Once the basic open water scuba diving certification has been successfully completed by new divers, there should be some consideration to taking the next training level up which is the advanced open water course. Prior to that, it is probably a good idea to get some more experience as a new scuba diver right after the basic certification by doing several easy beginner level dives to further sharpen the basic skills and to appreciate the new underwater world. This can be easily done with a week of scuba diving at a destination where there are plenty of easier dive sites such as the Florida Keys. There’s no rush to do the more difficult dives for now.
Although it is quite possible to do deeper and more advance level dives as one gets more experience in diving without taking another course, it is much more ideal to get introduced to more difficult dives with an instructor. Deep dives, night dives, drift dives and dive sites with moderate currents can be too challenging for new divers. Even though many advanced dives are very exciting and rewarding, doing them without proper training can be dangerous. There’s no such thing as getting too much education and training in scuba diving.
The advanced scuba diver course was designed to help divers get the proper training for advanced dives as well as developing further skills including underwater navigation, safety, search and recovery. The advanced open water is also a very fun course to take. It does require some reading with a manual that will be supplied by the dive instructor but unlike the basic open water certification course, no written exam is required. The advanced course is mostly practical as it consists of several open water dives with a dive instructor over two days. Each open water dive during the advanced course will feature different types of dive skills. One will work on improving navigation while another will involve a deep dive. Other dives may include diving on wrecks, night diving and some basic rescue techniques.
All major scuba diving training certification agencies such as NAUI, PADI and SSI will have an advanced scuba diver course. All dive schools and operators that have scuba training will have the advanced course available. At many dive destinations, some dive operators will insist upon a minimum of advanced open water certification in order to take charter dive trips which involve higher level dive sites. For example, the deeper shipwreck dives of the Spiegel Grove, Duane and the Bibb located off Key Largo all require advanced or higher certification cards before the local dive operators will allow divers on those particular dives.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Traveling with Scuba Dive Gear and Equipment
With today’s state of air travel and airport security, scuba divers often have to decide how to travel with all their dive gear. For those scuba divers who plan to rent all their equipment at their destination, this isn’t an issue. However, the trend in diving has always been that as divers become more experienced with more dives logged after initial open water certifications, they tend to want to use their own equipment rather than rent. This is especially true with masks, regulators, wetsuits and dive computers. Avid scuba divers will often travel with their entire gear including fins and buoyancy compensators. Of course because of weight issues, scuba divers rarely travel with tanks or weights.
I have an air integrated Oceanic scuba dive computer that I wouldn't want lost or delayed in checked luggage during my dive trips so I always carry it on with me on airplanes. I have never had any problems going through airport security. Sure, they might check my stuff because scuba dive gear looks pretty foreign to most airport security staff but that's okay as my scuba dive computer always got through. The only thing I have to be careful of is how I pack it. On a few occasions, I had put the computer in a soft bag that also contained my regulator, another piece of my own scuba equipment that I would prefer to use rather than deal with a rental. During travel, one of the buttons on the dive computer must have gotten accidentally depressed which activated the device. Because of the altitude and/or pressure changes during a flight, the dive computer thought that it was going on an actual dive. It started beeping because it didn't like the statistics it was sensing which was a bit annoying on board. After the flight, my dive computer actually locked out for 24 hours. It was a good thing that I didn't dive until the next day. So from now on, I always pack my scuba dive computer in a box which prevents accidental activation and then the box goes into my carry on baggage. I also carry on my mask as well as my log book and certification cards. I wouldn’t want to be refused for diving by a dive operator in case my checked baggage was lost so it is highly recommended to carry your log book and certification card with you.
Everything else like my wetsuit, booties, fins, snorkel and buoyancy compensator goes into my checked baggage. If my checked baggage is lost, stolen or delayed, I can always rent the extra equipment I need without losing any dives. Some folks believe that one should not check in any large scuba dive bags with the dive flag displayed as it may advertise luggage containing expensive dive gear. In this case, one can always pack a flexible scuba dive bag inside a larger regular suitcase. So a good rule of thumb to use is to always carry on the scuba dive equipment that you can’t afford to lose or be without for your diving and check the rest.
