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#11
03-27-2007, 06:07 PM
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I dove there in a wetsuit....I beleive it was a 6mm suit. They told me the water temp. only changes 1-2 degrees from summer and winter.....our deepest dive was 80' but we spent most of our dives around the 30-40' mark....we were never cold....we had 2 harbour seals swimming with us the second dive...they were like dogs....come right up and play with ya....which was more like teasing then anything else....it was fun....
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#13
03-27-2007, 06:22 PM
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I just got back from a Cruise in the Western Caribbean. I did a couple dives off of Roatan Island, Honduras. All I can say is WOW! It was a reefkeeper's dream to see the coral formations there. I have done lots of diving in the Hawaiian Islands also, and I found that they didn't even compare to any of the reef systems I saw in Roatan.
Now back to reality.. 
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#14
03-27-2007, 07:18 PM
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Ive always wanted to dive the tropics. And Im determined to do so... eventually.
local diving is fun and most people never see what is down there. You don't need a wetsuit here unless you're staying down deep for a lengthy time. Shore dives don't need drysuits imo. even if drysuits do make it more comfortable and are infinitely easier to get in to. My favourite dive so far was off bowen island at miller's reef. There is an underwater canyon and if you go in to it, you are just surrounded by white plumose anemones. ethereal is the only word i can think of to describe it. I want to dive a local sponge reef too. Ive seen beautiful pics, but even good pics never do the underworld justice.
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#15
03-27-2007, 07:26 PM
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I was actually thinking of doing a cold salt water tank...just from what I have seen on my diving on the west coast ....Im just not sure how critical temp. is in the summer and didnt really want to use a chiller. I guess I could put one in the basement where it is cool but then Id never see it...so whats the point of that.....still thinking and need to do more research on it...
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#16
03-27-2007, 07:34 PM
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bc564, i have two words for you my friend: tide pools. The species that get stuck in tide pools have to be able to adapt to large and relatively quick changes in salinity and temperature. I would run a couple of fans on that tank just in case and not let the tank drop below 8deg if i could help it.
the nice thing about tide pool tanks is that specimens are not hard to find. the beach is your lfs. as you might be able to tell, Ive been thinking about this too. My fave local (cold of course) species, although it isn't tidal, is the pacific spiny lumpsucker. They look ridiculous. 
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#17
03-27-2007, 07:40 PM
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I am a Dive instructor and did 8 months in Grand cayman working for redsail. This is the King of Dive spots. tiny island 35 plus dive operators . I have dove the great barrier reef. amazing for diversity. Cozumel is great current diving at night but Cayman islands are a must. I have touched the tip of a 14 foot hammerhead shark. Dove with 10 plus 8+ foot black tip reef sharks and dove the underwater cenotes in the yucatan peninsula about 2 hours south of cancun. Check out the pics. Freakin unbelievable. Our diving is great around vancouver . winter is best with 1 plus foot of snow on the shore as you dont have run off meaning 100 plus vis. at times. Gotta dive the 5 wrecks off the coast . Chaudier destroyer is the best !!!
but the caves in mexico rock, check the pics out... http://www.cambsac.com/newsletter/de...0/yucatan.html http://www.hiddenworlds.com.mx/cavern.html
__________________
Gerad White Rock
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#19
03-27-2007, 07:53 PM
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If you have your advanced cert they will take you into some of the caves. you just really monitor your air and you pop up in sinkholes throughout the jungle. Parrots flying around above then head back down. at times you swim for maybe 10 minutes with no air pockets!! If you have experience they take you into areas where you must take your bcd and tank off and pass it through a hole and slip through, put it all on and keep going. The water is cold as this is where east mexico gets their drinking water from and its as clear as you can get. no particles or life in the water just the most amaazing calcium formations . cant explain til you do it. MORE PICS
http://www.hiddenworlds.com.mx/caverngallery.html
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Gerad White Rock
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#20
03-27-2007, 07:59 PM
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ATCGUY, I cannot express how envious I am of your Hammerhead encounter. Shark Diving will always be my favorite. I did a dive in Maui where we went into cave that had several white tips hiding out in the daytime and that was cool. I can't imagine being face to face with a hammerhead, that and those cave dives from your pictures are what dreams are made of.
I agree that our diving around Vancouver is some of the best in the world. My father owns his own boat and often times we find our own dive sites to explore. You can really find some true gems that way. As for the Chaudier I dove that on a beutiful spring day back in 02 for my wreck specialty course. I would love to dive it again to see the changes that have occured.
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