Naples Florida - Diving ?

[Walter]

Emperor Angelfish

 

[ScubaThor]

The other responses are correct, Gulf will be cold. However if you have a 5 mil suit you will be comfortable. I live and dive in Naples year round. There are some great dives for new divers. The Kidd is an intact barge sitting upright in 40 - 60 feet of water. It is very popular with divers and fisherman so you have to arrive early before the fisherman. There are many others, you can find a partial list here: Naples Dive Spots There are no LDS that offer local trips except for one on Marco Island.

SCUBAdventures w/ Capt. Jeff Dawson
1141 Bald Eagle Dr.
Marco Island, FL 34145

When you get here you will want to check out a great dive shop and talk about local sites, check Naples Dive Center

You should seriously consider a quick trip to Ft Laud, or Key Largo, thats your best bet.

Hope that helps, e-mail me if you need more info.

gene

I had the pleasure of finishing my OW cert with Capt. Dawson and had a pretty good experience. There are definitely some shallow sites close to shore with decent marine life (Goliath Grouper, etc). Granted, you're talking to someone from Chicago who is used to murky and cold quarry water, but I thought it wasn't bad. Some spots do have some pretty strong currents. You haven't lived until you surface and your boat is a mile away.
Anyway, it may not be Ft. Lauderdale or the Keys, but it's water.