World’s greatest shallow-diving destinations

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anchochile

Contributor
Messages
273
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201
Location
Northern California
# of dives
100 - 199
My wife has been diving a while and it’s become pretty clear that she is only truly happy and relaxed at shallow depths - we’re talking 30 feet max. Deeper and she is capable and skilled but unable to really relax and enjoy herself.

I love diving with her, and long, shallow,
mellow reef dives are A-OK by me, so I’m trying to expand our list of destinations where you can easily spend 5 days diving and never go below 30 feet. Here’s what I have so far:

Key Largo (reefs, no wrecks)
Maui & Kona shore diving
Bonaire? (never been)
Tulamben, Bali (with a private guide, plenty to see shallow on the Liberty Wreck and other sites)

That’s all I got so far. There are other places with lots of great shallow diving, but it’s not often realistic to stick to a 30-ft depth limit when going out on dive boats, with out a private charter/guide.

Help me expand the list - where else in the world could we have a great dive trip and never go below 30 feet?
 
Is Monterey and Carmel a dive trip?

Diving the break wall at San Carlos beach I'm often just at 17'.
It is tide-dependent for the entry, but I think Otter cove is shallow and very nice.
Pt Lobos within the cove might push that limit, I think 50' is more realistic.
North Monastery behind the wash rock is a great dive, mostly at 20' or so, also swell dependent for entry.
 
you can do shore diving in cozumel that is nice and shallow. nice easy dives. lots to see especially at night.
 
Lembeh in Indonesia.
Tulamben comes no where near!

How to get to Indonesia over next few months is another story.
 
I have been to some great shallow reefs in the bay between Isla Mujeres and Cancun but that was a long time ago. I don't know if they are still good.
 
I’d echo Bonaire wholeheartedly. Curaçao decent as well.
 
Lembeh, Anilo, Ambon. Some of the reefs in RA can be dived like that. Would need to stay at shore based resorts and get a private guide.
 
In Florida, don't forget Blue Heron Bridge.
 
Wife too loves her shallow diving....

Curacao (warn)
Tobermory (cold)

Had it not been for some very unusually poor weather (east winds), Key Largo would be way up in the list (need to try it again). Bonaire (20+years ago) was great, but Curacao has more topside. Also I can get three of us to Curacao for the cost of a single ticket to Bonaire...

Nothing now with this damn pandemic...
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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