I have an air integrated Oceanic scuba dive computer that I wouldn't want lost or delayed in checked luggage during my dive trips so I always carry it on with me on airplanes. I have never had any problems going through airport security. Sure, they might check my stuff because scuba dive gear looks pretty foreign to most airport security staff but that's okay as my scuba dive computer always got through. The only thing I have to be careful of is how I pack it. On a few occasions, I had put the computer in a soft bag that also contained my regulator, another piece of my own scuba equipment that I would prefer to use rather than deal with a rental. During travel, one of the buttons on the dive computer must have gotten accidentally depressed which activated the device. Because of the altitude and/or pressure changes during a flight, the dive computer thought that it was going on an actual dive. It started beeping because it didn't like the statistics it was sensing which was a bit annoying on board. After the flight, my dive computer actually locked out for 24 hours. It was a good thing that I didn't dive until the next day. So from now on, I always pack my scuba dive computer in a box which prevents accidental activation and then the box goes into my carry on baggage. I also carry on my mask as well as my log book and certification cards. I wouldn’t want to be refused for diving by a dive operator in case my checked baggage was lost so it is highly recommended to carry your log book and certification card with you.
Everything else like my wetsuit, booties, fins, snorkel and buoyancy compensator goes into my checked baggage. If my checked baggage is lost, stolen or delayed, I can always rent the extra equipment I need without losing any dives. Some folks believe that one should not check in any large scuba dive bags with the dive flag displayed as it may advertise luggage containing expensive dive gear. In this case, one can always pack a flexible scuba dive bag inside a larger regular suitcase. So a good rule of thumb to use is to always carry on the scuba dive equipment that you can’t afford to lose or be without for your diving and check the rest.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Spiegel Grove, the Largest Florida Keys Shipwreck for Scuba Divers
The latest shipwreck dive site in the Florida Keys for scuba divers is the USS Spiegel Grove. This is a former US Navy Landing Ship Dock that was sunk in 2002 to create an artificial reef in Key Largo, much like the Duane and Bibb ships were in the same general area. The Spiegel Grove is 510 feet in length and 84 feet wide making it the largest of the shipwrecks accessible to scuba divers in the Florida Keys. This wreck sits at a depth of 134 feet near Dixie Shoals and the depth at the highest point of the ship is about 60 to 65 feet depending on the tide level.
The Spiegel Grove had been lying on her starboard side after initial sinking and was reported to be a great dive. Hurricane Denis which greatly affected the south Florida area, actually made this wreck dive even better. The waves and surges from the hurricane were strong enough to push the entire ship to an upright position much like how the Duane is sitting. This resulted in better orientation of the ship for scuba divers especially since there are some swim throughs located throughout the wreck.
Most of the scuba dive operators in Key Largo have dive trips to the Spiegel Grove since this site is the latest rage in the local scuba diving. Since it is a deep dive, advance certification is required. Scuba divers can also dive the Spiegel Grove as part of their advance certification course. The dive plan for this wreck is very similar to that of the Duane. The dive site is often in an area with heavy currents so as soon as divers jump in the water, they have to go grab a line and pull themselves towards the front of the dive boat where the line is attached to the descent line. Divers then pull themselves down towards the wreck. Unlike the Duane which has descent lines on both ends of the ship, the Spiegel Grove has three lines since it is a much larger ship. The ascent and safety stop is on these same lines since the currents can be strong at any depth. It is highly recommended that any cameras and other devices are secured by lanyards since losing them in these currents is possible.
