Why Travel and have a dive holiday, when you can dive locally and support your local dive industry is statement you often hear from disgruntled divers who seem to bear a grudge against anyone who contemplates a dive holiday.
One of the greatest joys of diving is that we all have an international passport to excitement and adventure. We can travel to any part of the globe and with the minimum of language differences be actively participating in the sport we love.
Travel does not have to mean that we are in a permanent state of eau de neoprene, there are dive trips where the joy of scuba just adds to the pleasure of visiting another country.
I am lucky enough to have a job that entails a fair amount of overseas travel and if I am anywhere near water. The first thing I do when I have some time off is to visit the local dive shops and try to get a dive in. I walk in with nothing except my swimming costume and throw myself at the mercy of the dive store.
This is a classic case of stop worrying about what you have forgotten to bring, because you cannot forget to bring nothing. It is the ultimate in stress free dive travel.
It is a great way to meet divers from around the world, and have the opportunity to dive their local spots. Often all I have time for is a local shore dive in the afternoon or morning, and most times they can find Divemaster or buddy for me. Forget about the buffet lunch and someone to carry your equipment to the boat. It can be fun to jump into the back of the dive store pick up and drive into the car park and dive as you would on any Sunday morning with your buddies. Just dive for the sheer pleasure of diving.
So the next time you travel anywhere, and it does not have to be overseas. Try walking into a dive shop and asking them for a local dive the experience is well worth the effort.
