Where have you Dived? [Archive]

Joy&RaptorsUnrestrained!

12-07-2011, 03:31 AM

Hey everyone, where have you gone S.C.U.B.A. diving, and what places do you especially recommend?

Though I've tried several times, I still don't have my SCUBA certification.The first time I was pretty young, and couldn't pass the in-pool swimming test. The next time I tried, I wasn't able to get all of my certification dives done in time. The third time I managed to get all my dives done, but my instructor somehow lost my certification papers in the mail.

That said, on my training dives and various resort diving crash courses, I have been on dives in Jamaica, Bermuda, Dutch Springs near Bethlehem PA, and off the Riviera Maya (near Cancun). The Jamaican and Bermudian dives were a lot of fun, and I even got to hold one of those delicate, spindly-looking red-and-white tropical shrimp in my hands in Bermuda.

malinghi

12-07-2011, 09:13 AM

That sounds awesome. I go diving pretty infrequently, but I've been diving in Jamaica, the Red Sea, and Los Angeles.

Spindrift

12-07-2011, 02:56 PM

I've done discovery scuba diving in Australia, on the Great Barrier Reef. I stayed at Lady Elliot Island.

New York Mermaid

12-07-2011, 03:43 PM

ive done my first dive in isla mujeres Mexico, then began diving off the waters of new york, Vancouver British columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Dominincan Republic. I am now ready to take a dive in Alaska and Australia.

Mermaid Saphira

12-07-2011, 05:11 PM

^ BRRRR! Alaska?? :)

New York Mermaid

12-07-2011, 05:50 PM

Yes alaska, its one of the most amazing places to dive: http://www.divealaska.net/index.php/alaskan-diving

Capt Nemo

12-08-2011, 01:04 AM

My diving is Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, various lakes, quarries, and under ice. No salt crystals to wory about, less lead, and nothing big enough to eat you. (though a few might try)

Aradia

12-08-2011, 06:23 PM

Well, legally (in Australia anyway) you must have at least your Open Water certificate to SCUBA unless you're with an instructor via. a discover dive. I started SCUBA-ing by doing a discover dive on the Great Barrier Reef.. and Townsville.. and then Vietnam... and then Singapore shark tank. It became cheaper for me to just get my certification!
I've dived a bit around Australia because i'm lucky to be close to some of the best diving sites in the world. My next step is to go get my Cave Diving certification so I can start squeezing myself into tiny underwater passages :D

Mermaid Sirena

12-12-2011, 01:15 PM

Unfortunately I don't have my certifications to dive, though I am hoping that after I'm done with College I can Visit my Uncle in the Caimans and he will teach/certify me.

Capt Nemo

12-15-2011, 04:47 PM

See if the Phy Ed department offers scuba classes. Most colleges that have a marine biology class will have a scuba course.

Odette

12-16-2011, 09:27 PM

i just did a scuba dive class and i love it!! gonna go somwhere in mexico for an open water dive once i get the money. i saw some places that were so amazing. they tell us. and i completely agree, not to touch the wildlife. ever.

Aradia

12-30-2011, 11:08 PM

Odette, but what happens when the wildlife starts touching you! I've been swum into by Cuttlefish, small Sharks and one time I was followed around by a Grouper the entire dive and he kept nuzzling up to me. It was sooo gorgeous :3

Odette

12-31-2011, 01:35 AM

oh. that happens sooo often. dont panic. remain calm. and thats ok. just never provoke it. i work at a wildlife rehab and the more comfy they are, the more dangerous it is for them later.in every state and coast guard i talked to it was rather prohibited or illegal. its a big issue with game and fish.

A GROUPER?! CUTE!!!i hear they can be really pushy. ^-^

Merman Ray

04-23-2012, 12:34 AM

My experience is nothing compared to what all of you have had, but to me, what I had was really great! Back in December of 1991 I was in the Bahamas, and one day our boss managed to arrange for us to go scuba diving like he did the previous week. It was incredible! We took beginning lessons in a pool at a hotel. I have always wanted to scuba in a pool and that was f***ing awesome! I suppose I could have been ceritfied then but I was just learning about diving. When we eventually went out to the ocean, we went to locations that they told us where one of the James Bond movies was made(there was an airplane sunk just for the movie there), and also they said we were very close to where they filmed the movie Splash for the under water scenes. All in all it was a very memorable experience. I do not know if I can dive now, I am not familiar with the restrictions at this time. I really hope I can still scuba dive because it is one of the greatest experiences I have ever had!

I would say more about my experience but it would be better said in person. I am bad at expressing how I feel to people. Even in person people have a tendancy to be negative toward me no matter what but at least I try I guess.