As one descends on the Spiegel Grove, one will see just how large this ship is. This will keep many divers excited. Lots of divers in the area have dived the Spiegel Grove before and are only happy to dive it again to explore the different compartments accessible in the wreck. This ship is also unique as it has a large crane in the stern area since it was used as a landing ship dock. For enthusiasts interested in the beauty of shipwrecks themselves, this will be considered a great dive. The only downside to this dive is the amount of marine life on the wreck. Barracuda, large angelfish and other fish can be spotted on the Spiegel Grove but not nearly as many as on the Duane. This is why some divers may still prefer the Duane over the Spiegel Grove if marine life is their primary interest in scuba diving. But the Spiegel Grove is still a relatively new dive site compared to the Duane so in time, the amount of marine life will increase at this site making it even better in the future. Both the Spiegel Grove and the Duane are highly recommended dives for all scuba divers with a minimum of advance certification when diving in the Key Largo area.
The Spiegel Grove had been lying on her starboard side after initial sinking and was reported to be a great dive. Hurricane Denis which greatly affected the south Florida area, actually made this wreck dive even better. The waves and surges from the hurricane were strong enough to push the entire ship to an upright position much like how the Duane is sitting. This resulted in better orientation of the ship for scuba divers especially since there are some swim throughs located throughout the wreck.
Most of the scuba dive operators in Key Largo have dive trips to the Spiegel Grove since this site is the latest rage in the local scuba diving. Since it is a deep dive, advance certification is required. Scuba divers can also dive the Spiegel Grove as part of their advance certification course. The dive plan for this wreck is very similar to that of the Duane. The dive site is often in an area with heavy currents so as soon as divers jump in the water, they have to go grab a line and pull themselves towards the front of the dive boat where the line is attached to the descent line. Divers then pull themselves down towards the wreck. Unlike the Duane which has descent lines on both ends of the ship, the Spiegel Grove has three lines since it is a much larger ship. The ascent and safety stop is on these same lines since the currents can be strong at any depth. It is highly recommended that any cameras and other devices are secured by lanyards since losing them in these currents is possible.
As one descends on the Spiegel Grove, one will see just how large this ship is. This will keep many divers excited. Lots of divers in the area have dived the Spiegel Grove before and are only happy to dive it again to explore the different compartments accessible in the wreck. This ship is also unique as it has a large crane in the stern area since it was used as a landing ship dock. For enthusiasts interested in the beauty of shipwrecks themselves, this will be considered a great dive. The only downside to this dive is the amount of marine life on the wreck. Barracuda, large angelfish and other fish can be spotted on the Spiegel Grove but not nearly as many as on the Duane. This is why some divers may still prefer the Duane over the Spiegel Grove if marine life is their primary interest in scuba diving. But the Spiegel Grove is still a relatively new dive site compared to the Duane so in time, the amount of marine life will increase at this site making it even better in the future. Both the Spiegel Grove and the Duane are highly recommended dives for all scuba divers with a minimum of advance certification when diving in the Key Largo area.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Scuba Diver Escaped Shark Attack In Australia
The AFP reported on 25 Jan 2007 that a brave scuba diver repelled a Great White Shark attack yesterday. How did this man escaped from the most feared predator of the sea, the monstrous Great White Shark which is known to grow up to 30 feet long and can weigh tons?
The Australian scuba diver, Eric Nerhus said that he resisted the shark attack so vigorously because he did not want to be an undignified fish food. Fish food? The Great White Shark is no ordinary shark It is a huge mean meat eating machine and nothing in the ocean can stand against its ferocity and viciousness.
Scuba Diving Shark Encounter
According to Eric, he was scuba diving collecting abalone in the ocean south of Sidney when he suddenly found himself half way into the gigantic mouth of the 10 footer monster with its sharp razor teeth grinding on him. He told Australia's Nine Network TV station that he was so shocked at first that he did not know what was happening. 'I went straight into its mouth. My shoulders, my head and one arm went straight down its throat and I could feel its teeth crunching up and down on my scuba diving weight vest.' he described to reporters from his hospital bed.
Eric, a father of two teenage kids realized that his only hope of escaping from the shark was by stabbing repeatedly at the creature's eye with his abalone chisel as the shark begun to shake him side to side in a vicious vice like grip around his waist. The struggle was so violent that Eric's regulator (breathing apparatus scuba diving gear) was knocked out from his mouth preventing him from breathing and his diver's face mask crushed.
