Kurt Kucera

Scuba Diver, Car Enthusiast, Outdoorsman

Fall Destinations for Scuba Diving

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Depending on where you live, the end of summer may mean an offseason for your diving practice. If you don’t mind traveling, however, fall is a great time to check out new destinations. Here are some places you should consider scuba diving this autumn.

Costa Rica

If you’ve never dived in Costa Rica, this destination should be at the top of your list. The west coast is cooler than the east side, and it’s home to an extraordinary amount of wildlife. On your adventure, you may see bull sharks, seahorses, and harlequin crown shrimp among others. If you enjoy exploring on land as well, you can also head out to a nearby jungle.

Oman

Fall is the perfect time to visit Oman. You’ll enjoy perfect weather and breathtaking sights without fighting the crowds that frequent other destinations. Among the sea life, you can expect to see thousands of triggerfish and whalefish as well as many other creatures.

Gozo

Gozo is remarkably warm even in October, so you can put this on your list of fall diving sites too. Divers across the world love to visit Gozo because the visibility is incredible. Whether you’re a new diver or a pro, you’ll enjoy Gozo’s swim throughs, caverns, and giant walls. 

With all of these options available, there’s no need to take a break from scuba diving in the autumn. All you need to do is hop on a plane and embark on a new adventure.

Scuba Diving Tips for Beginners

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Are you considering “taking the plunge” and becoming certified to scuba dive? That’s great! But if you’re looking to join the world of underwater adventure, there are some important things you need to know first. 

Here are some tips for beginners:

  1. Choose a dive school

Before you can start scuba diving, you need to get proper training. So, after you decide to pursue scuba diving, your next step is finding a dive school that suits your needs. Choose a school that is in a location where you’re excited to visit because it will take you at least three days to become certified. It’s helpful to be in a place you enjoy.

After you’ve found a school in an interesting place, do some research. Check out the school’s reviews. You want to know the good, the bad, and the ugly. This is a matter of safety, so it isn’t to be taken lightly. Find out how many instructors the school has per student, how they conduct their safety briefings, and how effectively they communicate. 

  1. Be safe.

Some of the best things you can do for safety as a new diver begin before you even start school. Practice swimming for a few months before you go. You can also start a yoga or Pilates practice with a focus on controlling your breath. 

After your training (but before you jump in), be sure to take seasickness pills if you are prone to seasickness, cover up any open wounds, make sure that you’re healthy and free of any colds or sinus infections, and always double check your dive equipment. It’s also a good idea to practice reaching behind you toward your lower back because you’ll need to do this if your regulator comes out of your mouth. You’ll be less likely to panic when this happens if you’ve practiced recovering in several times. 

  1. Be smart.

Listen to your instructors. Stay close to them during your first dive and follow their directions. Keep an eye on your air tank and be sure to tell your instructor if it gets low, even if you think it’s too soon. Keep close to your buddy and communicate often. Part of diving is not only ensuring your safety, but your buddy’s as well. 

When it comes to sea life down below, keep a strict “look but don’t touch” policy with yourself. It’s OK to marvel at the creatures around you, but you don’t want to disturb them in any way. If you see a shark, don’t panic. Follow your guide’s instructions and proceed as normal, even if you choose to end the dive. Also, be sure to look up once in a while and see what’s around you rather than just below you. 

Best Destinations for Beginner Scuba Divers

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When you’re starting out in any new activity, you want to make sure that you give yourself the best first experience possible. Scuba Diving is no different; you want to ensure that when choosing your site you consider not only your excitement but your safety as well. The scuba diving site you select should be somewhere that will give you all the features necessary for a memorable experience while also being appropriate for your skill level. Your first real dive trip is one of a kind, so you want the experience to be one that you remember for the rest of your life. With that in mind, here are some of the best destinations that deliver on the all the features necessary for beginner scuba divers.

 

Florida

The Sunshine state provides a plethora of diverse diving sites along with high-quality dive shops and operators. Water surrounds the state on three sides, and it boasts a number of freshwater springs in the interior. It appeals to many divers because of the variety of diving habitats. Divers can find wreck dives, shore dives, pier dives, drift diving, and even treasure-hunting diving off both of Florida’s coasts. In addition, just offshore of South Florida and down to the Florida Keys is the only living coral reef in North America. Divers will discover an abundance of marine life with the warm Gulf Stream current flowing through the area.

 

Bahamas

Located at the junction of the Atlantic and Caribbean oceans, the 700 islands, and 2,400 coral cays make up the Bahamas. The reef stretches 760 miles from Andros to Long Island, and it offers all types of world-class diving like shallow reefs, wrecks, blue holes, walls and shark dives. Plus with the warm water, high visibility, and gentle currents, the conditions make the Bahamas the ideal place for a beginner diver.

 

Hawaii

Beginners will love the chance to boost their skill set quickly due to the challenge of keeping neutral buoyancy while swimming through the lava-formed tunnel and arches at Tunnel Reef and First Cathedral in Hawaii. Divers can also enjoy the manta night dive of Kona which is a one of a kind nighttime experience that divers can have because of the site’s depth of 38 feet. Hawaii also calls to many families and couples and because of this, the instructors are frequently working with new divers and anyone looking to polish their skills.