Gem Stone

04-23-2012, 11:48 AM

Florida, cozumel, gulf of Mexico off the coast of Texas, pools, Weeki Wachee, and mammoth lake

Azurin Luna

05-15-2012, 01:29 PM

I hope to go diving and get my PADI certificate at Curacao this summer. I'm taking my tail too, not to scuba but to free dive ;)

DoubleOSix

06-11-2012, 01:11 AM

I went diving around Okinawa where I got my open water PADI scuba certification.
I am stuck inland for the moment:(... So it just me, my monofin & the pool.

3311

green52

07-13-2012, 01:56 PM

JoyandRaptors, did you dive at some dive park in Bethlaham? I remember seeing a slide show about it at a dive club in college back in PA. They had a school bus, a fire truck and a helicopter that was suspended from floats at the surface. It looked pretty cool. Same one you dove?

elinox

11-15-2012, 02:00 PM

I've always wanted to become certified in scuba, and this past February I was fortunate enough to try it in Cozumel, Mexico through a Discover Scuba cruise excursion. The instructor, Alec, was amazing: knowledgeable and fun! I'm hooked and cannot wait to do it again!

I'm in the planning stages of another cruise and this time hope to take their onboard PADI certification course before diving in St. Maarten. *crosses fingers*

Mermaid Melanie

12-11-2012, 02:09 AM

Being an Instructor I get to dive a lot ! My favourite sites are in Thailand - at Richelieu Rock, Beautiful soft corals and occasionally big things pass by - for great visibility ( and pictures ) Similan Islands are awesome ! great vis and beautiful dive sites with special creatures like ghost pipefish, seahorse, clown triggerfish, turtles and my have... NUDIBRANCHS ! ( great inspiration for tail designs with all the patterns and colours and shapes ! ) next summer Im back off to Scotland to finish my drysuit course :D

NatalieMermaid

03-11-2013, 10:03 PM

Long Beach, Los Angeles, Hawaii, Turks & Caicos, Georgia Aquarium.

Sirenade

03-12-2013, 01:46 AM

I did my PADI certification off of Laguna, CA and Catalina (and have since done MANY MANY dives off both). I did 2 trips to Hawaii in 2006 and 2007 and did dives off Maui, Honolulu and Kona (big island). My favorite was the Kona Manta Ray night dive because it was SOOOOO surreal!

FreshWaterMermaid

03-12-2013, 11:49 AM

I would love dive at any of these locations everyone has posted!!! So jealous! I've only dived a few times my certification dive for open water was in the Puget Sound, wa
Cold water dices are awesome! So many plumose anemones, cabazones, dungeoness crabs, and on one of our dives we found a cute little sculpin! THOSE ARE AMAZING little Fish! :)
I think that weekend one of our instructors went on a night dive and saw a six gill too!
So amazing! I can't wait to do it again!
But it is true, cold water dives are some of the best, especially in Washington ^_^

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Eaton

10-27-2014, 04:18 AM

I have great experience of diving in Great Barrier Reef. I have been there about a year ago with my college fellows to enjoy our vacations. It is an ideal place to enjoy diving around the world. It contains a wide range of marine life.

Mermaid Leira

10-27-2014, 07:04 AM

Did my open water Cape Patterson vic and lots of fresh water spots as a kid here too, Great Barrier Reef : mission beach , Hamilton Island Cairns on a live a board, Thailand , langkawi in Malaysia, Fiji mana island, going to Boracay in the Philippines and WA ningaloo next year :)

Vrindavana Starfish

10-27-2014, 12:54 PM

Florida Keyes, also some shipwrecks off of North Carolina. I've snorkeled in more places, like Molokini Crater in Maui, and the springs in Florida.

MermanOliver

10-27-2014, 06:18 PM

Well, I got certified in the Baltic sea (western part, Hohwacht, between Kiel and Fehmarn), went to several lakes in Germany (Nordhausen, Löbejün, Leipzig, Hemmoor, Bodensee, just to name a few), Baltic sea area in Denmark (Gammel Aalbo, to be exact) and did several dive trips to Gozo (Malta), which I enjoyed so much!
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Eaton

10-28-2014, 02:00 AM

MermanOliver, you have any experience of diving in Florida Keyes? I want to know about this region because one of my friends wants to go there for diving.

MermanOliver

10-28-2014, 11:05 AM

Unfortunately not, though I really wish to dive there some day. The only time I've been to Florida was a weekend trip to Destin while visiting my father-in-law in Tennessee. I'm from Germany, and so most of my experience is the northern part of Europe and some Mediterranean :).
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Vrindavana Starfish

10-28-2014, 11:30 AM

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park was a great spot, I also dove off of Islamorada and I think Marathon Keyes. If you go, those are good places to check out.

