Share your diving/snorkeling experiences!

[Gumbies R Us]

One thing I have never done, but would at least like to try once, is going out to some of the more famous reefs and go snorkeling/diving and be able to see them. I never have had an opportunity to do it, but it is something that has always interested me. Share your experiences with diving or snorkeling here! Photos, stories or whatever you want to share!

 

[ReeferHD]

went snorkeling in my pool once, didn't find much though.

 

[Reefer Matt]

My experience is left to Lake Erie shallow water free diving as a kid. Lots of green water and some rocks. But someday soon I will get PADI certified and start diving in the reefs. Just gotta get my wife on a plane.

 

[Anemone_Fanatic]

Snorkeling in Turks & Caicos in April. I went out from a boat, but it had been storming the night before, so the water wasn't very clear. Later on in the trip, I found a place just off a beach where you can swim out to a reef. I did that a few times, with and without a snorkel. This was very near a large resort with lots of people, but I was surprised to find lots of healthy coral, including a small colony of pillar coral. There were a few piles of rubble which looked like they had once been staghorn acros, but other than that, it was a happy reef.

 

[Kapachuka3]

Coolest thing i have done in my life was snorkeling with sharks. Went to Jupiter florida for my graduation present and snorkeled with sharks. Basically this company I used baits and feeds the sharks while you get to snorkel and swim with them. Its an amazing experience to swim next to a 12 foot silky shark while dozens of others swim around you. It might sound like im making this up but the company i used is called shark-addicts.

 

[Kapachuka3]

went snorkeling in my pool once, didn't find much though.

I found a rock one time, does that count?

 

[Slocke]

I actually just got SCUBA certified this past weekend!
I’m excited to put it to good use

 

[MECOMI]

Oh Scuba how i miss thee.

I have not gone scuba diving for some time now. I was lucky in my teens that i was able to get certified and go on 34 different dives at a few different location. Turks and Caicos, Little Cayman, and Cayman Brac were the most memorable.

Cayman Brac specifically i dove in a location called Butterfly Bay, a wreck dive, and a second visit to Butterfly Bay at night. The night dive was one of the most intimidating things i have ever done. I thought letting other people go first would make me feel better about jumping in but dang was i wrong.

The flashlights in the complete darkness made things even more eerie. I dove in with a helpful push from the divemaster who i stayed close to throughout. THE EXPERIENCE WAS AMAZING.

Barracuda swimming in the water column on the way down, iridescent bacteria light up with every paddle, strange invertebrates crawling all over the coral, small fish/inverts bouncing off your hands when the light got more intense near the coral, and a dark cave that i will never forget.

Scuba diving is nothing like snorkeling, if you ever have the chance, just go!

Later days,

B-Kind

 

[Gumbies R Us]

went snorkeling in my pool once, didn't find much though.

I guess I've done that before haha

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I actually just got SCUBA certified this past weekend!
I’m excited to put it to good use

Oh, nice! You'll definitely be putting it to good use

 

[randomfishdude]

I went Snooba (not Scooba) diving in aruba 2 weeks ago.
I got lucky and went on a 1/5 chance day when the water was clear.
We went out in probobly 30 feet of water kinda by a drop-off.
One of the best experiences.
So many cool corals and fish.
Even decided I wanted a atlantic blue tang cause of it.

I don't have pics right now I can get some later.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I went Snooba (not Scooba) diving in aruba 2 weeks ago.
I got lucky and went on a 1/5 chance day when the water was clear.
We went out in probobly 30 feet of water kinda by a drop-off.
One of the best experiences.
So many cool corals and fish.
Even decided I wanted a atlantic blue tang cause of it.

I don't have pics right now I can get some later.

Never heard of that before!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Just got drysuit and regulator this week as a matter of hours will be diving in Hawaii and Key West. I did my confirmations this morning and Fury which runs the boats for week West adventures did indicate to be prepared to see lots of White coral. He sent me a couple of pictures and wow- not good but many parrotfish-damsels and grunts swimming around

 

[LightingBug]

We go to Key Largo several times a year time permitting. I was 5-ish years old when I started snorkeling, then moved to Scuba, even some Snuba. I am 45 now so 40-ish years.

It is honestly a peaceful, wonderful time at least for me and the family. The slow swim to the different rock and coral areas, the watching of the aquatic life doing their natural thing, and just the quiet inside your brain (less the air breathing, which is calming in itself IMO)

If you do decide to go, make sure you go to a place with a good reef. Some "tours" you can spend 1-2 hours with and only see a few corals.

 

[FurrierTransform]

I'd recommend snorkeling in Maui, either at mile marker 14 or boat trip to Molokini. Big Island has an interesting trip, snorkel or scuba with Manta Rays at night.

 

[Reefer Reboot]

Here's a funny one for you. Went out to do some lobster diving one night with a dive partner who had never done a night dive before. For a few days before the dive, he kept asking me about sharks. Having been the victim of a few of his pranks I figured this was a perfect payback opportunity. So I told him, "There is nothing to worry about.... as long as the water is calm and clear. You should be able to see them coming. Just face them and they will leave." So the night of the dive was opening day for lobster season. It was also just a little on the rough side. So of course he has to ask about sharks again. I told him I didn't think it was too bad. (The apprehension was obvious.) The commercial lobster guys were allowed to put their buoys out a week earlier. We get to the beach around midnight, suit up and and start kicking out (on our backs) to the reef which is about a quarter mile out. I took the lead and told him to just follow my voice. As we approach the reef I see a buoy just ahead. I guide him right into it. As he blindly bumps into it, I yell "SHARK"! The loudest, highest pitched girlie scream I had ever heard came out of this big guy. So loud I could hear people on shore laughing their butts off. Now we're even!

 

[vetteguy53081]

I'd recommend snorkeling in Maui, either at mile marker 14 or boat trip to Molokini. Big Island has an interesting trip, snorkel or scuba with Manta Rays at night.

We are utilizing tour and will be at Kealakekua bay

 

[Auquanut]

I've been diving since the early 90s. Night diving, wreck diving, etc... I've seen a lot of amazing things. Memories I'll never forget. But I think that the most awesome thing about diving is the sense of weightlessness. Every movement you make affects where you are and where you go. It's the closest thing to flying that I'll ever know. Just amazes me every time.

 

[Thumbster]

Used to dive in Indiana as part of my job.

Stolen cars in frog ponds, cold water, can’t see your hand in front of your face.

Do NOT recommend. 1 star.

 

[Pneumatic_Addict]

I did a Shark trip in Jupiter as well. We had as many as 14x sharks in the water with us at once. Another 12ft silky that was swimming in between our legs. Pretty cool.

We also went out to Ras Muhammad in Egypt in late April. That’s probably my coolest trip. Plate corals the size of PT Cruisers. Just a ton of life.

Other than that, pretty well everywhere around the keys. Alligator is my favorite down there.