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Best Caribbean location for freediving off the beach

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AidanQ9

New Member
Dec 16, 2020
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I want to go on a trip in 2021 (Coronavirus gods willing?)
I want to go somewhere in the Caribbean where there are many great beach snorkeling and free diving opportunities.
Suggestions?

Thanks
Aidan
 

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Problem with Cozumel is there is way too much boat traffic as soon as your > 100 meters out
 
AidanQ9 said:
Problem with Cozumel is there is way too much boat traffic as soon as your > 100 meters out
Click to expand...
Yeah that can be true, i was almost run over by a boat last year, had to kick away off the side of the boat.
 
Bonaire and Curacao!! They are the top destinations for awesome shore diving (and boat too). I have been to Curacao around 13 times and Bonaire 3 - 4 times and they are the best in the Caribbean in my experience. You can dive them all year long with stable weather and sea conditions all year. Reef starts from knee deep water in most places.
 
Reactions: matt emery
Roatan, Honduras is a favorite of mine. Closed due to Covid now, but if things open back up the same, there should be flights from Houston and Miami directly to the island again.
 
I lived in the Cayman Islands for 5 years (2013 - 2018) and can't speak too highly for the shore diving.
 
Two suggestions; Roatan. And second, if you can, is the Bay of Pigs in Cuba. The Bay of Pigs is my favourite shore diving of all time.
 
Bonaire has a freediving instructor who is 12 times world champion available for training and helping divers improve their skills. Roatan or any other place in the Caribbean don't come close to what Bonaire and Curacao have to offer in terms of quality of diving so readily available from shore and I have been to so many places in the Caribbean to dive.




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First human to surpass 100 meters deep on a single breath (both CWT and FIM) ​






Freediving Courses in the Caribbean - Bonaire

Freediving Courses in the Caribbean - Bonaire. Learn Freediving with a PRO Team in the pristine waters of Bonaire.
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Thanks all for the suggestions. Does Cuba have a lot of shore based diving options?
I'd like to hear more about Dominica?
 
AidanQ9 said:
Thanks all for the suggestions. Does Cuba have a lot of shore based diving options?
I'd like to hear more about Dominica?
Click to expand...

Dominica doesn't have shore diving as Bonaire and Curacao do, most dive locations you need a boat. Also, it isn't as suitable for free diving as Bonaire and Curacao. I have been to all of these locations many times.
 
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I haven't been to either Bonaire, Curacao or Roatan.
I plan (Covid 19 depending) this year to go to one of them. I expect to scuba several days but really want to snorkel and free dive everyday a couple of times. If you had to pick 1 of those 3?

Thanks
A
 

I wouldn't go to Roatan for free diving or snorkeling when Bonaire and Curacao are available. Curacao has easier entries from shore usually but further swim to get to the reef (perhaps 100 - 200 meters out) and Bonaire has little rougher entries to water from shore but the reef starts almost as soon as you get into the water. Bonaire has more macro marine life (more opportunities for macro photography) and Curacao has macro marine life but more medium size marine life than Bonaire.

Note: You should NOT "free dive" after scuba diving. There are concerns about increased susceptibility to decompression sickness with free diving after scuba diving. You should wait 24 hours to free dive after your last scuba dive. Snorkeling is OK as long as you aren't doing lots of up and downs during the snorkeling.

BTW, diving in Dominica is only "OK" compared with Curacao and Bonaire or even Roatan. I have been once to Dominica and I wouldn't consider going there again where I'd go back to Curacao and Bonaire again and again. For a dive/snorkeling/free diving vacation with the easiest access to dive spots from shore, you can't beat Curacao and Bonaire in addition to excellent abundant and healthy marine life with a lot of variety with predictable very favorable weather conditions.

This website will give you a lot more information on where to go shore diving in the ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao):

Scuba Shore Diving Region: ABC Islands

Celebrate Shore Diving and Snorkeling in ABC Islands!
www.shorediving.com
 
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