Shore or Boat

[CrzyJay456]

down here in south florida (ft.lauderdalle area especially) there is great shore diving. and most of those spots are very frequented.

[Lone Frogman]

Shore, no boat, no shore, no boat mmmmmmm

[quasimoto]

Shore diving. Think about it guys. You get done from a dive and get out of your gear. Kick back on the beach watching the babes and, psst, pop the top on a cold one. It's gotta be 5 o'clock somewhere.

[pnevai]

Well I suppose it all comes down to where you live.

If you have to fight big surf, that can be a turn off. Or perhaps poor viz or featureless bottoms.

So I suppose those of us who are in South Florida have a different outlook. Boats, you have to be there on time, jump in, climb out, move to next site and repeat, then it's all over and back to shore, not relaxing at all. Live aboards are a different story, but then just how often can most of us afford those trips?

Beach diving, however, you show up when you want, dive relax, dive agiain, relax some more and do a twilight and or night dive. The shop to get fills is a short walk away, short walk to the water, little or no surf, good to great viz and lots to see. Heck don't want to carry your tanks, just bring along a little red kids wagon. The attached photos are the shore dive at Lauderdale by the Sea, the commercial pier. Now no one can say that it is too far to carry your gear. Other than feeding the parking meter, It's free.

[scubafreak]

I do a shore dive almost weekly and always see something interesting. Like they say "there is no such thing as a bad dive, some are just better than others"

[Athena2c]

I have certainly seen some great things shore diving, but some of the entries in the Monterey Bay can be pretty challenging with serious surf. I prefer the ease of boat diving in general and mostly just shore dive for training or volunteer (i..e clean up) dives.

[ccarter]

Originally Posted by tbuckalew

I've been diving a while, in some interesting places and with some interesting people. Just got back from Maui - my wife's first blue water dives and her first boat dives. We started with a couple of organized shore dives to get her used to things and then a few boat dives.

Over the years (and on this trip), I've run into people who refuse to do a shore dive as there is "nothing to see". Personally, I've seen quite a bit, including a great close encounter with a large eagle ray and several green sea turtles last week in Maui.

What does everyone else think?

I'm exactly the opposite.. shore diving is what I prefer.. so easy to just walk into the water.. walk out.. get in the car and drive back home. Bonaire is what got my love of shore diving started.. after that I was just kinda "meh" toward boats..

[Travelnsj]

There are many places I dive that Shore diving is not avaliable. I have also gone to places like East Timor that is almost 100% shore diving....and headed to Wakatobi and Bali in the next few hours that offer both. I like both as long as I do not have to burn a ton of air getting through the surf.

[mdwestgrl]

I think it really depends where you are and what you are trying to see. We have done some diving that is much easier and better to go shore diving and some that we wouldn't have seen anything if we wouldn't have taken a boat out to a dive spot. I know that it sure is easier to get in all of the gear on the shore than on a boat!! Would probably help if we ever went on actual dive boats though.

[paintsnow]

shore diving is awesome, you show up when you want
dive when you want
and relax when you want
and usually no diesel fumes.

also its a lot cheaper
:P