Have you been to a wild reef?

[Anonymous]

The best Reef to dive in is the Great Barrier off the coast of Cairns. If any of you out there ever get the chance to go to Australia ,dive the Great Barrier,there is nothing else like it in the world

Did it, but I still have to say Phi Phi Island in the Andaman Sea in Thailand kicks the GBR's butt!

 

[Anonymous]

Did you do Cod Hole?

Yeah, but no big Potato Cods were there!

Thats just wrong!

The boat that took us to Cod Hole and other dive areas (too bad my wife and I only snorkel, but we still saw a lot), the run up to Cook's Look, the Clam Garden and taking a dinghy to another little island close to the main island were the highlights of our honeymoon trip there in 1998. Lizard Island is simply amazing. After spending a few days at Lizard Island and coming back to Cairns, we felt we had just left paradise.

I know exactly what you mean and I am glad you had a good time!

 

[Anonymous]

Damn dirty double post!

 

[Anonymous]

Ben wrote:

How do you know?

When I said "nothing like it", I was referring to scuba diving in general, not that the Keys were the best. While that is the only place I have ever dove, I am sure that there are a jillion places that offer better diving. This is a given.

I would love to dive the GBR and well as Bali and anywhere else in the indo-pacific.

Louey

 

[ChrisRD]

Yup, in the Caribbean.

 

[middletonmark]

I've heard a lot of good things about Bonaire.

You heard right ... was there two months ago on honeymoon and the freedom of shore diving will be hard to beat. A pickup, a stack of full tanks at the hotel ... and a map with 50+ sites within 4 miles of me.

Ivan wasn't too bad down there, though the elk+staghorns were tumbled around a lot ... everything below about 10-15' was perfect. Great aquarium-like diving [little/no current, great diversity].

Heck, we even found the perfect little B+B for my wife and I up on one of the hills. Nice to be away from `dive central' there IMO.

 

[Anonymous]

My trip to Bonaire was about 5 years ago, and the surge from a hurricane going the wrong way busted off all those shallow coral gardens Bonaire was so famous for, just a week before. Below the reef crest around 30 feet it was still great, but I felt sorry for the snorklers. Hopefully it is growing back. Very nice island though; I stayed at Cap'n Don's.

 

[DK]

Got into diving after reefing. Didn't give my kids a chioce about getting certified either. Shore diving at Bonaire is fabulous!

 

[Mihai]

Maui and Pennekamp. None have great corals from what I saw that exists in the Pacific and in the Red Sea, but GREAT fishes!

M.

 

[Anonymous]

No but that is my plan in the distant or near future...When ever I have a chance...

 

[eGSix]

To eGSix,a good place to get coals is off the Kona coast up around the Four Seasons resort,About 4 miles south of it,the first logoon you come to. I used to get a lot of neet stuff there. PS( hope this helps and good hunting)

damn, i live on Oahu..you know any good spots here?

 

[Anonymous]

Yep, south of Manila PI

 

[npaden]

Getting into the hobby definitely influenced my desire to get into scuba diving.

I had snorkeled at Hanama bay before getting into the hobby and was amazed by the color of the fish and sheer numbers of them.

For my 10 year wedding anniversary we spent 10 days in Taveuni, Fiji and last year we went diving in the Florida Keys. Both were wonderful experiences. Of course Taveuni, Fiji was nicer but the keys were definitely worth the trip.

FWIW, Nathan

 

[Anonymous]

The best Reef to dive in is the Great Barrier off the coast of Cairns. If any of you out there ever get the chance to go to Australia ,dive the Great Barrier,there is nothing else like it in the world

Did it, but I still have to say Phi Phi Island in the Andaman Sea in Thailand kicks the GBR's butt!

Were you there before or after the film The Beach was made?

 

[Ben1]

When I said "nothing like it", I was referring to scuba diving in general, not that the Keys were the best. While that is the only place I have ever dove, I am sure that there are a jillion places that offer better diving. This is a given.

Yeah just ignore what I say in general and we will all be ok....

 

[Rlumenator]

I dive mostly in Bonaire- have dove Caymans and Grand Turk also. I was underwater off Klein Bonaire when Lenny came through- watched all the dive piers and the Green Parrot wash out from the dive boat. Little damage from Ivan- we were there most recently the end of Oct., and will be returning in Jan. Great reef life- easy diving.

 

[Anonymous]

Carribean(numerous times in Puerto Rico, Cayman, and Jamaica) and Gulf of Mexico(once in Cancuun). Also when I went to Bermuda.

 

[lobo42a]

To eGSix ;sorry don't know any spots around Oahu

 

[Chooch]

In the Caribbean: Bonaire, Caymans, Cozumel, Bahamas plus the Florida Keys in the Atlantic. Some very nice reefs in all those places and some mediocre.

In the Pacific: the Solomon Islands by live aboard dive boat.

The Solomons reefs were remote and very pristine with many of the reefs only being dived a few times a year. We saw only one other dive boat the entire 11 days we were there. We saw sharks, dolphins, turtles, crocodiles, large shcools of tuna, etc. plus incredible coral gardens with tons of reef fish. Personally I hope it stays that way because from my own observations reefs really suffer when the crowds descend upon them.

As an aside I would add that a live aboard dive boat is the way to go because you get access to the more remote reefs which are generally more pristine and spectacular.

 

[skylsdale]

Puget Sound (and they're all a nice and cozy 52*F...give or take a few degrees).