The shark must have been hurt by Eric's vigorous stabbing of its eye that it suddenly paused, and then open its mouth just in the nick of time for Eric to escape from the shark's deadly jaws. The gallant scuba diver then swam painfully to the surface followed by the shark not too far behind him. He was quickly pulled to safety by his son before the Great White shark gets its second chance of making Eric its fish food.
The waters of Australia, South Africa and Florida are known to experience Great White Shark attacks on scuba divers, snorklers, surfers and swimmers now and then. Attacks by The Great White sharks are usually fatal and this scuba diver must have been very lucky to have escaped one piece.
The Australian scuba diver, Eric Nerhus said that he resisted the shark attack so vigorously because he did not want to be an undignified fish food. Fish food? The Great White Shark is no ordinary shark It is a huge mean meat eating machine and nothing in the ocean can stand against its ferocity and viciousness.
Scuba Diving Shark Encounter
According to Eric, he was scuba diving collecting abalone in the ocean south of Sidney when he suddenly found himself half way into the gigantic mouth of the 10 footer monster with its sharp razor teeth grinding on him. He told Australia's Nine Network TV station that he was so shocked at first that he did not know what was happening. 'I went straight into its mouth. My shoulders, my head and one arm went straight down its throat and I could feel its teeth crunching up and down on my scuba diving weight vest.' he described to reporters from his hospital bed.
Eric, a father of two teenage kids realized that his only hope of escaping from the shark was by stabbing repeatedly at the creature's eye with his abalone chisel as the shark begun to shake him side to side in a vicious vice like grip around his waist. The struggle was so violent that Eric's regulator (breathing apparatus scuba diving gear) was knocked out from his mouth preventing him from breathing and his diver's face mask crushed.
The shark must have been hurt by Eric's vigorous stabbing of its eye that it suddenly paused, and then open its mouth just in the nick of time for Eric to escape from the shark's deadly jaws. The gallant scuba diver then swam painfully to the surface followed by the shark not too far behind him. He was quickly pulled to safety by his son before the Great White shark gets its second chance of making Eric its fish food.
The waters of Australia, South Africa and Florida are known to experience Great White Shark attacks on scuba divers, snorklers, surfers and swimmers now and then. Attacks by The Great White sharks are usually fatal and this scuba diver must have been very lucky to have escaped one piece.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Scuba Diving in St. Thomas
Each year, a large number of vacationers make the decision to vacation in St. Thomas. St. Thomas is located in the Virgin Islands. This Caribbean island is one of the most popular summer vacation destinations in the world. If you are interested in vacationing in St. Thomas, you may be wondering what fun and exciting activities await you.
In St. Thomas, as well as most other popular vacation destinations, you will likely find an unlined number of activities that will peak your internets. If you are looking for something that is exotic and educational all at the same time, you may want to consider scuba diving in St. Thomas.
Due to its clear waters, corral reefs, and amazing sea life, St. Thomas is one of the best places in the world to go on a scuba diving adventure. St. Thomas is well-known for its seclusion and beautiful beaches, but scuba diving is a popular underwater activity that brings in tourists from all around the world.
If you are interested in scuba diving in St. Thomas, but you have never been before, you do not have to worry. Scuba diving lessons are obtainable for individuals who want to scuba dive, but do not know how to. After a couple of lessons, you could easily be able to enjoying diving in the clear waters.
Whether you consider yourself an experienced scuba diver or just a beginner, you are encouraged to scuba dive while on a guided tour. Scuba diving tours are given by trained and experienced professionals. In addition to knowing where to look for the best underwater treasures, you will be safe. There are too many accidents that can happen in the open waters. That is why it is advised that you travel with an experienced diver and never go diving by yourself.
Since it is advised that you go scuba diving with a trained professional, you will have to find a scuba diving guide or a company that offers tours. In St. Thomas there are a number of places. When searching for scuba diving guides, you are encouraged to examine the type of tours that are available. You may find scuba diving tours right off the coast or tours that are hosted off of a boat.