Emmadives

11-11-2014, 04:50 PM

Mermaid Melusinah

11-11-2014, 06:19 PM

I've dove the Florida Keys! Key Largo (wrecks), Key West (wrecks), and Looe Key (reefs). It's beautiful! There are many dive operations to choose from depending on which sites you want to dive. I dove the Vandenburg and the Spiegel Grove in the keys.

I usually dive off Cape Ann in Massachusetts, but have also dove wrecks in the Great Lakes in Michigan, caverns in central Florida, Cozumel, Roatan, and the kelp forests in San Diego. I can't wait to get my first tail (ordered last month) and start diving and swimming with it!

I LOVE the Keys! It's my place to SCUBA, lobster hunt and spearfish! Love me some hog snapper <3
Anyways, when you are down that way again, dive with the crew on Duck Key. Dive Duck Key. Love them!! They are where I got certified at and genuinely just a GREAT bunch!!

Emmadives

11-11-2014, 06:50 PM

I LOVE the Keys! It's my place to SCUBA, lobster hunt and spearfish! Love me some hog snapper <3
Anyways, when you are down that way again, dive with the crew on Duck Key. Dive Duck Key. Love them!! They are where I got certified at and genuinely just a GREAT bunch!!

Thanks for the tip! My college friend has a place in Key West so I hope to visit again soon!

aureliamermaid

07-05-2016, 11:53 PM

I live in SC, so most of my diving has been in the south. Barracuda Alley and the man-made reefs off the coast of SC are fun if the visibly is decent, but don't wear anything shiny!

I've done a few dives in Florida too. Crystal river, Key Largo, John Pennekamp State Park reefs, mangrove areas on the Gulf side of the Keys.

There's also this little scuba camp outside of Raleigh, NC, called Fantasy Lake, which is pretty awesome. It's a flooded rock quarry that's got sunken things scattered throughout, like a porthole boat and a VW bug. Depths up to 80ft. The gentleman that owns it is super nice, too! [emoji5]

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nightdiver

07-06-2016, 08:41 AM

Mermaid Jaffa

07-07-2016, 05:36 AM

I've swam/snorkeled at the Great Barrier Reef. It was 9 years ago. I would love to go back again and swim in a tail one day.

Merenneito Nerissa

07-07-2016, 06:49 AM

I got my first certification (PADI) when we travelled to Thailand. Then I was just completely hooked :D Already next summer we (me and my hubby) got our PADI Aowd in Finland and after that we changed to CMAS. From CMAS I now have rescue diver-course and P3-Dive leader course, atm I'm in the Assistant Instructor course :)

So I have dived in Thailand, lots and lots of dives in Finland (especially here in Lapland) and also we have made three trips (all of them couple days) to northern Norway and dived in the Arctic Ocean. That's pretty spectacular place with all it's fishes, kelps and king crabs :)

KateyMermaid

07-07-2016, 08:39 AM

I did my open water dives (and later certified other divers) in a couple local lakes. I've also been diving in the Bahamas, Cozumel, and a couple shipwrecks in Lake Superior.

Haven't been diving in the Florida Keys, but I did snorkel there.

OOOOOO Shipwrecks in Lake Superior sound awesome! I would love to return to lake superior with dive gear.

I'm in Ohio, so most of the open water diving I've done has been in quarries. There are a few decent quarries around the state with good visibility and interesting things to see--including an old harley :p I've also dived in aquariums, both with scuba gear and as a mermaid. Way cool, and something I would love to do again. I'm currently on a wait list to be a volunteer diver at the local zoo. (Mostly meaning I would clean the acrylic, but I get to clean the acrylic and hang out with manatees
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160707/298f679b76e3f16954b30e4e2d2e518b.jpg
After freediving in the Bahamas. Peter opted to snorkel since he's not much of a water enthusiast
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160707/2d4af779b75f6b6fdb3ca3a226cb6e91.jpg
I'm the diver on the right (blue mask strap)
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160707/3b04669c9a34ea9567f5989b5ebcb7ad.jpg
I'm the diver on the right. (Blue mask strap)

MermaidLiara

08-18-2016, 03:09 PM

I have dived in Indonesia (Bali) and Tunisia. It was beautiful and magical.

Zeldamaniacc

06-20-2017, 11:41 AM

I got my Open Water certification by diving at a combination of the UAT at the Space and Rocket Center and a local quarry. I've also dived the Joe Patty Memorial Barge in Pensacola FL, which I highly recommend. It's like an underwater art gallery!

AptaMer

06-23-2017, 01:50 PM

OOOOOO Shipwrecks in Lake Superior sound awesome! I would love to return to lake superior with dive gear.

Hey @KateyMermaid, some of the best shipwrecks in the great lakes are actually in Lake Huron.

Have you thought about going to Tobermory, in Ontario?

http://www.alertdiver.com/Tobermory

It's quite driveable from Ohio, and if you google Tobermory dive trips you'll find all kinds of options for going diving.

