Norfolk - VA Beach Diving?

[jmspade]

I'll be living in the Norfolk area 11 July - 30 September. I've been researching dive operators and sites on line, but I'm looking for input/recommendations from anyone with experience diving in the area. Who are the best shops/boats to dive with and what are the best dive sites? I'm PADI AOW with 120+ dives; about half deep, mostly ocean, 40+ wreck. Appreciate any suggestions.

 

[chappy]

Hi jmspade.
Welcome to the board. I use Lynnhaven Dive Center in Va Bch. I've been quite pleased with their operation - Staff, instruction, boats, dive shop, and dive club. Their website is www.ldcscuba.com

See you in the water.

~Chappy

 

[hex92]

LDC now requires dive insurance to go out on their boats. So make sure you have it when you show up.

 

[DrSteve]

Well Lynnhaven does seem to have the aura of death around them. I've not done a boat dive out of VA Beach yet, but when I do it will be with Lynnhaven or Divers Unlimited as they both have very reasonable prices. You also have the option of shore diving off Nags Head or tripping down to Morehead City (4h?) for apparently wonderful near tropical diving.

 

[jgarysmith]

Try the Flying Fish out of Va Bch. First class operation. website is Undersea-adventures.com. We dive with them alot and feel they are the best. Never have any problems.

 

[DrSteve]

Our LDS uses them and one of the instructors there is a DM for the Flying Fish. I've also met the guy who owns/runs the Flying Fish and Diver Down and he seemed a nice guy. I'm not opposed to them, just paying the extra they charge for doing the same dive trips as other operations.

 

[chappy]

Wow Steve, That's a pretty brutal statement. People do dive while diving, but to imply that the dive shop is responsible is assinine.
Over the last year or so, LDC has lost 3 divers.
1. Was killed diving the Cooper River- Hit by a boater
1. Newly certified diver drowned near Florida springs
1. Heart attack victim on the Morgan

~ Chappy

 

[DrSteve]

I didn't imply the dive shop was responsible. I said they have an aura of death surrounding them. If you read you will also see that I said I would be diving *with* them. Damn 3 deaths of divers associated with them in the last 6 months? I thought it was only 2. That's 3 more divers die who were associated with them in the last 6 months than any other shop/local dive club that I am aware of.

Wow Steve, That's a pretty brutal statement. People do dive while diving, but to imply that the dive shop is responsible is assinine.
Over the last year or so, LDC has lost 3 divers.
1. Was killed diving the Cooper River- Hit by a boater
1. Newly certified diver drowned near Florida springs
1. Heart attack victim on the Morgan

~ Chappy

 

[chappy]

DRSteve,
I agree, it has been a tragic 12 months for us Va Bch divers. I still don't see the correlation between LDC and these deaths. Perhaps it's because they run so many trips throughout the year. Just a ratio thing. I don't know if they are the largest in the area, but I do know that each time I've gone out with them, I've meet other divers who got bumped from other boats in the area due to lack of divers. In any event, we live in a great diving area. Plenty of decent dive shops to choose from. When are you planning to dive next?

~ Chappy

 

[DrSteve]

I'm not sure if they run more trips than anyone else or not. They and the Flying Fish are certainley the big names that everyone knows. But given a choice of being one of 20 on the Fish or 1 of 6 on the Divers Unlimited boat (and savings of 15-25/trip) I know which I'd choose.

I don't have any plans in the near future for diving. I was planning on doing a trip with my wife on the 26th, but she is doing her advanced that day and the boat dives don't interest me that weekend.