While searching for scuba diving tours in St. Thomas, it is likely that you will come across the Blue Island Divers. Blue Island Divers is one the most well-known and most recommended scuba diving groups in the St. Thomas area. In addition to providing their services to adults, scuba diving lessons and assistance can be given to children. Blue Island Divers offer dives that are focused on underwater wreckage and coral reefs.
In addition to Blue Island Divers, it is likely that you may come across a company known as Admiralty Dive Center. The Admiralty Dive Center is a state of the art facility that offers a large number of scuba diving tours. These tours often involve exploring underwater wreckage and underwater sea life. As with the Blue Island Divers, scuba diving lessons and tours are available for individuals of all ages.
As previously mentioned, there are a number of scuba diving tours that may be ideal for your next family vacation or romantic getaway. You can easily search for additional scuba diving tours by requesting a vacation brochure from the St. Thomas Island. Additional information may also be obtained through your local travel agent.
In St. Thomas, as well as most other popular vacation destinations, you will likely find an unlined number of activities that will peak your internets. If you are looking for something that is exotic and educational all at the same time, you may want to consider scuba diving in St. Thomas.
Due to its clear waters, corral reefs, and amazing sea life, St. Thomas is one of the best places in the world to go on a scuba diving adventure. St. Thomas is well-known for its seclusion and beautiful beaches, but scuba diving is a popular underwater activity that brings in tourists from all around the world.
If you are interested in scuba diving in St. Thomas, but you have never been before, you do not have to worry. Scuba diving lessons are obtainable for individuals who want to scuba dive, but do not know how to. After a couple of lessons, you could easily be able to enjoying diving in the clear waters.
Whether you consider yourself an experienced scuba diver or just a beginner, you are encouraged to scuba dive while on a guided tour. Scuba diving tours are given by trained and experienced professionals. In addition to knowing where to look for the best underwater treasures, you will be safe. There are too many accidents that can happen in the open waters. That is why it is advised that you travel with an experienced diver and never go diving by yourself.
Since it is advised that you go scuba diving with a trained professional, you will have to find a scuba diving guide or a company that offers tours. In St. Thomas there are a number of places. When searching for scuba diving guides, you are encouraged to examine the type of tours that are available. You may find scuba diving tours right off the coast or tours that are hosted off of a boat.
While searching for scuba diving tours in St. Thomas, it is likely that you will come across the Blue Island Divers. Blue Island Divers is one the most well-known and most recommended scuba diving groups in the St. Thomas area. In addition to providing their services to adults, scuba diving lessons and assistance can be given to children. Blue Island Divers offer dives that are focused on underwater wreckage and coral reefs.
In addition to Blue Island Divers, it is likely that you may come across a company known as Admiralty Dive Center. The Admiralty Dive Center is a state of the art facility that offers a large number of scuba diving tours. These tours often involve exploring underwater wreckage and underwater sea life. As with the Blue Island Divers, scuba diving lessons and tours are available for individuals of all ages.
As previously mentioned, there are a number of scuba diving tours that may be ideal for your next family vacation or romantic getaway. You can easily search for additional scuba diving tours by requesting a vacation brochure from the St. Thomas Island. Additional information may also be obtained through your local travel agent.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Scuba Diving While Vacationing in Mexico
Millions of Americans schedule a Mexico vacation. If you are interested in scheduling a vacation in Mexico, or you already have, you may be wondering what you can do while on vacation. In Mexico, there are an unlimited number of activities that you may find exciting. One of those activities may include scuba diving.
When it comes to scuba diving in Mexico, there are many travelers who are misinformed. Many believe that you have to be an experienced diver to enjoy underwater diving. This is simply not true. Before going scuba diving in the ocean, it is advised that you have basic knowledge of diving and strong swimming skills. However, you do not have to be an experienced diver. When vacationing in Mexico, there are many individuals who go scuba diving for the first time.
