Scuba Diving on a Budget
Scuba Diving on a Budget
I gotta tell ya that over the last 60 years of diving I thought somewhere along the way I would tire of this sport. But I’ve learned that the diving locations you have to pick from never seem to run out. The only drawback to the overall selection to choose from is time and/or money.
Sure you can pick up a scuba diving publication and see a number of locations and liveaboards to choose from but how do you narrow it down when you have the time and money.
Here’s a suggestion; take a map of wherever you call home and using a compass, make a circle of an area you think you can afford to travel. Within that area you will have to decide if you can drive to its outer limits or if you need to start looking into air accommodations.
Next look for any bodies of water that are contained in that circle then zero in on what is going on around that location. I find Google Maps a valuable tool to get a bird’s eye view of the details of a particular area. Following that you might go on line to learn if there are any dive stores, dive clubs or marine harbors where you may gain information on diving activities.
Unknowingly I did this when living in Cleveland, Ohio and first started diving. I was fortunate to live on Lake Erie and was unaware of how it compared to ocean diving. Sometimes ignorance is bliss.
If you would have drawn circles from Cleveland it would map out my progression from the territory I began diving, widening out to encompass more and more expansion of my exploring other areas.
I not only got into exploring the various quarries, lakes and rivers in southern Ohio but also eventually wandered into Canada, Michigan and New York.
To look at my progress in this matter, you have to add in the fact that I was young, going to college and living at home with my parents. Obviously money was tight so, as I mentioned, it was one of those factors that limited the distance I could go to practice my chosen sport.
It's wise to always check with the local diving community to not only learn where to dive but also to educate yourself on what they have encountered while diving the various areas in their immediate surroundings. What I mean by this is if there are any obstacles, deep areas, boat traffic or local animals to watch out for. You also have to learn if there are local laws governing the areas you wish to explore. Do you need permission, is there a fee, need a dive float and flag or certain other equipment?
Getting back to the budget, can you drive to the location you want to explore? If so, make certain you pack the car with all the things you need. If the water is going to be cold the right thickness wet suit is in order, will you need a safety sausage, extra tank, camera, ground tarp, and a dive float and flag. At this point I have not mentioned the basic diving equipment because I felt you should be further along not to forget that. Just in case following is a starter check list.
Money Swim Suit Regulator
Mask Defog Fins
Wet Suit Boots Gloves
Knife Compass Sausage
Weights Computer Light
Tanks B.C.D. Snorkel
Hood Dive Flag Float
Towel Ground Tarp Trash Bags
Camera Sun Glasses Cap or Hat
Water Dive Log Certification Card
Hotel Reservations Map to Location Medications
I'm sure you will have some items to add to this list but it will give you a head start. After 60 years of diving I always consult a check list before going on a trip and it becomes more extensive for flying to a location.
A Drive Dive Experience
Keeping the circle mind, check what is available within its limits. Can you drive to an inland location or can you take a short plane hop and drive from the landing site. Are there rivers that offer some drift diving that could be another adventure?
As you become more experienced with diving, you will want to expand the circle and with that your expenses. Cost will definitely increase with airplane fares, hotel reservations as well as meals at the location.
Package deals are usually available at various locations so be on the lookout for them. Most will allow for two dives a day during the time you are there but if you want to also dive in the afternoon be aware this will cost extra. Some locations offer beach diving from the resort at no additional cost. This way you can expand your underwater time later in the day.
Island or Shore Dive Boat
Check to see if the hotel has their own boat or if it's necessary for you to board a transfer van to reach the dive boat. I have had the transfer van arrive that notified me, at the last minute, that it may be too rough at the wreck site they advertised so they will be going to a near lagoon instead. If you just came from the beach of your hotel and the water looked calm, you may want to refuse the lagoon dive until they're ready to dive the wreck. The real reason they offer a change may be there are first time or limited experience divers in the group that they just don't want to chance their adaptation to less than perfect conditions. Remember you're paying the same for a wreck or a lagoon dive.
I'm not down on diving from island or shoreline dive operations, I have done a lot of them having moved to Florida 40 years ago and experiencing the many dive operations up and down the East Coast as well as most of the Caribbean Islands. I just want to suggest you sometime look into liveaboard accommodations. If you are tired of going to a specific location to board a shuttle boat out to a local reef, coming back and sitting at the hotel, exploring the local town, visiting a spice plantation or seeing how turtles are raised then a live aboard may be of interest.
A live aboard is for those divers who just want to dive as many times as they can for the week they are on vacation. They offer luxurious diving for about the same price as a week at a on-land resort. The big difference is the relaxation of the trip. You board the boat at its starting location where you would have paid the same plane fare had you traveled to a land location of the same distance. The price of room accommodations sometimes very slightly with your choice.
From there you board about a 100 plus foot long boat that is totally equipped for diving. You are checked in, assigned a room and then attend a get together to find out about the crew and safety issues of the boat. Once the boat departs the dock you will not return until the end of the week. This is not a bad thing because for the weeks time you will visit dive locations you could not reach from a shore location, In addition you will probably dive at least four times a day along with a number of night dives. These dives are not mandatory, you just pick and choose whichever ones you would like to participate.
Typical Liveaboard Dive Boat
In most cases, the boat will park directly over the location you are to dive, give you a white board talk on what to expect and then you just walk off the back dive platform for your dive.
While on board you will be served buffet meals that give everyone a variety to choose from and they will even cater to guests that have special dietary requests.
How much does this cost? If you total up the lodging, meals and dive cost of a resort location, there is not much difference between the two and you get to expose yourself to dive spots unlike what can be reached by a shuttle boat.
Well, I guess we have extended our dive circle about as far as it will go so now time and money is the only two items that will determine where to get wet next. Sure you're going to repeat some dive locations within the circle in order to keep in practice or because they still leave some areas to discover, but when the bank account and job demands allow, you will be searching those dive magazines for that next adventure.
George