West Palm Weekend - TravelCation

Vacation and Traveling are two very different things in my world.  

A vacation is a pure relaxation:  do nothing,  except maybe sip margs by the pool.  The goal is rest, relax, recharge.  On the other hand, a trip is a do everything see everything experience everything sort of journey.  You vacation on a remote island or somewhere standard like the Bahamas.  It doesn't really matter where you all, all that matters is you are away from the normal 9-5 of life.  On the other hand, you travel somewhere like Europe.  Where you are matters and you are in this destination to see all it has to offer, even if it's at the sacrifice of R&R.  When you look at traveling in these two lenses, you can probably guess which of the two I excel at. 

You guessed it - I think I am a pretty swell traveler.

I know I am a terrible vacationer. 

Scuba Diving with Seals - Glouchester, Massachusetts

Diving in New England gets a bad rap.  It's murky, it's dark, there is nothing to see, the water is cold.... Oh, the list goes on.  For all the warm water divers out there, who only don their gear when the temperatures are warm and the water is clear, you are missing out on some amazing local diving.  Amazing sea life, famous ship wrecks, and artifact finding right here in our sometimes murky waters.  

If you are lucky, you may even get the chance to swim with something a little bigger than lobsters and flounder.  Over labor day weekend, I had this awesome opportunity to spend some time in the water with some of New England's favorite residents, harbor seals and gray seals. 

Diving Folly Cove- Gloucester, Massachusetts

New England diving usually goes a little something like this.... Rocky shores, zero to there-are-my-dive-buddies visibility (10 feet?), and marine life typical of the Atlantic shores ranging from a hue of brown to brown.  It isn't always the most exciting of marine life or best visibility, but I will say this without a doubt, it makes you a better diver.  We are all used to "brail diving" as we like to call it, when the visibility is so bad you just sort of feel around with your hands to find the bottom or things around you so when things get mucked up or the vis is low, we don't panic. 

Before I go on, know I am not complaining, that diving these sometimes murky Atlantic waters is how I love to spend a Wednesday afternoon (and many a weekend).  You should also know not all New England waters are treated the same.  Where Stonington Point usually sees visibility in the 5-10' range, many lakes, quarries, and areas of our coast get visibility ranging from 20 to 30+' which to us New Englanders is amazing.  We can travel around the NE coast to find some better visibility and abundance of critters.

Diving for Scallops - Boston, Massachusetts

There are so many wonderful things about being back in the Northeast.  First off, there is the constant access to the water.  Growing up in New England the ocean is something we often take for granted.  Spend two years landlocked and you will realize reallllllly quick how much the ocean means to you.   Secondly, being back around the people I love has been amazing.  Again, we take our family and friends for granted and sometimes it takes a 2,200 mile move to make you realize who and what you need in your life.    

Scuba Diving: Kings Beach, Newport, Rhode Island

If you have talked to me for half a second you probably already know I am obsessed with the state of Rhode Island, and with lobsters.  And I am very very very fond of scuba diving.  So a day that combines these things together on a beautiful sunny Saturday in the middle of June is about as good as it gets for me. It was one of the weekends that puts you in such a good mood, that the weekend almost feels long and you are in such bliss that you don't even let Monday knock you down. 

Scuba Diving - Fajardo, Puerto Rico

If I am traveling to an island, I am absolutely planning a day to dive (this land locked girl gets giddy around ocean tides and sea spray).  While traveling to Puerto Rico to celebrate a wedding of a good friend from home, I snuck away before all of our friends arrived to spend some time under the surf.  

When diving alone in a new place, without the comfort and security of my dive friends from home, I try to get a recommendation or do some research on highly rated dive charters. Puerto Rico seemed to be a place you can dive while you are there, but not a big destination among the dive community.  My friends had never been diving there and didn't know of any respected dive companies on the island.

I was going to have to ask some locals. 

Reef around the Spanish Virgin Islands 

Diving with Scuba Madeira -- Madeira Island, Portugal

If you read the blog often enough, you already know I love to be on in and around the water.  And I especially love to go scuba diving wherever my travels take me.  Back in 2013 I went diving in the Azores, the other portuguese owned island in the Atlantic, and I was excited to see what Madeira was like beneath the coastline
 (You can read about diving in the Azores here ).  