Scuba diving is a pretty self-explained activity. Scuba divers are featured in many movies and can be found in many amusement parks. While the general idea of scuba diving is the same in Mexico, what you will see underwater is not. There are a number of underwater animals and plants that can only be seen in or around the Mexico area. This in itself is one of the many reasons why you should schedule a scuba diving adventure.
In Mexico, scuba divers are often able to swim with the dolphins and sea turtles. To many, this alone is worth the cost of scuba diving. Aside from swimming with sea animals, you can also spend your scuba diving trip examining the life and environment underwater. Just a few of the many sea animals that you may see in Mexico include lobsters, eels, sting rays, and a large number of different kinds of fishes. The fishes found in underwater Mexico often include puffer fishes, spotted fishes, and parrot fishes.
While the sea animals found underwater are the most exciting part of scuba diving, there are other underwater activities that you can participate in. Many scuba divers enjoy diving along coral reefs that are found along the coast of Mexico. Coral reefs are not only home to a large number of sea animals, but they also make for great adventures. You may find it exciting traveling in, over, or around the many different sized reefs.
Unless you are an experienced underwater diver, you are advised to go scuba diving with a trained professional. These professionals are most commonly found with scuba diving tour groups. Scuba diving tour groups can be found all along the coast of Mexico. Scuba diving is a popular pastime in Mexico; therefore, you are encouraged to schedule your scuba diving adventures ahead of time.
In addition to scheduling a scuba dive with a trained diver, you can learn how to scuba dive at a number of locations in Mexico. Many of these locations also offer guided tours. Scuba diving lessons are offered as group lessons or private lessons. Private lessons may be more expensive, but many first time scuba divers find them rewarding, in more ways than one.
Underworld Scuba operates scuba diving and snorkeling tours in the Manzanillo area of Mexico. It has been said that the Manzanillo area is one of the best places to go scuba diving in Mexico. Underworld Scuba, along with number other companies, state that the area is thriving with underwater life and adventures. Another popular scuba diving tour company is The Puerto Dive Team, which operates out of Oaxaco Mexico. They are most known for their private one-on-one underwater tours.
To find other guided tours that are designed for scuba divers, you are encouraged to contact your local travel agent or do the research yourself. Whether or not you have already selected your Mexico destination, you should easily be able to find nearby tours. The closer you are to the coast, the more tours you will have access to. What you can do and see underwater is absolutely amazing. It is likely what you see will stay with you for years to come.
When it comes to scuba diving in Mexico, there are many travelers who are misinformed. Many believe that you have to be an experienced diver to enjoy underwater diving. This is simply not true. Before going scuba diving in the ocean, it is advised that you have basic knowledge of diving and strong swimming skills. However, you do not have to be an experienced diver. When vacationing in Mexico, there are many individuals who go scuba diving for the first time.
Scuba diving is a pretty self-explained activity. Scuba divers are featured in many movies and can be found in many amusement parks. While the general idea of scuba diving is the same in Mexico, what you will see underwater is not. There are a number of underwater animals and plants that can only be seen in or around the Mexico area. This in itself is one of the many reasons why you should schedule a scuba diving adventure.
In Mexico, scuba divers are often able to swim with the dolphins and sea turtles. To many, this alone is worth the cost of scuba diving. Aside from swimming with sea animals, you can also spend your scuba diving trip examining the life and environment underwater. Just a few of the many sea animals that you may see in Mexico include lobsters, eels, sting rays, and a large number of different kinds of fishes. The fishes found in underwater Mexico often include puffer fishes, spotted fishes, and parrot fishes.
While the sea animals found underwater are the most exciting part of scuba diving, there are other underwater activities that you can participate in. Many scuba divers enjoy diving along coral reefs that are found along the coast of Mexico. Coral reefs are not only home to a large number of sea animals, but they also make for great adventures. You may find it exciting traveling in, over, or around the many different sized reefs.
Unless you are an experienced underwater diver, you are advised to go scuba diving with a trained professional. These professionals are most commonly found with scuba diving tour groups. Scuba diving tour groups can be found all along the coast of Mexico. Scuba diving is a popular pastime in Mexico; therefore, you are encouraged to schedule your scuba diving adventures ahead of time.
