Dive Site Recommendation?

[usvi diver]

I am looking for a place to dive on an extended weekend in the near future. Does anyone have any recommendations for something interesting :wow2:, not too far south, good vis in Spring and a good price?

I was planning on going to Amoray in Key Largo, FL (great wreck diving I heard) but man I hate the long drives...

Let me know if you guys know a good dive shop/site in north Florida or the likes.

Thanks! :up:

PS - I just moved here from St Croix US Virgin Islands. I know most the dive sites (and all the dive shops) on the island. So let me know if you guys need any info about Saint Croix. I lived there for 2 years and logged over 100 dives there.

 

[wmboots]

Key Largo has alot of great wrecks, you could spend a week diving and not get in all of the wrecks between Key Largo and Marathon.
There are a host of good dive operators working Key Largo, Islemorada and Marathon you can chose from. I use Blue Water Divers out of Key Largo right next to the Holiday Inn. I would stay away from Ocean Divers unless you want a great operation that runs nothing but 30 passenger cattle boats. I say great because they are a good operation for newer divers or those few who want to be on a boat with a million other people.

As for diving North Florida you don't say where in the north, If you are talking panhandle Panama City is closest place and have a good number of wrecks diving is good but don't expect the lovely blue water experience. After spending so many years taking students to PC I have grown to prefer Pensacola for more wreck diving and of course you have that lovely little boat called the Oriskany that is 25 miles off shore.
If your looking at the east coast most diving in Jacksonville is way off shore and requires long boat rides and not all that great.

 

[bdesper311]

I second the idea of going with Blue water divers out of Key Largo! They are a great operation and I think at most they take out 10 divers. One day they took out just me and my brother and that was it! There are some good wrecks... reefs are hurting pretty bad. I was down there diving last week and had a blast!

 

[usvi diver]

Thank you both for the info! I really appreciate it!

 

[k3nnyp]

How about GA Aquarium? You can dive there tanks and just have to drive downtown.

 

[holley123]

There is a spot in panama in the state park. It's like a man made rock pile with sea urchins all over it and all kinds of fish and crabs. We went last year and I caught a gigantic arrow crab and a couple damsel fish. It's no coral reef by no means but it's good for panama

 

[kkcrowe]

depending on what you are really looking for, the various Florida Springs are options, as well. I have dove Ginnie Springs several times. But, if you are not certified to dive the cave system, there isn't a lot of diving besides the "ballroom", a large one-way in, one-way out cavern. Rainbow river is further south and is a spring-fed river that is done as a drift dive. There are several others, too.

As the others have said, the Keys will give you tons of options from Key Largo to Key West, if you are interested. I have also dove out of Punta Gorda and had some fun east side Gulf diving. The dive boat I went out with is no longer in operation, but there might be others. Kind of different; emerald green water, a sandy, barren bottom, and less visibility. But, any structure out there definitely draws life. My first dive out in the Gulf was a sunken tug boat about 10 miles out of Punta Gorda. I was the fist to descend to the boat, swam around the hull, and came face-to-face with an ~450 lb Goliath Grouper in that murky green water! What a treat! Lots of great barracuda and smaller Goliath Groupers were there, as well.

Then you have a lot of diving on the West Coast; West Palm Beach and similar, but I haven't dove on that side yet.

You also may want to consider perusing scubaboard.com, as you could likely get some better info from locals there.

Kevin

Edit: also, to give you an idea of the unbelievable visibility in Florida's Springs, my picture here was taken in Ginnie Springs. Practically a giant aquarium...

Edit: sorry, had just woken up after a late night. Obviously, I meant West Side diving from Punta Gorda and East Side from West Palm Beach and others. Just caught that..

 

[tobyte1]

Holley123;753474 wrote: There is a spot in panama in the state park. It's like a man made rock pile with sea urchins all over it and all kinds of fish and crabs. We went last year and I caught a gigantic arrow crab and a couple damsel fish. It's no coral reef by no means but it's good for panama

That's the jettys at St. Andrews park. Fun diving but don't hit it when the tides are coming in or out......