| While some might say there's quite enough | | | | and drinks included -- than to stay in a hotel or resort. |
| excitement above the surface of the water, Texas | | | | Extras that hotels may tack on to a bill - - like rental |
| residents might want to consider a whole new world | | | | fees for equipment -- are almost always included in |
| that beckons. | | | | the charter fee. |
| It's the world of scuba diving -- strapping on a tank | | | | There are many options for learning how to scuba. |
| and equipping yourself with the proper diving | | | | Open Water certification, which includes classroom |
| equipment to explore all that the world of | | | | sessions, a pool dive where you learn to use the |
| underwater has to offer. | | | | scuba equipment, and four open-water dives, can be |
| For those living in the cities of Dallas, Houston and | | | | obtained in as little as four or five days. An |
| Austin, exploring the world of scuba diving may mean | | | | increasingly popular certification method is to take the |
| traveling to the coast of Texas, along the Gulf of | | | | classroom portion and pool instruction at home, and |
| Mexico. But there are also numerous opportunities | | | | then have your instructor write a letter of referral to |
| inland, with training facilities, including one in Athens, | | | | a dive instructor in the Caribbean. |
| southeast of Dallas, available for training and | | | | In the eastern Caribbean, especially the U.S. and |
| recreation. | | | | British Virgin Islands, there are at least 40 yachts |
| Those choosing to take up scuba diving will have lots | | | | available with a certified diving instructor so you can |
| of company, with an estimated 3 million Americans | | | | learn right on board. The kinds of boats available |
| now certified scuba divers, many of them Texas | | | | range from 80-foot motor yachts and sprawling |
| residents. | | | | catamarans to smaller sailboats that cater to couples. |
| While there are scuba diving possibilities in and around | | | | Each boat and crew is different, but they all want |
| Texas, including the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, | | | | their clients to have a great time. |
| many scuba enthusiasts head to the warm waters of | | | | If scuba diving isn't exactly what you want, but you |
| the eastern and western Caribbean, where coral | | | | still want to check things out, snorkeling can be a |
| reefs and marine life are aplenty. Some opt to stay | | | | wonderful way to get a window on what's below. In |
| at one or more of the hundreds of land-based | | | | St. John, USVI, as an example, there is a marked |
| resorts from which they can dive -- or learn to dive | | | | snorkeling trail in Trunk Bay maintained by the U.S. |
| -- but many divers will want to stay on a boat, either | | | | National Park Service. |
| crewed charter boats (in the eastern Caribbean) or | | | | Another benefit of crewed charters is the ability to |
| live-aboard dive vessels (in the western area). | | | | dive after the sun goes down. Some 80% of all |
| On a dive boat the crews are diving professionals, | | | | marine life emerge only at night, but with underwater |
| many being instructors who can help with a new | | | | flashlights, a diver is all set. |
| diver getting certified or checked out if it's been | | | | Live-aboard dive vessel operators say a diver is four |
| awhile since a person's last dive. Charter captains | | | | times more likely to see large marine animals like |
| know the most popular dive spots and have a few | | | | manta rays, dolphins and whales than they are |
| not-so-well-known favorites of their own. All of the | | | | staying at a land-based resort. |
| boats have dive equipment on board and most have | | | | If you want more information on scuba diving, you |
| compressors to keep the dive tanks full. | | | | don't have to go too deep. For a start, check out |
| Land-based vacationers may have to travel in a small | | | | the NAUI, PADI and YMCA Web sites at [ and Learn |
| open boat for an hour or more to get to a dive site, | | | | about Divers Alert Network (DAN), an insurance and |
| but those on a charter or dive boat are already | | | | medical program for divers, at An excellent site for |
| there. Plus, they aren't limited to one area; they can | | | | all-around information on scuba diving is |
| dive from one island one day and another the next. | | | | Scuba diving is one of those lifestyle activities that |
| Indeed, on a live-aboard dive boat in the western | | | | can energize those who try it. What can also be |
| Caribbean, a vacationer can travel more than 100 | | | | energizing is knowing you're looking after your long |
| miles over the water during a typical seven-day trip. | | | | term health. |
| It's also often less expensive to charter -- with food | | | | |