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Welcome to a great place here! For starters, look for some quarries that are close to you. Some folks really enjoy quarry diving; I do not. With that said, however, they are great places to dive for cheap. And this is important because skills are perishable. My buddy and I hit the local quarry when we have more than a month between our ocean dives. It keeps the skills fresh and just allows us to dive.
Next, there is some really good diving to be had in NC and Florida. I'm not sure where you are in WV, but here in Maryland we can make a long weekend of diving in NC work and do it without airfare. We also love Pompano Beach Florida. I suspect you could probably find some good airfare deals from Dulles to Fort Lauderdale (which is only about a 20 min Uber ride to Pompano).
Next, there is some really good diving to be had in NC and Florida. I'm not sure where you are in WV, but here in Maryland we can make a long weekend of diving in NC work and do it without airfare. We also love Pompano Beach Florida. I suspect you could probably find some good airfare deals from Dulles to Fort Lauderdale (which is only about a 20 min Uber ride to Pompano).
drrich2
Contributor
V.James: Quick question - have you traveled outside the U.S. before? Got a passport, decent comfort level booking arrangements, etc...? Some of us have traveled enough to be comfy solo; when I was newer to it, I did my first few trips with a group.
North Carolina has sweet diving (trip report), though at least most of what I got to do was deep (though the inshore wrecks are shallower, and offer longer dives). Olympus Dive Center has a dive lodge (at least last I checked) that was very cheap. You'd probably be renting a car if you didn't drive to North Carolina. But North Carolina diving is seasonal, and conditions vary substantially (my report includes a quote from Tortuga James, who captained in that area at least when I was researching it).
Based on my dive trips, solo is dealt with in one of these ways:
1.) Live-aboard - no charge to be roomed with same sex roommate (and if they don't produce one, no charge and you've got a private room).
2.) Dive Resort - you have to pay a singles supplement unless you provide a roommate. Often diving is bundled with the room; sometimes an auto rental is. One way around this is to join a group; they often post that someone needs a roommate, and pair up same sex.
3.) Traditional Hotel (e.g.: Best Western, Hampton Inn) - the base room charge only varies a little as you add additional people past the 1st. You can book your dive package separately, or some op.s can do package deals for you (e.g.: Rainbow Reef Dive Center in Key Largo).
Can't speak to West Virginia; out of Nashville I usually get cheap airfare roundtrip to Fort Lauderdale, and Southwest goes there, so 2 free checked bags! From there, one can drive to Key Largo, Jupiter (FL), other places.
The problem you face is in winter, some U.S. destinations have unpredictable sea conditions (you might not get to dive every day), and heading far enough south to assure better seas and warmer waters is going to cost.
I know airfare to Roatan isn't cheap. One destination I've seen offered by a number of area group organizers (which means it's probably on the budget side) is Turquoise Bay Resort in Roatan. Their website calls them 'Roatan's Best Dive Value,' so I take it they aim for that niche. Single Supplement $179, or join a group and share a room. I've read one good review after another and they do repeat business.
Since money is an issue for you (and lots of us), a couple of pointers:
1.) Add up all your costs; airfare, hotel, diving, car rental, CDW insurance for the car/truck (note: you usually find out about that when you're picking it up; and be warned some credit card auto coverage is restrictive and doesn't cover trucks like you'd use in Bonaire), food, nitrox uncharge if you use it, etc...
2.) Decide whether you mainly want a cheap overall trip cost, or a cheap per dive cost. Turquoise Bay Resort would be a good blend; Dive Hut in Bonaire with heavy shore diving cheap/dive. Blackbeards in the Bahamas cheap AND cheap/dive, but chilly water that time or year - and I'd compare to the Juliet for how much an extra few hundred will improve living conditions that week.
If you're getting analysis paralysis from an overload of choices, here are some options you might price by total trip cost, including airfare from Orbitz or similar:
1.) The Curacao 2019 Scuba Board Surge event (if they still have openings).
2.) Turquoise Bay Resort in Roatan.
3.) Scuba Club Cozumel.
I think these 3 are all-inclusive (at least meals), so you don't have to budget food and could stay on-site and avoid renting a car. I traveled solo and enjoyed staying at Casa Mexicana and diving with Tres Pelicanos in Cozumel, didn't need a car and my report includes cost breakdown and total trip cost. Just substitute your airfare and airport parking fee for mine to get an estimated budget.
