Does any know the Daytona area?

[costi]

right-on costi,I've heard for 20 years now how the diving here has bad vis,no fish whatever...I dive blackwater for fossils 30 minutes away,springs and caves are 2 hours,green inshore diving is a 20 minute boat ride out, to 2 hours to the continental shelf and sometimes 150'+ vis.A lot od so-called divers get in maybe 20 dives a year and only as babysat resort cattleboat divers.They then pontificate on this reg or that fin and this reef or that operation.That's why I don't rely on Rodales or Undercurrent for any useful info either.
Marineland is a cool dive,as is Epcot,Blue springs etc all within 2 hrs.
BTW my good dive criteria are similar to yours.Good friends,fun,sights and safely home.

Thanks for the info.
Checked out some of your gallery...nice fish!
You seem to be a bit miffed at the bad rap your neck of the woods is getting as I probably would be also if my area was being getting verbally abused. On the other hand, I don't know if you are being fair putting us divers who have logged only 20 dives a year into a category of so called divers. While I may be out of the water more than I wish, I am constantly growing through reading, listening, and observing during those in-between times when the opportunity isn't there to blow bubbles.
The quantity of dives doesn't necessarilly make the diver unless the proper attitude is present.
Again thanks for the info and sorry if I misinterpreted your last post

 

[100days-a-year]

No costi,not you buddy.I should have made the distinction to those who pontificate.

 

[costi]

No costi,not you buddy.I should have made the distinction to those who pontificate.

I think you made the prior distinction...I missed it. Sorry and thanks again for the info. all of you.
I'll check the leads given me so that when I do come down I'll have a game plan. Who knows....maybeI'll have a chance to meet some of ya. Feel free to give me a shout if you come up to Southern Maine. I'm planning my vacation time this summer with diving in mind but if our schedules don't jive I can at least direct you to a good group of fellow divers who like to see the circle grow.
Bob C

 

[aue-mike]

any more and I believe divers would just go further south to avoid the high cost. In the mid atlantic however, there really is no alternative place to dive as Florida is too far away and outweighs the cost. I hope that makes sense.....

not really. instead of paying an additional $10-20 (if that), you are saying it makes sense to spend much more than that in gas for your car to drive to south florida (and back) to dive?

and why would you want an alternative to the mid-atlantic? there is some incredible diving off maryland, virginia, north carolina -- frankly the entire eastern seaboard. people need to stop listening to "experts" and reading industry rags and go explore for themselves. you might just be shocked to find a jewel in your own backyard.

 

[costi]

What?! I have been diving the Northeast Florida coast for about five years now off my boat from Daytona to Jacksonville and I can tell you first hand costi, Northeast Florida diving is not just ok. Sure your normal day is only going to give you about 40 ft of vis and less this time of year, but why judge a dive based soley on the vis? The big reason I like Northeast FL diving is its unpredictable nature, you never know what you're going to see (mantas, whales, BIG sharks, turtles, I could go on). The amount of marine life offshore of NE FL is second to none among all the places I've been diving.
The only problem with the diving here is that its a long boat ride out to all the good dive sites (15-30 miles). It creates a problem for the charters in that the fuel cost becomes very high so they all have to stay closer to shore where the meteocre spots are. I believe this is why so many people label NE FL diving as bad. Its like labeling the keys bad diving if the charters only dropped you off in the nearshore grass flats.
So I guess my point is, go ahead and try to dive Daytona (if the weather is good) and if possible try to dive some of the more offshore spots.

So who is a reputable outfit to dive with near Daytona/Smyrna...someone who wouldn't worry so much about the fuel as they would delivering divers to a good site?

 

[Reel Crazy14]

Well then maybe it isn't the fuel cost I guess, that was just my theory to why charters don't run far offshore. Maybe its time? Either way no charters that I know of except for maybe a 6 pack run farther than fifteen miles. Thats just the way it is here in NE FL and thats why I have my own boat.
As for a good Daytona charter, check out sea dogs