Pensacola Shore Dive trip: a new diver seeks advice

[Skeptic14]

Last time I was trying to dive in Florida I tried to dive the Blue Herring Bridge and it was pea soup. I couldn't see my hand 1ft in front of my face! (I really wish the dive shop there warned me about the water visibility 500yards from their door! I couldn't dive! AND they wouldn't give me a refund!!! Said that was standard practice everywhere.)

That's pretty lame, I wouldn't use that shop. When I go in to pick up tanks from my LDS they always ask what diving I'm planning on and what the conditions have/might be like.

Let me ask some more questions please. I looked at the forcast and saw a lot of rain for the week I planned on vacationing to the pan handle. There is a 90-40% chance of rain Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Friday according to the weather channel website.

Q) if you had family comming into town wanting to dive and the forecast looked like that, what would your expectations be and where might you dive? Would you change the previous suggestions? Would you go to inland springs? Would you maybe try to roadtrip several hours somewhere else? Would you still suspect it would be divable?

Also, I booked a dive with a charter for monday. Does anyone want to place odds that it will still be on?

If this were mid summer I'd say rain forecast isn't a big deal, patchy showers/storms almost every day isn't uncommon for stretches in the summer.

Some options if people are really wanting to dive are to look at the radar/forecast the night before and see if PCB, PCola might be better. Or if you can head to Vortex or even further east to Jackson Blue Springs. If you really want to get in the water you could drive further toward Crystal River area, Devil's Den is supposedly pretty cool and you could try snorkeling with the manatees.

What dive op are you booked with? Rain won't stop you from going out, but wind and lightning will, so it will depend, might be fine.

 

[Michael Gtr]

We booked a dive on Monday onboard the Reef Cleaner.

I just got into town! Gonna go find the dive show and see what they're heard about thw conditions.

 

[Michael Gtr]

Dive report for those interested.

Today we dove Vortex and Morrison.

Vortex was great! The shop people were friendly. We saw a bunch of fish! The water was 20C, viz was really good, 25+ ft.

We then went to morrison to check it out, i really wanted to see those trees and everything. The water was incredibly clear, more so than vortex even! The cavern had a lot of water coming out too. It was impressive watching it carry sticks and stuff up and out! Water was clear, 75+ vis, 20C temp.

I had planned to also dive st. andrews today too but we didn't finish our spring dives. I may have to do that tomorrow!

 

[Skeptic14]

Good to know that morrison was nice and clear even with river level at 6.5 feet. Did you go into the cavern at vortex or morrison and peak around a bit? See any eels?

 

[Michael Gtr]

Good to know that morrison was nice and clear even with river level at 6.5 feet. Did you go into the cavern at vortex or morrison and peak around a bit? See any eels?

Unfortunately we didn't see any eels and i really wanted to too! I made sushi for 7 years, it would have been nice to have seen an Unagi Roll in it's native habitat! Lol

We went as derp into vortex as the cave diving sign. At morrison the sign was gone and so we went a bit further.

Anyone else ever dive a spring, get dry mouth, and start to wonder? One of these days I want to dive a spring that's clean enough i can take a drink during a dive...

Now I'm trying to decide if i want to drive the 2 hours to St. Andrews or dive somewhere closer tomorrow.

 

[Lorenzoid]

That was a lucky break on Morrison visibility. Seven days ago it was totally green-brown. I have only seen pics of it in a clear state. Amazing how it can clear up in just one week.

 

[Michael Gtr]

Some of the other people daving said it had been really mucky the past few month but that the flow out of the cavern was extra strong.

Today we dove St Andrews jetty. It was a last minute decision to dive it, and we missed high tide, but i don't regret it. It was our first salt water dive so as you may expect i probably spent an hour in the kiddy pool getting my weights right and my boyance under control.

The visibility was 10-15 ft. We saw a bunch of soft sponges, fish, crabs, shells, everything it was talked up to be! I bet it would have been better deeper (twss) but being my first ocean dive i didn't make the 10 o'clock news for being carried out to sea. I think my favorite was the baby flounder!

Tomorrow i'm not sure where i'll dive. The charter was cancelled but i may have another lead on a different boat.

 

[TMHeimer]

The 3 times I've been there viz in the kiddy pool was always very good. Did you go over the rocks into the channel? I would assume no since you missed high tide. When I was there last month you could see OK down to about 25'. During that dive I was thinking of my upcoming (now present) dives here back home in 38F water. Wish I were back there.....

 

[Michael Gtr]

The water over rocks looked more clear from shore. Luckily the kiddie side had plenty of sights for me and more than enough current. I was happy to not push it.

We swam against the current for 35 min until i was down to a little under 2k in my tank. Then we then drifted back. Had i know the current would have gone that fast i'd have swam out until i was down to 600 and still made it back with 500! I feel i should make a disclaimer, "i was kidding. Don't do that"

What i found most shocking was how much weight i needed with my 5mm suit! Diving freahwater yesterday i needed 10lb. Diving salt i needed 22! I'll needed weights on my belt AND BC!

My desire to spend less time in the car has me thinking about just diving Pensacola Jettie/fort penkins tomorrow. The dive shop found another boat to my gf and I too so it looks like there will a wednesday boat dive!!!

 

[Michael Gtr]

Wednesday we dove with the Jolly Rodger Dive Charter. The captain and dive master were really great!

We dove two wrecks, the Tex Edwards and the Joe Patti.

The Joe Patti had a giant 6ft stingray swimming around.... which i didn't get to see..... because i got sick and was dry heaving in my regulator..... as i was comming up. It was terrifying.... and i can't wait to do it again with dramamine....