Travel

Most people associate scuba diving with crystal clear waters, schools of colorful fish and tropical destinations. In reality though, there is much more to the sport than that. The numerous lakes, springs, rivers and sinkholes often available to divers right at their doorstep offer some fantastic sites with amazing landscapes and cool critters to discover. The WNY area, for instance, is famous for its world-class shipwreck dives. Two of the Great Lakes, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, touch state boundaries and had ship traffic for nearly 400 years. That’s 400 years of wrecks, many of which are perfectly preserved having sunk in fresh and relatively cold water.

Planning a dive holiday is often a big investment in time, money and effort, especially if you decide to take kids along. Factoring a child’s needs into your travel arrangements can be difficult, however, a family diving vacation will create some amazing bonding opportunities and give you a chance to introduce your loved ones to your hobby. So here are a few things to remember when going on a dive vacation with kids.

Dive travel can be expensive, especially if you don’t live near any good dive sites. However, appropriate planning and some flexibility will help you get the most out of your money while on vacation. So, we have composed this list with some general tips as well as scuba specific advice that will hopefully save you a few dollars when planning your next trip.

The Sea of Cortez, also known as the Gulf of California, is a 700 mile (1,126 km) stretch of water that separates the Baja California peninsula from the Mexican mainland. The sea, sheltered from the swells of the Pacific Ocean is usually very calm. It contains numerous islands, pinnacles and rocks around which are countless Liveaboard dive sites. What makes the Sea of Cortez truly special, however, is its unique and rich ecosystem. Unforgettable encounters with hammerheads, sea lions, mobula rays, wild dolphins and whale sharks - all in just a few days of diving - are pretty commonplace in the Sea of Cortez.

Winter is in full swing, and there are certainly many things to love about it, such as layering all your favorite clothes into one outfit, drinking hot chocolate and having snowball fights. However, it also usually means that you have to pack away your scuba gear and wait until summer for your next domestic dive vacation. Sure, there is ice diving in the Great Lakes or Hudson River, but by far not everybody takes pleasure in plunging into the frigid water. So, we have decided to turn your attention to those parts of the world where waters remain unfrozen and climes allow to enjoy some lovely diving.

Thinking about where to go for scuba diving? Scuba diving is one of the most popular recreational water sports in the world today with an ever-increasing number of enthusiasts and diving sites where scuba lovers can enjoy their favorite sports. Check out the list for some of the extraordinary places for diving in the world and decide which one you are going to visit next.

As an avid scuba diver, you are having the time of your life on your diving vacation. You have spent numerous hours in the water - but what about your time outside of the water? Regardless of how many dives you've taken throughout your trip, it's always nice to spend some time onshore, exploring the different sites and restaurants. We at Dip 'N Dive have a few suggestions when it comes to taking a break from the water and enjoying your dry time.

Just like any other sport, scuba diving requires a certain amount of physical strength and well-being. That’s not to say that if you have, for example, a bad hand or an aching back that you cannot participate. The key is to let your condition be known and work around it, rather than trying to push through the pain to just follow along like everyone else. Back problems can be common issues to all athletes, and with scuba diving especially, you need to take precautions to avoid injuring yourself more. Here are five tips to always remember when diving with a back problem.

So you’ve been issued a certification card and you’re finally ready to take your first diving vacation. This is an exciting time, but it requires a different kind of planning compared to just your regular old trip to the beach. We at Dip ‘N Dive would like to offer you a bit of advice when it comes to planning your vacation.

Taking a diving vacation doesn’t necessarily mean that you will be spending every minute in the water. Basically, the vacation can be structured whichever way you want. Maybe you’d prefer a more relaxed trip, with some time in the water and the rest of the time for on-land explorations. Or maybe you’d like to spend as much time as possible in the water. Whatever your preference is, it’s important to know that you have many options and the ability to create your dream vacation. Dip ‘N Dive understands this philosophy and so, we’d like to offer you a few pointers when it comes to making decisions about your dive vacation.

The Buffalo area has many things that it is famous for whether it be it's chicken wings, hot sauce, bison chip dip or the Buffalo Bills losing four straight super bowls and yes even Niagara Falls. What most people do not realize is that the Niagara River is world-famous for SCUBA Diving. The river is probably the most popular dive in the area, divers come from all over the world to dive the river, whether it be from Germany, Ukraine or even many divers from the USA travel here to dive the river.

This week we're going to look at diving in the Dominican Republic, specifically the Silver Banks. The Silver Banks are located 80 miles north of the Dominican Republic in the Atlantic, southeast of Turks and Caicos Islands.

This week, we're going to review the Galápagos Islands which are located in the Pacific Ocean 600 miles west of Ecuador and situated on the Equator. The Galápagos archipelago is comprised of 19 main islands and several small islands, which are now a protected National Park of Ecuador.