Since we don't have a specific section for FREEdiving travel I thought that I would stick a thread in here. 
I think we need a spot to list destinations, shops, and, most important, charter boats that are freediver friendly.
I have had good luck with some destinations, but Ted's (unirdna) recent experience down in the Yucatan has reminded me that not all places are that freediver friendly. He had an operator freek out after he did a freedive to the bottom of a cenote, instead of just bobbing around on the surface like a "good" tourist.
There are other places that won't let us dive if we wear a weighbelt, no matter how light it is, or make us wear those stupid snorkeling vests if we want to dive off of their boat.
So, let us hear whom you've had good luck with and who we should all stay clear of!
1. On the Island of Bonaire it's all shore diving so I have never had a problem freediving- which I can't say for solo scuba diving on the island but that's a different thread.
2. On the Island of Curacao I had no problem freediving from shore, but never got a chance to try it from a boat.
3. On Cozumel I was allowed to freedive along with the scuba divers on 65' reef dives when I dove with Blue Bubble charters- last time was ten years ago so things may have changed.
4. I dove off of the Black Beard's cruise boat one vacation and had no problems freediving, but they were very restrictive on the whole scuba thing. If I ever dove with them again it would be strictly a freediving thing.
5. In Tobermorey, Canada, I had a great time freediving off of the "Deep Obession".
6. In Wisconsin the charter boat Len-Der is my freediving boat of choice.
Down in Illinois I was told that I wouldn't even be allowed into the place if I was going to freedive at the Pearl Lake dive park- goofy owner who is way behind the times. :duh
I'm sure thaty there are other places that are freediver friendly, Dive Tech comes to mind, but still think that we need to get a list of operators that we can all choose from. Once they see that we can generate some buisness for them then more people might open up to the possibilites- and avoid the hassels that Tedski had on his honeymoon, at least the diving ones.
Jon
I think we need a spot to list destinations, shops, and, most important, charter boats that are freediver friendly.
I have had good luck with some destinations, but Ted's (unirdna) recent experience down in the Yucatan has reminded me that not all places are that freediver friendly. He had an operator freek out after he did a freedive to the bottom of a cenote, instead of just bobbing around on the surface like a "good" tourist.
There are other places that won't let us dive if we wear a weighbelt, no matter how light it is, or make us wear those stupid snorkeling vests if we want to dive off of their boat.
So, let us hear whom you've had good luck with and who we should all stay clear of!
1. On the Island of Bonaire it's all shore diving so I have never had a problem freediving- which I can't say for solo scuba diving on the island but that's a different thread.
2. On the Island of Curacao I had no problem freediving from shore, but never got a chance to try it from a boat.
3. On Cozumel I was allowed to freedive along with the scuba divers on 65' reef dives when I dove with Blue Bubble charters- last time was ten years ago so things may have changed.
4. I dove off of the Black Beard's cruise boat one vacation and had no problems freediving, but they were very restrictive on the whole scuba thing. If I ever dove with them again it would be strictly a freediving thing.
5. In Tobermorey, Canada, I had a great time freediving off of the "Deep Obession".
6. In Wisconsin the charter boat Len-Der is my freediving boat of choice.
Down in Illinois I was told that I wouldn't even be allowed into the place if I was going to freedive at the Pearl Lake dive park- goofy owner who is way behind the times. :duh
I'm sure thaty there are other places that are freediver friendly, Dive Tech comes to mind, but still think that we need to get a list of operators that we can all choose from. Once they see that we can generate some buisness for them then more people might open up to the possibilites- and avoid the hassels that Tedski had on his honeymoon, at least the diving ones.
Jon