In addition to scheduling a scuba dive with a trained diver, you can learn how to scuba dive at a number of locations in Mexico. Many of these locations also offer guided tours. Scuba diving lessons are offered as group lessons or private lessons. Private lessons may be more expensive, but many first time scuba divers find them rewarding, in more ways than one.
Underworld Scuba operates scuba diving and snorkeling tours in the Manzanillo area of Mexico. It has been said that the Manzanillo area is one of the best places to go scuba diving in Mexico. Underworld Scuba, along with number other companies, state that the area is thriving with underwater life and adventures. Another popular scuba diving tour company is The Puerto Dive Team, which operates out of Oaxaco Mexico. They are most known for their private one-on-one underwater tours.
To find other guided tours that are designed for scuba divers, you are encouraged to contact your local travel agent or do the research yourself. Whether or not you have already selected your Mexico destination, you should easily be able to find nearby tours. The closer you are to the coast, the more tours you will have access to. What you can do and see underwater is absolutely amazing. It is likely what you see will stay with you for years to come.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Scuba Diving with Club Med in Turks and Caicos
One scuba diving vacation option for divers is with the Club Med resorts that offer intensive dive programs. These particular Club Med locations have full service scuba diving centers staffed by PADI and NAUI certified instructors as well as full equipment rentals. Club Med has locations with dive intensive programs in the Caribbean and the South Pacific. One such resort is the Club Med Turkoise in the Turks and Caicos islands located southeast of the Bahamas. While these islands are not the lushest in the Caribbean, they do have excellent coral reef systems making it a top scuba diving destination in the region.
For those scuba divers who do not want to be bothered with transit between hotels, restaurants and dive boats, Club Meds are a wonderful option since everything is on site. Like other high end all-inclusive resorts, Club Meds have excellent dining, decent rooms plus great facilities for water and land sports. A bonus feature of Club Meds is the inclusion of instruction for many activities such as sailing and water skiing as well as the nightly entertainment on stage.
As for the scuba diving programs which are offered at additional cost, they usually offer standard five day packages which include a two tank trip every morning plus a weekly night dive. There are optional single tank dives in the afternoon as well. In my estimation, the Club Med Turkoise location I went to had 50% divers and 50% non-divers. It was kind of funny to see that the guests who go to bed the earliest in the evenings and show up in the dining room first thing in the mornings are the scuba divers. Many divers I met were repeat guests. This proves that the Club Med is able to attract a loyal following among some scuba divers. The resort is ideal for couples where one spouse is a diver and the other is not. There are plenty of other activities on site for the non-diving spouse to do while the other is out diving. Later in the afternoon, couples or friends could get back together to do other activities or simply relax. I went to this Club Med as a single traveler and had no problems fitting in. The dining room staff usually asks guests whether they would like to sit with a singles table or one with couples. The advantage of this Club Med setup is that it is very easy to meet other guests on a social level. I ended up socializing and diving with people from Europe as well as North America.
The Club Med dive boats are huge. These boats have rows along each side and another row in the center. They are ‘cattle’ boats for sure as there can be as much as 40 divers for each trip. However, they are nice ‘cattle’ boats with two ladders in the back platform and a large upper deck for the boat ride. A very nice feature of these boats is that there are two safety stop bars below the boat at the 15 feet mark. These bars are excellent for beginner scuba divers who still have problems remaining at a level 15 feet for their safety stops. All they have to do is hold on to the safety stop bar and wait for the 3 minutes. On each bar, there is also a regulator for those who are low on air. Scuba divers can dive in either guided groups led by a divemaster or in their own buddy groups. Either way, there is an adequate briefing before each dive. The guided groups are particularly good for divers who do not want to worry about navigation.
