Monday, February 10, 2014

15 years of Amazing Diving

We are very blessed.  We began diving in 1995 and for the first 3 years only dove in Michigan and Ohio.  In 1998, Frank took me to Providenciales, Turks and Caicos, for our first warm water, ocean dive.  On the way home I told him I hoped he enjoyed it because I was never going diving in Michigan again!!

Luckily he agreed with me and we have been to some amazing places.  Since today is List it Tuesday, I thought I would share our trips with you.

1. 03/98 Provo, Turks and Caicos...Our first warm water dive.  The locals were very disappointed in the dive conditions, but having only dove thus far in Michigan, we thought it was perfect.

 
Sea Turtle peeking out at us

2. 03/99 Ocho Rios, Jamaica...A very big disappointment.  Everything under water was brown and dead.  Everything above water was stoned and arrogant.  Not a great trip.



3. 02/00 Bonaire...Wow, what a great trip and what great memories...One day I will return!

 
The Wreck of the Hilma Hooker

4. 06/00 Key Largo, Florida...Took our youngest daughter, Nicole, for her open water dive.  Perfect spot for new divers.  Nice relaxed dives at shallow depths.

 
Frank and Nicole

5. 11/00 Antigua and Aruba...We were on a Caribbean Cruise and dove each time we had a shore day.

 
Dear Friends, Great Cruise, Wonderful Memories

6. 01/01 Curacao... Another great dive destination that I hope to return to one day.

 
Lots of Seahorse in Curacao

7. 11/02 Maui, Hawaii...We went on a vacation with our dear friends the Bonacorsis and the Coracis.  Frank and I took one day away from them and went diving.  It was the only day we had before the Trade Winds arrived and diving was shut down.

 
That's a baby octopus in the divemaster's hand

8. 08/03 Cozumel, Mexico...Our first experience at drift diving.  Wow, you felt like you were in a car watching the world go by.

 
The first time we were in Cozumel we found a restaurant called
La Mission.  The Mariachi Band plays at your table and the setting is lovely.
We make sure to return whenever we go back.

9. 06/04 Key Largo, Florida...It had been nearly a year and we were dying to dive so took a quick trip to Florida.

 
Large Ray camouflaging himself

10. 02/05 Ambergris Cay, Belize...This was one of the most romantic trips of our marriage.  We were in the middle of nowhere, no tv, no phones, no computers, no cars.  Restaurants were a 20 minute stroll either way down the beach.  I LOVED this trip.

 
Playing around with a water scooter


11. 02/07 Little Cayman....One of our favorite dive locations ever.  The most amazing wall you have ever seen and blue as far as the eye can see.

 
As we exited the boat after diving, there was a gentleman
who was cutting coconuts off the tree.
He lopped the top off and instant rehydration!

12. 05/07 Key Largo, Florida...I think we were making up for the fact that there were no dive trips in 2006 for some reason.

 
Lots of color on shallow dives in Key Largo


13. 02/08 Dominica...My favorite all around destination.  The diving was superb, the landscape was incredible.  Lots of hikes through rainforests to waterfalls and natural water slides.  I would love to go back one day!!

 
This is a Flying Gurnard.
Dominica is the only place I have ever seen one.
 
 
There was tons to do on land in Dominica also.
This was my favorite trip of all time so far.

14. 05/08 Puerto Rico... We got a practically free trip to go check out a resort that they were trying to sell us a time share at...the diving was not good enough to even consider it.  But we did dive right outside Ricky Martin's house.

 
Puerto Rico was a beautiful place to visit.
The diving that we did was not enough to convince us to come back.

15. 02/09 Cozumel, Mexico...Back to Cozumel.  The diving is wonderful, the resorts are lovely and the price is right.

 
Looking out a porthole of a sunken wreck.


16. 01/11 Beqa Lagoon, Fiji...The trip of a lifetime.  It was worth saving up for a year in order to go.

 
Our Resort in Fiji
 
17. 05/11 Little Cayman...It took us 4 years but we went back and I would go back again in a heartbeat!
 
This is a Goliath Grouper.
Our Dive Master is lying underneath it to give some
perspective to it's size.

18. 01/12 San Salvador, Bahamas...A wonderful trip.  One of these days Frank and I are going to get in the plane and Island Hop all through the Bahamas.

 
Shark everywhere you look in the Bahamas.


19. 03/12  Atlanta, Georgia...You can go to the Georgia Aquarium and scuba dive with the Whale Sharks in their gigantic aquarium.  It is the size of a football field with depths of 30'.  Amazing.

 
Before our swim with the Gentle Giants.

20. 08/12 Pompano Beach, Florida...We were there to visit Nicole and Pierre but while they were at work we went and played!!

 
There was a conch inside that shell.
Not to worry, I put him right back down after the pic was taken.

21. 01/13 Beqa Lagoon, Fiji....We could not resist going back!!  Tingting joined us for her open water dive after the lessons we gave her as a Christmas gift that year.

 
Tingting and I with our best smiles!

We leave in 2 days to head back to Key Largo, Florida.  This time we are taking Lili and our great-nephew and Godson, Ryan, for their open water dives.  Stay tuned to hear more about this trip!!!

And since vacations allow you to recoup and reconnect it helps you to thrive when you are at home.  So I am sharing this post at Thrive at Home Thursdays.




2 comments:

  1. Beautiful pictures. Richard and I have visited some of those very places. But we don't dive. I have never even snorkeled. But just being on the beach, lying in that white sand, and feeling the breezes from the ocean could restore my spirits for years. Can't wait to hear about your upcoming trip.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I can't wait to be able to tell you about it. 1 more sleep...wooooohooooooo.

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