Have you ever dreamed of going to Florida Keys to dive? Here is an account of what to expect.
The Florida Keys (Photo credit: emilio labrador)
Source: laurasglobetrotting.com
Scuba Diving and Camping in Key Largo
Palm trees, ship wrecks, and seafood galore are just a few of the things that describe the Florida Keys. Surrounded by the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic, this 120-mile long island chain is home to the only living coral barrier reef in the continental United States and the third largest barrier reef in the world. As if this wasn’t enough, the Keys are also home to the Florida Keys shipwreck trail and dozens of dive shops.
The weather plays tricks on all of us including the scuba diving community. Here is a story from Holland, Michigan, USA.
Sail Boats at Holland, Michigan (Photo credit: Rhys A.)
Source: www.hollandsentinel.com
Ice stops annual scuba dive into Holland Channel
Some of the people who gathered Wednesday at Altek Sports & Scuba in Zeeland joked they were bummed out by not being able to dive in the Holland Channel to ring in the New Year. Read the full article at www.hollandsentinel.com
Mauritius is an island nation in the Indian Ocean and known as one of world’s luxury holiday destinations.
Ile maurice (Photo credit: philippe…)
Diving
There is a variety of different dive sites on the west coast and on the coast in north-east suitable for divers at all levels of experience.
If you are looking to dive a lot, I recommend finding a hotel in or near the town of Flic-en-Flac on the west coast. The waters on the west coast are more calm than in north-east, where it is not uncommon that you cannot dive because of the high wind and rough waters.
Relax at Aquarium dive site
Aquarium is one of the most enjoyable dive sites in the west: There is an abundance of species of fish and coral to observe. The rocks and boulders are typical of the waters around Mauritius: It is hard to find similar shapes elsewhere. The Aquarium dive takes you to about 20 meters.
Visit L’èveillé dive site for a unique experience
In the west, you may want to visit L’èveillé — the exact spelling of the name of the site varies a bit depending on whom you ask — where you can find a cliff and a 10 meter wall. The dive is quite deep, 28-29 meters.
One of the high-lights is a combination of a tunnel and a chimney that you can dive through. You approach the tunnel entry near the bottom and dive under a huge rock formation. Only then you can see the wide tunnel that leads you to the chimney. Be careful because there may be a lot of sea life in the chimney including an occasional lion fish.
Wild ride at Belle Mare Passage dive site
If you are looking for a wild ride and are an experienced diver, you should visit Belle Mare Passage. The site’s nick name, “Dishwasher” gives you some idea of what the dive is alike.
You enter the water in a lagoon and quite soon get caught by the tidal currents. At depth of few meters, you are swept along through narrow canyons and crevaces. In some spots you may be able to hold on to rocks to observe the fish and quite alien looking rock formations before your grip fails. As you can guess, protective gloves are recommended and provided by the dive centers.
Dive Centers
There are several high quality dive centers on the island.
In the north-east region you may want to contact your hotel to ask about diving opportunities. Many reputable dive centers operate in or with the hotels.
Getting there
Prepare for a long flight through Paris, Dubai or a major Indian airport depending on which direction you arrive.
It takes 1-2 hours to get from the airport to most hotels depending on where it is on the island.
If you like to personalize your equipment or add just a bit more comfort or performance to your diving, here are some ideas for your 2014 shopping list.
Source: www.scuba-blog.com
One of my favorite things about scuba diving is that there is always a new gadget or accessory out on the market to try. Some of them are a great addition to every divers’ standard kit, whilst others just give you extra kudos. The excitement is palpable every time I walk into a dive center to survey the myriad of clips, straps, and accessories hanging up. Trying to find somewhere to fit everything onto my BCD is challenging, which is why I like a BCD with lots of metal D-rings. Don’t forget to be as streamlined as possible though: I’ll always remember the sight of a buddy who hadn’t checked if his accessories were negatively or positively buoyant – he looked like a Christmas tree with a thousand baubles floating up around him! Here’s my top ten tried and tested scuba diving accessories:
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