New Jersey Diving - Can Someone Explain it to Me??

[happydiver]

Hi,

My 3 buddies and I live in N.J. We typically do warm water diving in warm weather destinations. We decided to do a NJ dive though, because we wanted to see what the diving was like right here in our own backyard.

We booked spots on a local dive boat, through a local dive shop for $65.00 per diver. We then found out that we need to provide our own weights and tanks. This is a 2 tank dive and at $10.00 a tank to rent, this puts the price at $85.00. Then, add on weights and you're looking at your dive costing almost $100.00! We all have our own equipment EXCEPT weights and tanks as this is usually good enough where ever we travel. It's one thing to lug around your equipment, but add onto that another 20 pounds of lead and 2 tanks - that's alot of stuff to lug around, in and out of your car and on and off the boat!

Can someone please explain why NJ diving is like this? Why doesn't the dive boat carry the tanks and weights like so many other diving destinations?

Thanks...
Happydiver

 

[herman]

Hi,

Can't say why for sure but I can tell you that here in North Carolina you supply the tanks and weights as well. I suspect that the main reason is that the "warm" destinations deal mostly with divers who have to travel by air and carring tanks and weight on a plane is not practical but destinations like NJ and NC usally get divers that drive and can carry their stuff along with them.

 

[HERB KING]

Here on the southwest coast of Florida we also do not supply tanks and wieghts.They are available at extra cost.
Our dives usually run about 45 for 2 tank dive, unless we are running to sites like the Bay Ronto which is 32 miles offshore for us.

 

[old_mike]

some boats supply tanks and weights and others don't. A long time ago, i got my own weight belt and through a few years of trial and error, i configured it in such a way that it doesn't slide around anymore. i will never use any weight belt other than mine, if at all possible, so you may consider making the investment. Can't help on the tanks though: mine were free : D

 

[happydiver]

Hi Herman,

Thanks for the reply. Yeah, I guess that does make sense that in NJ and NC, typically divers would drive to the boat as they are more probably "locals" than in your more vacationing, warmer weather spots.

Still s#$%& that you have to pay an additional $30 bucks to rent tanks and weights, but I'm going to give Jersey waters a try and see what it's like! Hopefully I'll think it's worth $100 bucks a pop, but we'll see if it'll compare to $55 for a Keys dive that includes tanks, weights, beverages and snacks! I think I'm a spoiled diver...but we'll see!

Thanks again!
Happydiver

 

[dsquid]

NJ dives may cost a bit more, but if you're into lobstering, it's worth it...

The weight belt seems like a 'must' investment to me, regardless.

 

[TKD_DIVER]

Up here no 2 divers use the same rig, and most of the site are intermediate to advanced. Also, the dives are not guided, everyone plans their own dives and then does the dive. In warm water areas (esp in the Carribean) the DM will tell the group 75 feet for 35 minutes blah blah blah. Up here you dive how you want.

For tanks there are so many combinations between 80 and 135ft. Add on LP or HP, are you diving with a Pony bottle? if you use a boat supplied main tank how do you mount the pony.

For weight belts many NJ divers have them configured the way they like them, and often have attachment points on them. I personally have 3 weight belts (wetsuit-singles / drysuit-doubles, drysuit-singles, Pool)

Get over it and stop whining - but a friggin weightbelt and 2 tanks. It'll run you $350 to get get two AL 80's and a belt.

Bill

 

[happydiver]

Whoa big fellow - my intention was not to "whine and complain" about NJ diving; I was merely asking why NJ diving was so different than other areas of the country.

Thanks to the many wonderful and supportive responses I received, I now have a better understanding of diving in NJ. So much so that I did 2 dives last October with the Diversion II off of NJ and loved it! I will definitely dive more this year in my own "backyard" of NJ!

Thanks again for the response Bill.

Happydiver

 

[TKD_DIVER]

Well, not too much anyway.

Up here the boats are basically taxis.

Like I said - too many variables due to the varied diving styles. It is great diving though

Glad you enjoyed it.

Bill