Local Clubs that travel a lot?

[Ron G.]

I'm a relatively new diver, but my wife doesn't dive.

I'd like to take 5-6 trips per year. (I got certified in December and have been to the Dominican Republic and Bonaire, since, and am going to Cozumel in October.) I'm thinking more, similar trips....Roatan, live-aboards, Cayman, etc.

I've been trying to find a travel/dive buddy locally who has similar travel interests, but I'm not having much luck.

My new idea is to find a club (somewhere in the U.S.) that travels...a lot. Maybe a trip each month. Maybe they'd attract other out-of-towners, as well. I don't think everyone would go on every trip, but if I joined in on several trips per year, I wouldn't be a single traveling with strangers all the time.

So, are the mega-clubs, or just very active clubs that have nice trips scheduled frequently through the year?

(The clubs/shops I've found locally take 2-3 trips per year. If you're not crazy about some of their destinations, your options are very limited.)

So, any clubs that travel...a lot?

Thx.

Ron

[fisheater]

All the clubs that I've heard of dive locally and exist for the purpose of promoting local diving and finding local dive buddies.

However, I'd been very interested to learn of an exotic dive location of the month club.

[Athena2c]

I don't know of any clubs....but I have to think you have one understanding wife to take that many trips without her! My hubby wouldn't get away with that

[georoc01]

Well, you have businesses like SingleDivers.com that does at least one group trip a month. They guarantee a same sex roomate to avoid single supplements and make an effort to match compatible roomates and dive buddies.

[Damselfish]

Yeah, I haven't seen actual dive clubs that run a lot of distant trips, usually they're more about local stuff. Dive shops are a better option. You probably won't find one shop that runs trips that often but between a few shops you may put together what you're looking for. It won't always be the same people, even with the same shop - few people travel that much. But it will get so there's usually a couple people you know and you will probably have good buddy opportunities in any case.

You don't have to limit yourself to local shops, google is your friend. A shop I have gone with a couple times, some of the people have moved away from the area but will still come on some trips and meet up with the group at whatever airport makes sense.

There are some other people that run trips that may attract some of the same folks repeatedly, in particular there are many underwater photographers or UW photography shops that arrange trips, also a couple magazines. These tend to be to more distant exotic places. Some of these are naturally very photo oriented and wouldn't make sense if you're not really into that, but some it really wouldn't matter.

[ReefHound]

Our dive club usually does 2 or 3 "major" trips per year to places like Roatan or Bonaire, and about half a dozen "minor" trips (extended weekends) to places like Florida Keys or North Carolina. We also do lots of local day trips and try to seek out interesting places to dive.

Most of us just don't have the vacation time or money to do more than 1 or 2 big trips a year.

[Ron G.]

Originally Posted by georoc01

Well, you have businesses like SingleDivers.com that does at least one group trip a month. They guarantee a same sex roomate to avoid single supplements and make an effort to match compatible roomates and dive buddies.

That might be a great possibility for me. In fact, it might be better because folks traveling will be coming from all over. It wouldn't be 20 folks from a local club, plus a couple from other areas.

My concern, frankly, is how a 59 year old, married guy would fit in. I'm not looking to party...I'm looking to dive.

I'll investigate.

Thx.

[georoc01]

Originally Posted by Ron G.

That might be a great possibility for me. In fact, it might be better because folks traveling will be coming from all over. It wouldn't be 20 folks from a local club, plus a couple from other areas.

My concern, frankly, is how a 59 year old, married guy would fit in. I'm not looking to party...I'm looking to dive.

I'll investigate.

Thx.

There are many people on the trips that are in your situation. Not everyone's spouse is an avid diver. In fact, I would say its about 1/2 and 1/2 on each trip of single vs married but buddyless divers.

And given that the owner just recently was married herself, she understands and makes sure that the married people on the trips are taken care of. Its not a swingers group. The only hookups are your tanks.

[Rileybri]

Originally Posted by georoc01

There are many people on the trips that are in your situation. Not everyone's spouse is an avid diver. In fact, I would say its about 1/2 and 1/2 on each trip of single vs married but buddyless divers.

And given that the owner just recently was married herself, she understands and makes sure that the married people on the trips are taken care of. Its not a swingers group. The only hookups are your tanks.

Bummer, that was sounding fun there for a minute!

[Hawkeye Mark]

I'm not shilling it but I am an officer of Houston Underwater Club. We run about six international trips a year. You have to join but you dont have to live in Houston. Big trips are the main focus of the club.

Houston Underwater Club