I was certified with YMCA/PADI in 1980 because I loved the ocean and wanted to be an oceanographer. Unfortunately you make no money being an oceanographer so I became a union pressman instead.
Best places I dove are in order:
- The Cayman Islands twice-the amount of large fish you see is incredible and swimming through "Tarpon Alley" at 80 feet with 250 or more 40-50 pound tarpon slowing gliding in place side to side was incredible
- Maui, Hawaii-saw so many turtles and rays plus variety of beautiful fish
- Cairns, Australia at the Great Barrier Reef-MASSIVE schools of smaller fish. I was surprised that there were not many large fish but the color and vast size of the reef was impressive
- Malolai Fiji-tons of sharks and the coolest water color I've ever seen.
- Bora Bora Tahiti-lots of Angelfish and Octopus where I dove plus a nasty reef tip shark that stalked us for a while
- Haiti-I have an underwater photo of around 20 lobsters all huddled together under a rock outcropping. Lots of flourescent squid
- Cozumel, Mexico-super clear water and lots of fish.
- Jamaica-Tons of VERY LARGE moray eels that the divemaster played with and fed by hand plus a nice assortment of fish
- Bahamas-Nice assortment of fish and good visibility. Easy to find lobsters for dinner
- British Virgin Islands-dove the wreck of the Rhone where the filmed the movie "The Deep" but it was low visibility that day.
- New Jersey shore-dove for lobster several times on wrecks and I've never gotten good weather or visibility or else this would be ranked higher.
Aside from dives, once while snorkeling in the Bahamas I nearly ran straight into two GIANT barricudas that were cruising at the surface while my head was down looking at fish. I came within 2 feet and then I slowly swam backwards for 100 yards to shore while they followed me in. It was the most fear I've had diving.
The deepest I ever logged on my gauge was 138 ft in the Caymans.