Snorkel to Scuba, worth it?

[MPM]

My wife and I are now close to 50 years old, and in good shape. I have been snorkeling all of my life, and my wife has been snorkeling over the last 10 years or so, and loves it. We have snorkeled in Hawaii and the Caribbean, and are now wondering if it is worth while to take the next step, and move up to Scuba Diving. We live in North Texas, so other than our once a year cruise, we probably won't be doing a lot of diving. Will we really see all that much more scuba diving than snorkeling? Diving is a fairly healthy financial investment, do you think it would be worth the investment if we are only able to go a couple times a year? Please share your thoughts with us! Thanks.

 

-Mike

[bruce-r]

My wife and I are now close to 50 years old, and in good shape. I have been snorkeling all of my life, and my wife has been snorkeling over the last 10 years or so, and loves it. We have snorkeled in Hawaii and the Caribbean, and are now wondering if it is worth while to take the next step, and move up to Scuba Diving. We live in North Texas, so other than our once a year cruise, we probably won't be doing a lot of diving. Will we really see all that much more scuba diving than snorkeling?

YES Compared to scuba diving, snorkeling sucks.

 

Here's my comparison. Snorkeling is like window shopping. You stand outside the store and look in thru the window to see the goods. IF there is something in the store, you can run in for a quick look before you run out of air and have to run back outside.

 

On a scuba dive, you go into the store, spend as much time as you want looking at the goods much closer than you can from the surface. You won't be hurried and you'll see some much more.

 

Diving is a fairly healthy financial investment, do you think it would be worth the investment if we are only able to go a couple times a year? Please share your thoughts with us! Thanks.

Diving doesn't have to a huge financial investment. You can, and probably should, rent most of your gear when you first start out diving until you actually know what kind of gear you'd want to own. You probably already own the mask and fins. The only other things I think you'd really need to buy are wetsuits and probably wrist mount dive computers. Rent the rest of the stuff.

 

I think that if you try it and enjoy it as much as you say you like snorkeling, you'll probably find a way to do it more than once a year. Cozumel is pretty easy to get to from Texas.

[scubadiver888]

Hi Mike,

 

I started scuba diving in 2001. I only did it while on vacation. I always did dive packages and rented everything except fins, snorkel and mask.

 

The cost for certification was something like $250. You don't need anything beyond Open Water certification.

 

I would say I am quite happy with my certification. I do see a LOT more around the 30' to 60' range.

 

By the way, I am approaching 50 myself. Scuba diving in the Caribbean is very easy. Unless you are in VERY poor health, you would be fine. So you'll have no problems.

 

If the place you get training tries to sell you all the gear, just say no thanks and rent.

 

After 7 years of vacation diving I decided to buy all my gear. Until last year I was renting gear. A dive package is $10 to $20 more to rent the gear. So no rush to buy my own.

[scubadiver888]

First, I hate iPhone. It saved my message before I was done and I could not edit the message. No cursor control. Argh.

 

Anyway, I was going to add, you can also try a discovery dive. Pick a good location like Bonaire, Curacao, Grand Cayman, St. Lucia, Dominica.

 

Bruce can probably suggest a few other locations for a good discovery dive.

[TexCruise371]

Hi there. I'm 55 and love diving. We dive while on cruises and also will head down to Cozumel a couple of times a year. Like the earlier poster said, Coz is easy to get to from Texas. It's a whole new world! ;):D

 

We own our own equipment but most of the time we rent. A two tank dive will run anywhere from $65-$90 per person, depending on if you rent your own equipment or not. That's not to bad for a day of great fun.

[IPA region 30 member]

Hi Mike;

 

Scuba IS the way to go ;), I bought my wife lessons a few years ago for her birthday and here I am now a scuba diver too. I am 53 (tomorrow) and my wife is approaching 60. We LOVE the experience and you are correct, there are not many FUN places in North Texas to dive, but you can keep up your skills easy enough for when you cruise to much better places.

 

Where in North Texas are you? I am north of Ft. Worth and have a GREAT instructor who provides all the equipment and is just plain fabulous. Lots of places to get equipment later in the Metroplex too...

 

You've already been told how good it is, now get ready to open up a whole new area of under water... Palancar caves are not to be believed until visited...

 

regards

 

Scott

[bruce-r]

First, I hate iPhone. It saved my message before I was done and I could not edit the message. No cursor control. Argh.

 

Anyway, I was going to add, you can also try a discovery dive. Pick a good location like Bonaire, Curacao, Grand Cayman, St. Lucia, Dominica.

 

Bruce can probably suggest a few other locations for a good discovery dive.

 

That was a pretty good post, especially since you made it from a phone. :cool:

 

Grand Cayman would be a great choice for a discover scuba dive because of the usual lack of current there.

 

I wonder if the OP wants to see any photos? :D

 

Cozumel underwater photo gallery

 

St. Thomas UW photogallery

 

California Channel Islands UW photo gallery

 

British Columbia UW photo gallery

 

Fiji UW on Flickr

[scubadiver888]

That was a pretty good post, especially since you made it from a phone. :cool:

 

Grand Cayman would be a great choice for a discover scuba dive because of the usual lack of current there.

