It’s been pretty damn cold here and it’s been raining on and off for the last couple of weeks, so I’ve been out of the water.
I also have to sell some blood so I can buy this year’s fishing license and lobster report card.
One of my old friends invited me to the “Travel and Adventure Show” at the Long Beach Convention Center; both of us like travel and I’m still looking for my next diving adventure.
Professional Debriefer Paul came along to stockpile free pens and other giveaways.
It was crowded, and there were a lot of California spots represented – Kern County, Napa Valley, San Diego and others.
There was a big diving section at the Malaysia booth…
I ended up stopping at the American Association For Nude Recreation booth…
I asked the guy, “So if I go to your resort, is it going to be like the Bally Fitness commercials?”
“What do you mean,” the guy asked.
“I see a lot of young women in their 20’s in your ads, but if I go there, I’m assuming it’ll be filled with fat women in their 40’s and 50’s?”
He laughed, “Well, all types of people show up, come and see.”
I didn’t inquire about diving there.
Jordan was represented, which is another country on my bucket list…
The King of Jordan in an avid SCUBA diver, who even sunk a few tanks as artificial reefs, and I was assured that this Muslim country does have beer.
The Philippines booth also showed many dive spots…
My Albanian friend Idit has recommended diving the Philippines because it is beautiful, and cheaper than Albania.
I was also told by a travel company, who asked to remain nameless, that they could “refer me to a third party” if I wished to dive in Cuba.
Tethered surfing on an artificial wave.
Lots of kiddie rides…
Floating hamster balls.
The bungee bounce.
There was also a zip line and rock climbing available.
The Malaysia booth put on a show…
Young hot chicks in barely any clothes entertained the adults.
Many lectures were offered, too…
I was wearing my “Albania” baseball cap; a couple people asked me where the Albania booth was.
They were disappointed when I told them that Albania wasn’t represented.
Also, stopping by the Ethiopia booth when I inquired about diving, I was told “Ethiopia no longer has a coast, so there’s no diving in Ethiopia.
No longer has a coast?
Seems that the coast is now Eritrea – it is it’s own country and as the guy in the Ethiopia booth told me, “Somaliland is safer, Eritrea is shit.”
I was surprised to see Tijuana represented, and was told, “Many things have improved and it is very safe there.”
It was an interesting exposition, but didn’t have any great travel deals.
With the weather here in Southern California being rather cold and rainy lately, I haven’t been in the water this month – sorry.
However, I have been compiling a list of extreme places to SCUBA dive to help me plan future diving trips; I thought you may be interested in my list thus far.
If you find something inaccurate, or more “extreme,” post a (non-spam) comment so I can update my list, if proven accurate.
This is one diving trip that’s on my bucket list, however, with the initial $13,000 price tag for 14 days, it currently far exceeds my budget on any planned trip.
You have to be Advanced Open Water Certified, with at least 20 dives in a dry suit.
You must be in excellent physical and mental health and will be required to demonstrate your diving abilities before departure.
2. The Highest Altitude SCUBA Dive
Lake Titicaca, Peru
Almost twice the altitude of Lake Tahoe, at 12,500 feet above sea level, Lake Titicaca isn’t the highest lake in the world, and SCUBA diving here won’t set any altitude world records, but this is the highest altitude dive that an average recreational diver could hope to make; at least that I could find.
And when I say hope, I am serious about that.
My Spanish “es no bueno,” so I can’t refer you to any place that I know has diving trips to Lake Titicaca; however, there are plenty of people on the internet who have dove there.
You may be able contact perudivers.com and see if they can arrange, or know who can arrange, a trip to dive Lake Titicaca.
3. The Most Dangerous Place To Dive
Berbera, Somaliland (Officially Somalia)
Somaliland is the “safer” northern part of Somalia that declared independence in 1992; unfortunately, nobody recognizes it’s independence, so “officially” you are going to Somalia.
I have emailed him to see if he is still in operation; I have not heard from him as of this date.
By law, to venture outside of the city, you must hire at least one armed guard with a Kalashnikov for $10 a day.
You’ll need a Visa, and be prepared to pay an entrance and exit fee along with being forced to exchange $50 into the local currency at a rip off rate once you arrive at the airport.
Professional Debriefer Paul and I were watching some YouTube videos of Berbera; he made the comment, “That place looks so dangerous, you’ll probably get jacked once you step off the airplane.”
These guys are just going snorkeling (starts at 5:30), but it gives you an idea of what to expect:
You are in the middle of Texas, away from any lake or significant body of water and want to go diving.
Where to?
Well, I guess outside of diving in your swimming pool or bath tub, diving in a missile silo could be considered “desperate,” or in a way, “unique.”
The Midwest is very resourceful when it comes to SCUBA diving; lakes and quarries are king, and even though this missile silo isn’t the only divable one in the world, it is the best known.
The missile silo is an old 1960s era ICBM site located 32 miles southwest of Abilene, Texas.
As another website states, “At 2,420 feet above sea level, the site has the distinction of being a place where you can dive underground to get an altitude certification.”
Is watching sharks in an aquarium through glass getting boring?
Assuming you haven’t lost your ass in Vegas, if you have $650 left and are a certified SCUBA diver, you can dive the Mandalay Bay’s 1.3 million gallon Shipwreck Exhibit to swim with sharks, rays, sawfish, green sea turtles and schools of fish.
The dive lasts 45 minutes, or until you run out of air, whichever happens first.
If you can stretch that tank to 45 minutes, your dive will cost $14.44 a minute, however, you do get an aquarium tour and some dive instructions along with the cost of the dive.
7. The Most Macho Place to Dive
Saranda and Himara, Albania
The reason that this is the most macho place to dive?
Because currently, the Albanian government does not recognize SCUBA diving as a recreational sport, there is no infrastructure at all for recreational diving, no medical facilities to treat diving related sickness and Albanians can’t own boats larger than skiffs or peddle boats.
For a number of years, there was the Polish Diving Base in Saranda, but due to investor problems, they left in late 2011, leaving no other facility to take their place.
This is the only diving place on the list that yours truly went on.
I was fortunate enough to hook up with a diving local this last July, who knew a lot of the dive spots and had connections to air sources.
Well, most politically incorrect, if you are a U.S. citizen.
This small island is a free trade zone, and the only part of Iranian soil where an American can enter Iran without a visa.
I have made one contact on Kish Island, via the internet, and was assured, “Kish Island is beautiful and safe, even for Americans.”
The problem is, to get to Kish Island, you would most likely have to enlist the help of a Travel Agent specializing in hard to get to locations.
Travelocity.com, Kayak.com and Expedia.com do not recognize Kish Island as a valid destination, probably purely due to political reasons.
Your lady, by Islamic Law, will have to cover her head while in public, and there is no alcohol allowed – unless you know a local and have money (so I’ve been told).
Although there are bodies of water that are saltier, The Dead Sea is the saltiest body of water that is dove on a regular basis and, at 1,385 feet below sea level, it is hard to argue that this would also be the lowest altitude dive available.
The Dead Sea is so salty, a person can float without any effort or buoyancy device.
Diving here has been described like “diving around diamonds or ice, but the heat and intense weight that you must carry reminds you otherwise.”