Before heading to Madeira, I did a little research on where to go and which shop was the best, as I would be diving without my lovely friends and in a foreign country.  And then after a few weeks of research, I just ended up walking over to the closest place next door at the hotel.  Being able to walk to a place near the hotel district made it so much easier.  No car needed.  I had read some TripAdvisor reviews, checked out their website, and emailed with the dive guides. I had an amazing dive with Scuba Madeira, and so can you!

Scuba Madeira is located inside the Hotel Pastana Palms. When I emailed them about a dive they were quick and courteous to respond. I was told that: "Daily dives except Sundays we have Dives from shore and Boat, We meet at 10:00AM or 14:00PM. One Dive full Equipped is 42 Euros , boat fees are to pay extra depending on Distance from 8 to 18 Euros. Dive package is 3 Dives 110 Euros, with 2 Dives we don’t have a Pack. Just come by to meet us, or just tell me when you like to Dive".  We decided on 10am one tank dive off the house reef.

 * * Book your dive with Scuba Madeira HERE!  * * 
Not certified?  
Thats okay, you can do an introductory without a certification, 
or get certified in beautiful Madeira with Scuba Madeira. 

Scuba Madeira - 
 Hotel Pestana Palms - Rua do Gorgulho 17 - 9000-107 Funchal - Portugal
Phone: Dive-center : (00351) 291 709 227 - Mobil:(00351) 910 864 147 - e-mail: [email protected]

The shop has free nitrox, and had a few options for a single dive on a Thursday morning. I could head out on the boat to the nearby nature reserve, or do a dive on the house reef right here at the center. Because I had family waiting for me to go on another adventure, I decided to dive on the house reef right off the hotel to save some time. 

42 Euros ($47) got me a guided dive, just me and two of the guides, and included all the gear needed (I just brought along my computer and mask). 

We dove about 50 minutes, to about 60 feet and the water temperature was about 66 degrees.  I wore a 7 mil with a hood. The staff were all very very friendly and while the dive center was small and basic, it had everything needed including rinse tanks and locker areas to hold your stuff. The gear was all in great condition, although I was initially shocked by the front zipping wet suit and lack of gloves (gloves are allowed but my guide convinced me I wouldn't need them).

We took a giant stride off the deck and descended down to 10', where we followed the rocks and slope down to about 60' where the rocks met the sand. Along the way we saw nudibranchs, octopus, sea horse, cuttle fish, sea urchins and various other fish. At one point, my guide put a sea urchin on my palm and felt it crawl around before releasing it back to the sea floor. My guide was kind enough to point out all the various critters living in the waters off the island of Madeira.  The visibility was great, the water a little chilly, and there was plenty of sea life around us.  

   

Check out my video including some diving clips on YouTube Here or Below!

                             

Scuba Diving Sao Miguel and Snorkeling with Wild Dolphins - Sao Miguel, Azores

If you are planning a trip to the Azores, you are probably what I call an "adventure traveler". You probably like to go somewhere to experience the cousin and the culture but to also be active and see the sights in a different way. The village of Franca do Campo is a launch-off point for a bunch of fun stuff, the ferry to the island, scuba diving, and swimming with wild dolphins. 

Franco do Campo Marina

If you are a diver heading to a country with a coastline, you are probably looking up dive shops, reading reviews, and planning a dive. I did all of this and landed on the Azores Sub Dive Center, a PADI dive shop. I did some research and found that this spot was highly recommended. I also discovered that the Azores was home to some fantastic diving. 

What is so special, is that every island has its own "flavor" of diving if you will.  While you aren't going to see bright tropical fish (we are still in the Atlantic folks..), you are going to see some amazing fish, eels, octopus and if you are lucky, rays, dolphins and whales.  Because of the location of these islands out in the middle(ish) of the Atlantic, a lot of whales and dolphins pass through the islands on their migration routes. 

Franco do Campo Marina  

Scuba Diving Fort Wetherill - Jamestown, Rhode Island

Welcome to another segment of Katie Wanders... to Jamestown, Rhode Island.  

Get ready for lots of talk about Rhode Island this week.  I am sort of in love with the whole state (fine, I am absolutely smitten!).  Right on the Atlantic and full of New England charm with a great Marine Science focus through the University of Rhode Island, and lots of opportunities to go diving.  Did I mention fresh seafood like lobster, littlenecks and oysters?