Ever crap in a wetsuit?....

[Skav]

We just got back from Cancun, and the wife and I both got certified. We dove 3 days around isla mujeres. It was an awesome experience, and I can't wait to go again!

[Tishimself]

Also, most cruise ships have PADI classes aboard and you can get certified while at sea. They use the ships pool to reach, and the final outing is on an island dive...I have only ever seen these offered though on Caribbean cruises.....if your thinking of booking a cruise, pm me and I will do the research for you to confirm it....I do cruises on the side....thanks...

[Stainless]

We just got back from Cancun, and the wife and I both got certified. We dove 3 days around isla mujeres. It was an awesome experience, and I can't wait to go again!

I hear the visibility under water is very clear, hence why people like to dive in Mexican waters. Did you feel safe all the time you were there? I've never traveled into Mexico and I do realize some of it is very Americanized.

Grads, sorry we're "crapping" on your thread by making it serious.


CH3NO2

[Skav]

Totally safe! I speak Spanish, so that probably a factor, but I've never had a single problem in cancun. We took the whole family last year, and plan to do it again next year.

Now Baja... Not so much. I love Baja, and we would go the San Felipe or Ensenada with the family 10-12 years ago, but it's changed. I ride bikes down there with my oldest son, but probably wouldn't bring the whole family.

[ptc]

Ive dove in Hanauma Bay Hawaii, Acapulco, and Cozemul and the worst of those was Acapulco... nothing but sand bottom and not much sealife to speak of. I did find treasure there !!! I saw a circular object in the sand that was totally barnacle encrusted and cruddy looking but the circle shape entrigued me so I went after it. Once I started scraping the crud away I realized it was a gold wedding band!

When we got back to the hotel I gave it to the front desk and asked them to check their records for anyone in their history who may have lost a band over the years. We stayed their for 2 weeks and they never found any record of any reports and they gave it back to me. Became a keepsake of our trip. Sea Treasure!

[riverrunner1984]

I have only been Diving in Maui and absolutely loved it...
Going to try when I am in Cabo in a week. Doubt it will be as nice though.

[28eliminator]

Totally safe! I speak Spanish, so that probably a factor, but I've never had a single problem in cancun. We took the whole family last year, and plan to do it again next year.

Now Baja... Not so much. I love Baja, and we would go the San Felipe or Ensenada with the family 10-12 years ago, but it's changed. I ride bikes down there with my oldest son, but probably wouldn't bring the whole family.

The border towns would definitely be a concern (San felipe, Ensenada, Tijuana etc), but Cabo is one of the safest places in Mexico. A lot safer than Cancun.

From a Forbes Magazine article;

"Acapulco. According to Stratfor this is the most violent city in Mexico and the second-most city in the world after San Pedro de Sula, Honduras. It suffered 143 murders per 100,000 people in 2012.

Cancun. Stratfor says that both drugs and people are commonly trafficked through Cancun’s port. In Playa del Carmen, in Quintana Roo state like Cancun, two policemen in February allegedly sexually assaulted an Italian citizen.

Mazatlan. This has been “perhaps the most consistently violent of Mexico’s resort cities during the past year,” says Stratfor. The violence may be abating, however. There were “only” 47 homicides there in 2012, after 214 in 2011. In nearby Concordia last December 30 gunmen are said to have executed nine people.

Puerto Vallarta. Safer than Acapulco or Mazatlan, says Stratfor, but there’s still a real need for tourists to exercise “situational awareness.” In February 2012 when 22 tourists ventured off of their Carnival Cruise Lines ship for a stroll around El Nogalito, near Puerto Vallarta, they were held up and robbed.

Cabo San Lucas. According to Stratfor, Cabo, on the tip of Baja, is “one of the safer places in Mexico for foreign tourists.”

Matamoros. Just over the Texas border on the Gulf of Mexico, Matamoros has seen an increase in robberies and kidnappings, with the U.S. consulate there posting two travel advisories on kidnapping threats in recent months."

[ptc]

I have only been Diving in Maui and absolutely loved it...
Going to try when I am in Cabo in a week. Doubt it will be as nice though.

Cabo is nice, you'll enjoy it, lots of rock and reef life down in that area. Find a local divemaster to go with if possible.

Belize is also a place I would like to do...

A1 Scuba out of Denver CO does alot of trip planning and they are the best around for accommodations for divers. Check them out

[riverrunner1984]

Cabo is nice, you'll enjoy it, lots of rock and reef life down in that area. Find a local divemaster to go with if possible.

Belize is also a place I would like to do...

A1 Scuba out of Denver CO does alot of trip planning and they are the best around for accommodations for divers. Check them out

Thanks, Ill check it out...

[2manymustangs]

My favorite youtube video of all time. On my bucket list to go here some day. YEs, this is an aquarium, large enough to hold whalesharks. Everytime I watch it, I notice something new. The only place I am ever at peace and comfortable is in the water. Used to be when I had a bad day, I would play this and let it calm me down. If you are not wanting to go to Okinawa to see these, next time you are in Atlanta, check out the aquarium there. Not only is it the worlds largest, but it is also filled with whalesharks also......enjoy....

Also, this might make it look a little bigger than it is, they run about 40ish feet in length. They eat plankton, but are fish, not mammals, not true whales, just whale sized....ocean cattle. If you are in the water and see one, don't be scared, just give it a little room and let it pass....they are harmless creatures...





The long version....I fogot to mention they are docile enough you can grab on to them and let them pull you along with them....in this video...they do just that...this one is 30 mins. long and I sometimes use it as a background on the TV when we have summer parties here at the house....always a conversation starter....enjoy....

VERY VERY cool, i love watching this!!!