Recommendations for ow dives

[Steve_C]

If you're wanting to pursue wreck diving, North Carolina's coast is the Graveyard of the Atlantic and has a lot of cool wrecks within a 20 miles radius off shore.

I love NC diving but in terms of viz and coral etc on shallow dives for a 13 year old l would rate the Keys above NC diving.

 

[iluvtheocean]

for a first time diver just about any warm water location will be a real thrill. i would book the trip based on all the other things you want to do on vacation. you will love the diving no matter where you are.
that being said....perhaps looking at it from another way might help. maybe look at which dive locations would NOT be appropriate. like cozumel as an example. great diving but i don't think it is the safest/easiest place for a newby.
i would also make sure the sites are not too far away, you have a nice pier or dock to get on/off the boats ect, and maybe somewhere that the waters are relatively calm most of the time. although that is of course hard to predict. just as an example.....when we were in playa del carmen the waters were rough all the time, no pier so you have to wade into the waters from shore and climb a ladder to get on the boat. then it was a fairly long ride in a small boat in rough seas to get to the sites. not the best conditions to learn in. in fact it can be down right dangerous. the sosua area in the dominican was usually calm but again, no pier.

that's why i'm suggesting south florida -- plenty of shallow 30-60 foot wreck & reefs for boat dives, and lots of shore diving available as well. key largo is a short drive away as well as blue heron bridge. also since you're still in the US -- no passports or customs to deal with.

so most of the dives at 70 feet or less are fine for a 13 yr old

 

[Bas Harts]

There's also dive guides on Curacao - Bas Harts is one - he'll meet you at dive sites and take you diving.

We will pick you up at most locations on the island for free!!

 

[Damselfish]

I like Cayman a lot. But while it's certainly possible to do nice shallow dives there, it's not the main draw and focus of the place and arranging that for all your dives could prove difficult/limiting. If you really want to stay shallow for now I'd suggest saving Cayman for another trip.

I think Curacao is a good option for your situation - easy to stick to shallow depths, lots for your wife to do, easy boat dives, and beaches where she could hang out while you do a shore dive if you are ready to set out on your own. There is a huge variety of accommodations, so it depends on your budget, what sort of place you'd like to stay, and what you wife wants to do and how convenient you want it be? Are you more interested in boat or shore diving?

My suggestion in Curacao would the Marriott Beach Resort by Piscadera Bay. I think it's a good all around compromise on everything for the island, not in town but close enough so it's not a long drive to lots of shopping/restaurants/sightseeing, also a couple other hotels and restaurants in walking distance. Nice beach/pool/resort facilities. I stayed there for a night once but didn't dive with them, but the dive shop has a good rep, they've got some kind of on site shore dive, and their boat has never looked crowded when I've seen it. From what I've seen and heard, I'd skip the Hilton next door. Floris Suites across the street is very nice, but not on the beach and has more of a business than vacation vibe - the Curacao convention center is nearby. There's also some condo/apartment places around there if you want something like that rather than a resort.

There is a variety of nice/interesting places to stay in town. Renaissance, Scuba Lodge, Avila Beach are the first to come to mind that I would consider myself, but I don't because I'd rather be away from all that, and it's generally less convenient to dive heavily from a downtown type hotel. But it gives the option of walking to a lot of stuff, and you can get picked up for diving, Bas Harts or Dive Bus come to mind.

You could also look at Lions Dive, Seaquarium Resort, or Seascape AI, all near each other on the other side of town from the Marriott but also not too far, Onsite dive shops and maybe shore diving, and lots to do right around there including the Aquarium. Too busy for me and not my favorite area of the island to dive, but if you prefer that atmosphere you might like it.

I like Kura Hulanda Lodge. Go West diving there is a good shop and there's good shore diving on site. But it's a long way from much of anything so restaurant choices are limited. And not a lot for your wife to do unless she's happy mostly by the pool and beach, talking walks, and maybe could arrange a massage. They at least used to have a shuttle to downtown, it did not run great hours if you were diving or to eat dinner in town, but fine for a non-diver to do a sightseeing/shopping junket or maybe hit the spa at the sister property downtown. You could even consider splitting a trip between the 2 Kura Hulandas to get a bit of both.

There's also a bunch of resorts further east (Jan Thiel/Spanish Water area) which I don't know a lot about, but while you could arrange diving it doesn't strike me as the area to base yourself if that is one of your main interests.

The Curacao ostrich farm could be a fun family daytrip for a non diving day, maybe your last day. It's way out in the boonies to the northeast. There's a good restaurant there, and a nice gift shop with some different stuff.

 

[Fish in a Barrel]

Key Largo and Bonaire are two great suggestions that I'll second.

Key Largo is some of the easiest diving I've ever done, and it was quite fun! My dives were all quite shallow (around 30"), with little to no current.

I was in Bonaire this February, and that should be quite easy for a novice as well. There's usually little current, and flat seas. The geography of the sea floor means that it is easy to navigate, and there's plenty to see at whatever depth you choose.

I can't really speak to the non-dive activities at either location, since I was there for one purpose only.

Where ever you go, I hope you have a blast!