 

I wonder if the OP wants to see any photos? :D

 

Cozumel underwater photo gallery

 

St. Thomas UW photogallery

 

California Channel Islands UW photo gallery

 

British Columbia UW photo gallery

 

Fiji UW on Flickr

 

Without mouse click or cursor keys the iPhone is next to impossible to edit a vBulletin message once it is saved.

 

Anyways, as I was trying to say before (now that I'm on a real computer), Most places have a Discovery Scuba course. If you go to Resort Course this is all the information about PADI Discovery scuba. Other agencies have similar opportunities.

 

In a nutshell, you go to a scuba shop, they give you a few hours training on the basics then they take you for a short dive. Some places are better than others for (a) the instructors and (b) the location of the short dive. As Bruce has pointed out, Grand Cayman is good because there is a lack of current and there is an abundance of marine life there. Bonaire is similar but sometimes they won't take you to the best spot (because they are worried your lack of buoyancy control will result in damaged coral). Even a bad location at Bonaire is good. For example, the best location in Jamaica is the worst location in Bonaire.

 

I've only been to the eastern and southern islands so I don't know what places like Cozumel are like. A lot of people from Texas like to go to Coz because it is so close and some really good diving (so I have been told).

 

Of the eastern islands I would recommend Dominica, St. Lucia. After those two locations I'd recommend St. Thomas and Curacao. Unless you want to see ship wrecks don't bother with places like Grenada, Aruba or British Virgin Islands (Unless you can get a dive at Virgin Gorda). Also, it can be quite varied if you don't know where to go at places like St. Martin or Barbados.

 

Definitely have a look at Bruce's pictures. You can also search YouTube for dive videos. Search for things like "Grand Cayman scuba" or "Bonaire scuba".

 

Finally, here is a story for you (imagine me wide eyed and excited)...

 

Went diving on Superman's Flight in St. Lucia. The dive guide wanted to apologize for the poor visibility as it had been raining recent. After the dive I was thinking, "This is poor visibility?" We drop off the back of the boat and quickly descend to 60'. The current catches us and we all start flying along, like we are Superman. The feeling is amazing. The rain has stirred up the waters and there must be 50 different species of marine life within 10 feet of me. All the fish are flying along the current with me and it is hard to pick one spot to focus. There is just so much to see. I have to remember to control my breathing and not get too excited or I'll run out of air and have to end the dive early. Around 40 minutes into the dive, (has it been that long? Time flies when you are having fun) I see a school of trumpet fish swing hard AGAINST the current. They pass me within 5 feet on my left. I glance back to watch them swim away. I find it quite odd that they are swimming against the current. I bring my focus back to in front of me and as I swing my head forward I see the reason. A barracuda goes racing by in hot pursuit of the trumpet fish. My heart is pounding as the barracuda races past me, just missing me by feet.

 

Can you tell? I REALLY like scuba. :D

[Islandbear]

Oh My God! :eek: I started reading you question and started to consider for a moment if 50 year olds should scuba when I remembered that I am 49!

 

You were kidding right?

 

Go for it!

[MPM]

Hi Mike;

 

Scuba IS the way to go ;), I bought my wife lessons a few years ago for her birthday and here I am now a scuba diver too. I am 53 (tomorrow) and my wife is approaching 60. We LOVE the experience and you are correct, there are not many FUN places in North Texas to dive, but you can keep up your skills easy enough for when you cruise to much better places.

 

Where in North Texas are you? I am north of Ft. Worth and have a GREAT instructor who provides all the equipment and is just plain fabulous. Lots of places to get equipment later in the Metroplex too...

 

You've already been told how good it is, now get ready to open up a whole new area of under water... Palancar caves are not to be believed until visited...

 

regards

 

Scott

 

Scott,

 

We live in the Weatherford area, about 20 miles west of Fort Worth. I would be interested in information on the instructor you mentioned. You can email me at my regular email if you prefer: mikemenke@yahoo.com.

 

Some great comments from everyone, I really appreciate it. I notice a lot of folks from Texas too:D

 

-Mike

[Dgonza]

Yup, another hello from Texas......San Antonio Texas that is ;) I am 33yrs young, but I say go for it no matter what age as long as you are up for it. I can honestly say I have only been snorkelling once. I would rather just go diving....there is no other feeling like it in the world than "playing fish" (breathing underwater)

[scubaran]

Scott,

 

We live in the Weatherford area, about 20 miles west of Fort Worth. I would be interested in information on the instructor you mentioned. You can email me at my regular email if you prefer: mikemenke@yahoo.com.

 

Some great comments from everyone, I really appreciate it. I notice a lot of folks from Texas too:D

 

-Mike

 

Hope I qualify to give you my opinion. :D I'm 52 and a FORMER Texan (a decade in San Anton).... Go for it. Once you scuba dive you'll wonder why you wasted all those years snorkeling. I just got back from a cruise where we missed my dive port and I was only able to snorkel in the others. Blahhhhh.... Water down the snorkel, waves, other snorkelers, bouncing me around, I only had ONE breath to check out the 2ft. turtle swimming under me... And people call this fun?!?!?!?

