Drift Diving West Palm Beach

[CRAZYBOBC]

Planning on diving off WPB I know its drift diving, but what does that mean exactly. I am newly cert PADI OW. I just bought the Sony Marine pack for my P100 camera, will I be able to "practice" with it on a drift dive or does the current take you so fast you really dont have time. Do I need special training to dive off WPB, would I be better diving somewhere else to try my new camera set up. I will be in Orlando, but will drive to treasure coast or similar for a dive opportunity.
Thanks for the help/suggestions

 

[gfisher4792]

Dive boat drops you off, you drift with the current along the reef, boat picks you when you come up (very excellent idea to have surface marker to shoot up while doing your safety stop). As far as first experience drift diving, talk to the DM about your concerns (preferably both when you make reservations and before you board). Sorry, no experience shooting while drift diving. Maybe you'll want to go the extra mile(s) and hit Key Largo?

 

[UB]

You are suppose to follow a dive master who has a line with a bouy attached. The dive boat follows the bout as you drift along the reef.

Used my MM MX10 no problem. Just be careful to follow the dive master. You can easily distracted trying to get a good shot an lose track of the group.

See my gallery - They were taken on a drift dive.

 

[detroit diver]

The first time I did a drift dive, I was a bit apprehensive about the currents.

Now, drift diving is one of my favorite ways to dive. Other than stopping to look at something, you just float along with the current. It's very relaxing.

I've even done a drift dive on a wreck. They drop you off upstream from it, and you cruise into the wreck. Hang around for a while, then float off again to be picked up downstream. You've got to use an SMB or float marker for this, as the group has a tendency to drift a ways apart.

 

[baitedstorm]

As a DM in WPB, I usually find out what my group wants. If people want to take pictures, we usually go pretty slow. All the reefs here run North and South and there is normally a North current so, as long as you stay on the edge of the reef (that's where all the life is) the group will always keep meeting up should I stop with the photographer. As for the current, it really depends. Last Tuesday the current was ripping to the point that catching bugs was a great challenge (actually, staying in one place to catch them was the most difficult) went back out on Wednesday, and there was almost nothing. On average, we have a pretty mild current. If you have any more questions or concerns that I might be able to help you out with, please feel free to send me a pm.

Cheers,
Vickie

 

[Tom Winters]

Hey Crazybob - if you want to get some great underwater video, make sure that you're very comfortable in the water first. You start off doing a drift dive and adjusting your equipment, then trying to video a fish, then messing with something else - before you know, you're having a lousy dive and getting lousy shots.
Do a couple of drift dives, dial your gear in, and then take the camera the next day, or the day after - if and when you feel ready and you're comfortable with your diving abilities. Plus, if you leave the camera on the boat, you'll be guaranteed to see all sorts of outstanding marine life.
Stormy, when the current is really ripping up there off Juno, I take one of those little $20 steel grappling anchors to latch onto the bottom while I'm flying past, although my lobster catching technique is so smooth and sublime that they have NO chance.

 

[baitedstorm]

Stormy, when the current is really ripping up there off Juno, I take one of those little $20 steel grappling anchors to latch onto the bottom while I'm flying past, although my lobster catching technique is so smooth and sublime that they have NO chance.

I was using one and it took all the strenth just to hold on to the damn thing (there weren't any ledged for me to tuck up in to get out of the current, just a lot of rubble). It doesn't help that I'm really aweful at bugging in the first place. (still learning with a lot of trial and error )

 

[moneysavr]

Planning on diving off WPB I know its drift diving, but what does that mean exactly. I am newly cert PADI OW.

Hey Bob,
The drift dive is a blast,as Tom said do a few dives to get all your stuff down,then do a dive with the cam. to do this on your first dive may be a bit over tasking.
But you will have a great time,I took down a $40.00 case and threw a digital in it,and darn the pics turned out great!
try to take all your pics as close as you can get 2'-3'Max,and if you can shoot into the reef/or up into it the flash lights up much more!
Have a blast,
Brad

 

[jsbromley]

As a DM in WPB, I usually find out what my group wants. If people want to take pictures, we usually go pretty slow.

Vickie,

Would you be able to reccomend any charters in the WPB area? My friends and I may be heading that way in May/June. I have dove there before, but that was 1986. I would appreciate any information that you could give me.

Thanks,

 

[baitedstorm]

Vickie,

Would you be able to reccomend any charters in the WPB area? My friends and I may be heading that way in May/June. I have dove there before, but that was 1986. I would appreciate any information that you could give me.

Thanks,

I like almost all of the local Palm Beach Charters. Any of them are good. I'm really like my boat the best though ..... Palm Beach Dive Charter there's our link. I'm in the water with every group. My Captain is amazing, fun but safe, nice drops so no sand diving on his boat. If you send me a pm with your address, I'd be more than happy to send you a little Florida care package with dive info.