The diving at Turks and Caicos is wonderful with steep walls during the first part of each dive. The return portion of each dive will generally be over a reef system with lots of small to medium size marine life. One resident barracuda nicknamed Charlie is often seen and likes to hang out between the safety stop bars checking out the divers. In general, the diving is similar to that in the Bahamas but you won’t find crowds of dive boats out in the water here since Turks and Caicos are not as saturated with dive operators and tourists yet. For an extra charge, it is possible for the resort to arrange a 3 tank day trip with an outside scuba operator to dive some sites further out that have larger marine life. Some divers took this option and returned with very positive reviews of multiple shark sightings.
If scuba divers are interested in going to a Club Med, it is important to verify which locations currently offer the intensive dive programs. Different Club Meds also have different atmospheres. Some are livelier with a party scene and some are quieter. Consulting a travel agent familiar with Club Meds will be useful. Club Med does have a good scuba diving program with very professional staff and is an option worth checking out if one doesn’t mind being on dive trips with relatively large numbers of divers.
For those scuba divers who do not want to be bothered with transit between hotels, restaurants and dive boats, Club Meds are a wonderful option since everything is on site. Like other high end all-inclusive resorts, Club Meds have excellent dining, decent rooms plus great facilities for water and land sports. A bonus feature of Club Meds is the inclusion of instruction for many activities such as sailing and water skiing as well as the nightly entertainment on stage.
As for the scuba diving programs which are offered at additional cost, they usually offer standard five day packages which include a two tank trip every morning plus a weekly night dive. There are optional single tank dives in the afternoon as well. In my estimation, the Club Med Turkoise location I went to had 50% divers and 50% non-divers. It was kind of funny to see that the guests who go to bed the earliest in the evenings and show up in the dining room first thing in the mornings are the scuba divers. Many divers I met were repeat guests. This proves that the Club Med is able to attract a loyal following among some scuba divers. The resort is ideal for couples where one spouse is a diver and the other is not. There are plenty of other activities on site for the non-diving spouse to do while the other is out diving. Later in the afternoon, couples or friends could get back together to do other activities or simply relax. I went to this Club Med as a single traveler and had no problems fitting in. The dining room staff usually asks guests whether they would like to sit with a singles table or one with couples. The advantage of this Club Med setup is that it is very easy to meet other guests on a social level. I ended up socializing and diving with people from Europe as well as North America.
The Club Med dive boats are huge. These boats have rows along each side and another row in the center. They are ‘cattle’ boats for sure as there can be as much as 40 divers for each trip. However, they are nice ‘cattle’ boats with two ladders in the back platform and a large upper deck for the boat ride. A very nice feature of these boats is that there are two safety stop bars below the boat at the 15 feet mark. These bars are excellent for beginner scuba divers who still have problems remaining at a level 15 feet for their safety stops. All they have to do is hold on to the safety stop bar and wait for the 3 minutes. On each bar, there is also a regulator for those who are low on air. Scuba divers can dive in either guided groups led by a divemaster or in their own buddy groups. Either way, there is an adequate briefing before each dive. The guided groups are particularly good for divers who do not want to worry about navigation.
The diving at Turks and Caicos is wonderful with steep walls during the first part of each dive. The return portion of each dive will generally be over a reef system with lots of small to medium size marine life. One resident barracuda nicknamed Charlie is often seen and likes to hang out between the safety stop bars checking out the divers. In general, the diving is similar to that in the Bahamas but you won’t find crowds of dive boats out in the water here since Turks and Caicos are not as saturated with dive operators and tourists yet. For an extra charge, it is possible for the resort to arrange a 3 tank day trip with an outside scuba operator to dive some sites further out that have larger marine life. Some divers took this option and returned with very positive reviews of multiple shark sightings.
If scuba divers are interested in going to a Club Med, it is important to verify which locations currently offer the intensive dive programs. Different Club Meds also have different atmospheres. Some are livelier with a party scene and some are quieter. Consulting a travel agent familiar with Club Meds will be useful. Club Med does have a good scuba diving program with very professional staff and is an option worth checking out if one doesn’t mind being on dive trips with relatively large numbers of divers.
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