 

When I dive, I have 60 minutes or so to explore, photograph, play under the water. My buddy's within 10-20ft. but I can dive down, hang upside down to sneak down a reef ledge to see what's hiding, blow "air" rings, hang off an underwater cliff 60ft. down suspended in mid-"water" like superman, and all without a single drop of water in my mouth, no huffing and puffing to get enough air in my lungs to check something out and years of "great" memories of all the fish and creatures I've been lucky to see (you can check out my photo site at www.randallgamby.com).

 

I live in the northeast now where I still have snow in my backyard. But come spring I'll find some lakes and rivers to scuba and of course when I travel I'm in the water (I've got to dive all over the Caribbean, Norway, Ireland, Spain, Canada, Bermuda, East coast/west coast, Florida, and locally). If you decide to get into scuba, you'll only snorkel as a last resort. :D

 

Randall

[RedHeadTexan]

Another former Texan here. 50 is not too old to start diving, my husband is 53 and we dive as often as possible. Also, there are places to dive in North Texas (I am from Carrollton). Clear Springs Scuba Park was where I went to out in Terrell http://www.clearspringsscubapark.com/ . The visibility is not so great, but there is a bunch to explore there.

 

As for an instructor, I went to Scuba Toys www.scubatoys.com and had LT as my instructor. LT was extremely patient with me and my buoyancy issues.

 

I say go for it...scuba takes snorkeling to a whole other level.

[cseal94]

Is 65+ to old to get certified? My parents are both over 65 and have been snorkeling on their cruises. I have taken my dad to a discover scuba course here in town and he is signed up for the onboard Scuba certification with RCCL. I hope he will enjoy diving and we can go locally. My mother is not thrilled with the idea of scuba but I hope she will take the discover scuba and will love. I need input so I can show them the benefits of getting certified. Thank you.

[scubadiver888]

If they stick to the right kind of diving, getting certified would be a good idea. I think the oldest scuba diver I know is in his eighties.

 

Diving in the Caribbean from a boat is nice and easy. I would recommend taking the classroom portion at home then getting a referral letter so they can do the open water portion in the Caribbean. This will prepare them for diving in the Caribbean.

 

Things your mother might not put up with is lugging gear (so rent), diving in low visibility (dive in the Caribbean), get much technical information (stick to Open Water certification; there is lots to see at 30' to 60' in the Caribbean).

 

Show her pictures from the Caribbean scuba divers. You can find them on youtube.com. Skip the diving in places like Canada, New England, etc. Only silly people like me dive there.

 

Cruise ship diving for a certified diver is as easy as it gets.

[Loves_Dogs]

YES...YES....YES....it is worth the investment to get certified...

I got my scuba certification 3 years ago at the ripe old age of 43 (YIKES)!!!!

Admittedly I am one of those dreaded 'vacation only' divers but in Central Ohio there are not a lot of places to dive. I SO look forward to my cruises as they give me the opportunity for some great diving which we do in every port.

[Dive Master]

Is 65+ to old to get certified? My parents are both over 65 and have been snorkeling on their cruises. I have taken my dad to a discover scuba course here in town and he is signed up for the onboard Scuba certification with RCCL. I hope he will enjoy diving and we can go locally. My mother is not thrilled with the idea of scuba but I hope she will take the discover scuba and will love. I need input so I can show them the benefits of getting certified. Thank you.

 

 

Most of the "nuts" diving off the local charter boat at the lake are 40-65 years old.Most are Deep Tech divers and carry lots of heavy gear.They think nothing of doing deep, solo dives to 175-250 feet plus---just another fun day at the lake.I am not quite that crazy! I am 49,overweight,have Diabetes and High Blood Presure(both treated with medication) and dive every weekend at the lake from early May to late October plus a trip to the Florida Springs , North Carolina, and a cruise if I am lucky.My Doctor is a diver and has cleared me even though he too thinks we are all nuts up at the lake.We sometimes call our little group "the Old Fart Dive Club" and I can truely say that most of these guys and gals are some of the "top guns" of our sport.My point is I don't think you are ever too old as long as you have the desire and adequate health.

[MPM]

OK everyone, you sold us!!! My wife and I are signed up to start dive classes on Thursday. God willing, and the weather cooperates, in two weeks both my wife and I will be certified! Currently we are planning on diving in St Lucia and Dominica. Any suggestions?

 

-Mike

[scubadiver888]

OK everyone, you sold us!!! My wife and I are signed up to start dive classes on Thursday. God willing, and the weather cooperates, in two weeks both my wife and I will be certified! Currently we are planning on diving in St Lucia and Dominica. Any suggestions?

 

-Mike

 

In St. Lucia, you should check out Anse Chastanet Marine Park if you can. I think you have to use Dive St. Lucia if you are going to dive the marine park (it is a shore dive from Dive St. Lucia's resort).

 

In Dominica they'll probably take you to L'Abym (the abyss) and then over to Champagne Reef. Both are excellent dives.