Richard.
North Carolina has sweet diving (trip report), though at least most of what I got to do was deep (though the inshore wrecks are shallower, and offer longer dives). Olympus Dive Center has a dive lodge (at least last I checked) that was very cheap. You'd probably be renting a car if you didn't drive to North Carolina. But North Carolina diving is seasonal, and conditions vary substantially (my report includes a quote from Tortuga James, who captained in that area at least when I was researching it).
Based on my dive trips, solo is dealt with in one of these ways:
1.) Live-aboard - no charge to be roomed with same sex roommate (and if they don't produce one, no charge and you've got a private room).
2.) Dive Resort - you have to pay a singles supplement unless you provide a roommate. Often diving is bundled with the room; sometimes an auto rental is. One way around this is to join a group; they often post that someone needs a roommate, and pair up same sex.
3.) Traditional Hotel (e.g.: Best Western, Hampton Inn) - the base room charge only varies a little as you add additional people past the 1st. You can book your dive package separately, or some op.s can do package deals for you (e.g.: Rainbow Reef Dive Center in Key Largo).
Can't speak to West Virginia; out of Nashville I usually get cheap airfare roundtrip to Fort Lauderdale, and Southwest goes there, so 2 free checked bags! From there, one can drive to Key Largo, Jupiter (FL), other places.
The problem you face is in winter, some U.S. destinations have unpredictable sea conditions (you might not get to dive every day), and heading far enough south to assure better seas and warmer waters is going to cost.
I know airfare to Roatan isn't cheap. One destination I've seen offered by a number of area group organizers (which means it's probably on the budget side) is Turquoise Bay Resort in Roatan. Their website calls them 'Roatan's Best Dive Value,' so I take it they aim for that niche. Single Supplement $179, or join a group and share a room. I've read one good review after another and they do repeat business.
Since money is an issue for you (and lots of us), a couple of pointers:
1.) Add up all your costs; airfare, hotel, diving, car rental, CDW insurance for the car/truck (note: you usually find out about that when you're picking it up; and be warned some credit card auto coverage is restrictive and doesn't cover trucks like you'd use in Bonaire), food, nitrox uncharge if you use it, etc...
2.) Decide whether you mainly want a cheap overall trip cost, or a cheap per dive cost. Turquoise Bay Resort would be a good blend; Dive Hut in Bonaire with heavy shore diving cheap/dive. Blackbeards in the Bahamas cheap AND cheap/dive, but chilly water that time or year - and I'd compare to the Juliet for how much an extra few hundred will improve living conditions that week.
If you're getting analysis paralysis from an overload of choices, here are some options you might price by total trip cost, including airfare from Orbitz or similar:
1.) The Curacao 2019 Scuba Board Surge event (if they still have openings).
2.) Turquoise Bay Resort in Roatan.
3.) Scuba Club Cozumel.
I think these 3 are all-inclusive (at least meals), so you don't have to budget food and could stay on-site and avoid renting a car. I traveled solo and enjoyed staying at Casa Mexicana and diving with Tres Pelicanos in Cozumel, didn't need a car and my report includes cost breakdown and total trip cost. Just substitute your airfare and airport parking fee for mine to get an estimated budget.
Richard.
I'm headed with a group of friends to Club Med in the Bahamas during that time. Occasionally, they offer a stay with no single supplement. Diving isn't included, but the dive operation at their Bahamas and their Turks & Caicos locations are very good in my experience. For someone going on a vacation that involves a lot of diving, but isn't 100% diving, it's an option I've been very happy with.
I know that the OP isn't too interested in a liveaboard for this trip, but @drrich2 mentioned Blackbeards and that is a good option for an easy and truly economical dive trip that works well for a single traveler. If not this trip then perhaps some time in the future.
They usually depart from Nassau and dive the Exumas in the Bahamas and it only costs $1000 for a week, and that includes lodgings, meals, and up to 19 dives - and you are very likely to see sharks.
You don't have to worry about roommates, because it is dormitory style living and everyone gets a bunk with a curtain for privacy.
The drawback is that the water is colder in the Bahamas at that time of year - but sharks seem to like that so there will probably be a lot of them around.
Another concern is that there often isn't a divemaster in the water with you and the OP is a new diver, but it should be easy to buddy up with other divers, it is a friendly environment.
