want to move somewhere i can scuba dive and snorkel

EleganceMan

EleganceMan

New member
hello,
i made up my mind i want to move somewhere that i can snorkel and scuba dive everyday....i need a lot of help with this since i have never done either.....or even left the states....where can i go that is very nice and cheap to live....i need work doing construction..... nice place to live with my family...somewhere safe. any ideas?
 
Florida is better then Texas, the Gulf of Mexico is flat and sandy and has only about 1/2 the species we keep in tanks. That doesn't make Texas bad, but if you want to see or collect your own tripicals the east coast of FL is the place to be. Any of the gulf states are the same as Texas, and up the coast of FL to the Carolinas can be good diving for tropicals or spearfishing. The problem I see is the cost of living, some of the places are expensive to live because of tourism, and the better diving attracts better tourism. I've lived here for 14 years and love it, but it isn't less expensive then when I lived in CA. Your other option is HI, I go there twice a year and it is just as good (most people would say better) for diving and snorkeling. I grew up in CA and the diving there is great as well, but it is cold water diving so there are no real tropicals to see, but that doesn't make it any less beautiful when diving on a good day in the kelp forest.
 
I currently live in Oklahoma and I find lake diving very enjoyable. Even though I cant bring home the 100+lb catfish you can find around the 60ft mark, its still fun. On the other hand snorkeling isn't that great as algae keeps the first 10ft pretty green.

I enjoy looking for fresh water sponges and jelly-fish. Only seen a handful of each, but they are there. I will admit it is a different type of diving (a bit gloomier) than diving in the tropic/saltwater but both have their advantages/disadvantages.
 
I grew up collecting and snorkeling in the native streams and lakes, most of my first fish were freshwater that I found while exploring the native streams. It was just as rewarding as the collections I do now, but then as a kid anything different is amazing. As an adult, my first trips overseas were to the islands off new guinea to collect rainbowfish for my freshwater tanks, now, I still love freshwater, but there is nothing to compare it to a tropical coral reef full of fish, and trying to recreate that in my tanks.
 
I am 45 minutes north of West Palm , I agree on west palm. There are many times of the year when the ocean is rough and the water gets dirty. However, the summer is calm and clear and you can take a boat to the Bahamas in a hour or 2. I currently have a house in the Bahamas and can be there in 45 minutes by plane and 2.5 hours by boat. I catch wreath here in Florida and also in the Bahamas. I mostly spearfish, but when I need a fish or 2 they are close by and I love having a tank of wreath I caught. I let my wife pick a few wreath out when snorkling to stock the tank with ( assuming they are reef safe). It makes it a family event and gets here excited about the tank and the diving.
 
the great barrier reef calls from across the ocean my friend. try townsville. or perth Western Australia, heap of contruction work, with big money, im in the mobile crane industry, and thats where i would be if i didnt have comitments here.
 
Its a pain in the *** to get citizenship and/or a job in australia from everything i understand about it though.

I've considered it after college next may but havent looked into it that deeply so correct me if im wrong.

As far as the states go florida all the way. The further south the better.
 
Florida has good diving most of the time, but the reefs aren't so interesting. Maybe it's me, but I've traveled a bit, and the diving here is boring.

I do go beach diving a lot (because it's cheap), and the reefs close to the beach are so-so. But they are only 100 feet from my parking spot!

It is fun going diving here, but I'm not sure if moving here just for the diving would be worth it.
 
South florida and the keys are just ok. Visability is often poor with 20' being a good day. However bahamas are close and offer the clearest water in the world. The reefs are good and full of sharks. Alot of fun.
 
will agree with bowen, whitsunday coast 10x over! i did the fringing reefs off Airlie, and it was beautiful. blue pearl bay and mantaray bay being my personal favourites, incredible snorkelling also.
 
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