A hint. When I've gone to Michigan & Ohio from Ontario, I always cross the Detroit River at the Pt. Edwards/Sarnia bridge, since I've never encountered lineups there, and the customs officers seem to have nicer attitudes than some of the ones at the Detroit/Windsor crossings. If you take Hwy. 21 from Sarnia to Tobermory along the shores of Lake Huron, you'll see some beautiful scenery.

sealforvr

06-29-2017, 01:57 PM

Cave and Deep Wreck, mixed gas and decompression certified. Dive Spots include Roubidoux Spring and cave system, Lake Superior Shipwreck preserve, Lake Michigan wrecks off the U.P. The Offsets flooded mine system in Missouri, drift cenote diving in Mexico.

Sam is here

04-17-2018, 12:48 PM

I gone scuba diving in marsa alam, a small fishers town in Egypt, the hotel we stayed in was Gorgonia Beach.

Ocoree

05-08-2018, 04:17 AM

Back when I was still certified it was off the Florida Keys with the Duck Key dive crew - it was a really fun time! Especially when you get to float upside down and tease the spiny lobster by lightly tweaking their antennae. I've encountered puffers, snowflake morays, a lemon shark, and once a widdle sand eel when I lost control of my breathing bouyancy and hit the sandy bottom.

I only noticed the little guy staring back up at me from his burrow when I looked to figure the safest place to put down my hands for a light push as I had seen skates half-burrowed in the vicinity earlier. Very quickly realized this little pale face was staring at me about an inch from my goggles right before I exhaled. We both sat there for a bit looking at each other until I had to take a breath from holding it so long - then he zipped back into his burrow out of sight and I floated myself back up before continuing on.

My only 'eh' about the places like Cannon Reef is the 20-25 ft visibility on most days, but I did see a massive remora swimming along when I came back up to the surface at the end of my dive. That was a little unnerving seeing this 5ft fish passing by with a distinctively shaped flat head o.o

fabianfrz

05-08-2018, 02:51 PM

Red Sea - Safaga
https://fabian-franz.eu/diving/2018/05/01/egypt.html (3 images)

I used EAN32 to dive and got my certificate there.

Kathleen Everett

06-14-2018, 09:18 PM

Dive Spots like Roubidoux is one of the popular cave diving sites and cavern.

Derek Broussard

06-20-2018, 04:14 PM

Thank but no tanks ;) I would rather freedive. Places: Hawaii, Seattle, california, catalina island, Baja mexico, Playa del carmen, San blas islands in Panama, Roatan Honduras, Costa Rica, New york, Lima peru, Guatemala,

https://photos.smugmug.com/Underwater/Marine-life/Lobos-Marinos/i-J7MDFxR/0/2705ea74/M/BROU0889-M.jpg (https://www.1breathphotos.com/Underwater/Marine-life/Lobos-Marinos/i-J7MDFxR/A) Sealions in Lima Peru

https://photos.smugmug.com/Underwater/Marine-life/Puget-Sound/i-Wjb6WRh/0/d61de0b7/M/_MG_1040-M.jpg (https://www.1breathphotos.com/Underwater/Marine-life/Puget-Sound/i-Wjb6WRh/A) Edmonds underwater park near Seattle.

https://photos.smugmug.com/Underwater/Marine-life/Honu/i-SsmGmJW/0/8826aeed/M/IMG_2040-M.jpg (https://www.1breathphotos.com/Underwater/Marine-life/Honu/i-SsmGmJW/A) Sea turtle in Hawaii.

https://photos.smugmug.com/Underwater/Marine-life/Sharks-1/i-Cgb2fFc/0/f71fde27/M/IMG_2338-M.jpg (https://www.1breathphotos.com/Underwater/Marine-life/Sharks-1/i-Cgb2fFc/A) - sharks in Hawaii.
https://photos.smugmug.com/Underwater/People/Cenotes/i-7wB4tQd/0/e48261f3/M/BROU0650-M.jpg (https://www.1breathphotos.com/Underwater/People/Cenotes/i-7wB4tQd/A) Cenotes of the Riviera mexico https://photos.smugmug.com/Underwater/People/St-Pedro-7feb/i-v5Cx5S5/4/167890c2/M/IMG_9309-M.jpg (https://www.1breathphotos.com/Underwater/People/St-Pedro-7feb/i-v5Cx5S5/A) Freediving a shipwreck in waikiki

In my opinion, SCUBA is over rated. The big tanks, noise and bubbles keep most wildlife away. When freediving the animals seem to respect you as an aquatic species. The curious ones will get close to inspect you. And with a week to a month of training, Almost everybody can dive reacreational scuba limits on a breath hold. Plus the spiritual, mental, and physical benefits of freediving are way beyond what scuba offers.