My husband and I did a Blackbeard's trip years ago when we were young and broke and wanted to go diving. I have no complaints, it was a great bargain and a very good trip and exactly as described "camping at sea" - and we got a lot of good stories out of it!
Now that we are older we prefer something a bit more comfortable (and more expensive!) but it was a good choice for us back then, see the link below.
Discover Diving in the Bahamas Aboard Blackbeard's
They usually depart from Nassau and dive the Exumas in the Bahamas and it only costs $1000 for a week, and that includes lodgings, meals, and up to 19 dives - and you are very likely to see sharks.
You don't have to worry about roommates, because it is dormitory style living and everyone gets a bunk with a curtain for privacy.
The drawback is that the water is colder in the Bahamas at that time of year - but sharks seem to like that so there will probably be a lot of them around.
Another concern is that there often isn't a divemaster in the water with you and the OP is a new diver, but it should be easy to buddy up with other divers, it is a friendly environment.
My husband and I did a Blackbeard's trip years ago when we were young and broke and wanted to go diving. I have no complaints, it was a great bargain and a very good trip and exactly as described "camping at sea" - and we got a lot of good stories out of it!
Now that we are older we prefer something a bit more comfortable (and more expensive!) but it was a good choice for us back then, see the link below.
Discover Diving in the Bahamas Aboard Blackbeard's
drrich2
Contributor
This is from the Blackbeard's FAQ:
Will there be a dive guide in the water with us?
The dives offered on Blackbeard’s are unescorted. The instructor on board will give you a good, in depth briefing before each dive describing the conditions, the current, depth, and it will include a visual aide. The instructor and/or staff will be in the water for all drift dives and the shark feed! We do have crewmembers that would be happy to act as guides when they aren’t busy with other duties.
caydiver
Contributor
Welcome. We all had only 4 dives at one time. I for one think a live aboard holiday for a newbie is economically great but a perhaps a harsh welcome to the dive world. Great for those who have a bit of experience under their dive belt. Give yourself time to hone your skills and grow to love your sport. Give yourself a chance to fall in love. Don’t look for the cheapest holiday or the most bang for your buck. If you truly love food it is like looking for the all you can eat pasta restaurant. Do you know how cheap pasta is? There is an incredible new world out there. Enjoy it and before you look for the cheapest way get your skill set up to par and your comfort level up. Its is wonderful new world. Not sure why you be directed to something you are not interested in but don’t feel pushed. Don’t care about random info that isn’t your forte. Diving is awesome do what pleases you. Congratulations
drrich2
Contributor
V.James, whatever you decide (and I think it's a tough decision because no one destination's going to tick all the boxes on your wish list), I hope you'll come back to Scuba Board and write a trip report, let us know what you thought about the pro.s and con.s of what you tried.
There's a chance someone in a similar situation is, or will be, struggling with similar concerns, and your decision-making process may help them.
Richard.
There's a chance someone in a similar situation is, or will be, struggling with similar concerns, and your decision-making process may help them.
Richard.
My 4 dives so far have been in a quarry (and my AOW dives will be in a quarry in October). They are good but I would like to "move on" to ocean diving as well.
I didn't realize there is good diving in NC (I'll have to look into that). I was just in FL a couple weeks ago, but sadly could not make time to go diving (there for a work conference). I was thinking potentially it might be easier this time around to stay "local" (i.e., not go international) and possibly go to FL (or maybe NC). Any thoughts on New Smyrna Beach, FL/Daytona, FL in January?
Part of the reason why I want to go somewhere in Dec./Jan. is to keep my skills "fresh". With winter, there won't be much (if any diving) where I am at during the winter. I already have a trip for next summer (liveaboard in Guadalupe with others I know), but I want to get in some diving between now (recently being certified) and summer to stay "current".
I have traveled outside the U.S. before (just went to Dublin solo in August), and was (before getting certified) planning to go to France in Jan. solo (but now I want to dive instead). But I have never traveled for diving before (either solo or as part of a group), minus the trip to the quarry to be certified.
I think part of the problem is this is a tough decision. True nothing will tick all the "wish list boxes" but trying to find the best compromise. Once I make a decision I can come back to ScubaBoard and write a trip report for what was eventually decided.
So far all the suggestions have been helpful (but also now I have more decisions to make as well).
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