Trip With Toddler

[LimitedSlip7]

Looking to take a week long trip with our 15 month old at the end of August. Wife wants a nice beach that we can take our daughter out on and find shells n stuff, build some sandcastles, etc. I'll probably get to break away for maybe 2-3 days of diving. I've heard the reefs around Florida aren't in good shape, so I guess I'd like to find some wrecks, groupers, sharks, etc. Ideally I'd like to go out on a few 2-tank morning boat dives then be back around 1-2pm. Would prefer to go out with a shop as I won't be packing all of my gear, just reg/mask/computer and will need to rent some stuff. Haven't dove since a Galapagos liveaboard in Sept but shouldn't be too rusty, maybe one dive to get back into it...

I was thinking either mid-Florida and spend a day or two at the space center checking stuff out and hoping to catch a launch, then over to the Gulf or down South a bit. Doesn't look like there is much diving on the gulf side?

Other option would be Key Largo and just spending the whole time down there.

Any recommendations on where to start looking?

Thanks!

 

[edwants2dive]

Looking to take a week long trip with our 15 month old at the end of August. Wife wants a nice beach that we can take our daughter out on and find shells n stuff, build some sandcastles, etc. I'll probably get to break away for maybe 2-3 days of diving. I've heard the reefs around Florida aren't in good shape, so I guess I'd like to find some wrecks, groupers, sharks, etc. Ideally I'd like to go out on a few 2-tank morning boat dives then be back around 1-2pm. Would prefer to go out with a shop as I won't be packing all of my gear, just reg/mask/computer and will need to rent some stuff. Haven't dove since a Galapagos liveaboard in Sept but shouldn't be too rusty, maybe one dive to get back into it...

I was thinking either mid-Florida and spend a day or two at the space center checking stuff out and hoping to catch a launch, then over to the Gulf or down South a bit. Doesn't look like there is much diving on the gulf side?

Other option would be Key Largo and just spending the whole time down there.

Any recommendations on where to start looking?

Thanks!

I would say the nicer beaches for shelling are on the gulf side for sure. The better diving is on the Atlantic side. Also you would be surprised at how nice the reefs are between Jupiter and Ft. Lauderdale. There are tons of ops out of that area and you can do wrecks and reefs on the same trip sometimes.

 

[LimitedSlip7]

I would say the nicer beaches for shelling are on the gulf side for sure. The better diving is on the Atlantic side. Also you would be surprised at how nice the reefs are between Jupiter and Ft. Lauderdale. There are tons of ops out of that area and you can do wrecks and reefs on the same trip sometimes.

Any particular dives or dive ops you would recommend? I've heard Florida dive ops are very hands off, do you own thing. I'd prefer a more valet dive op like Coz with a DM or someone in the water who knows the area...

 

[MrChen]

Most dive ops in Jupiter and Riviera Beach put DM's in the water. Pura Vida Divers put two DM's in the water on the shallow 60ft reef trip last weekend.

 

[CosbySweater]

The diving in east central Florida is not good. Gulf side diving is also not good unless you like to hunt. If you want to dive in Florida and enjoy the beach, south east Florida is your best option. Specifically Jupiter, Singer Island/West Palm Beach, Boynton, Deerfield Beach, Pompano, and Key Largo (hard pass on Miami area diving). This is a large area so there are lots of options.

I’d recommend West Palm Beach/singer island area. Good mix of pretty beaches and good diving. Dive operators in the area who put guides in water with you include Pura Vida, Narcosis, and Walkers.

Boynton Beach is another good option. Dive operators in the area include Starfish Scuba and South Florida Dive Headquarters.

Jupiter is also great but generally requires advanced open water + nitrox certs. Operators in Jupiter include Jupiter Dive Center, Kyalami, and Scuba Works.

All these operators will put a DM in the water and will provide good service to out of town or “rusty” divers. Reefs are pretty but they are not Bonaire or Roatan quality. Plenty of wrecks in the area to explore as well.

 

[Belzelbub]

The Keys would be good for diving, but not so good for beaches. The better beaches are definitely on the Gulf side.

I know some say that the diving is not that great in the Gulf. I say it depends. You won't be getting Caribbean like clarity, but diving can still be good. I'm in the Tampa Bay area, and see plenty of dive shops and some charters around. There really is no shortage of dive shops in the area. While I use my own boat for diving, I regularly see the dive charters going out. So, someone is diving off of them.

In the Pinellas area, I've heard good things about 2Shea diving charters. They offer both hunting and non-hunting trips.
A little further south (Venice area) the draw is shark tooth / fossil dives. Aquanutz and Aristakat charters are some of the better known ones, though I haven't used either before.

 

[scubadada]

I'm with @CosbySweater and would recommend Palm Beach/Singer Island. I have used all three operators mentioned and like them all. They all put in a guide with a flag. I have a townhouse just north of Boynton Beach so can't help with accommodations. @Divin'Papaw may be able to make some recommendations.

The reef in Boynton Beach is very nice but none of the operators put in a guide.

 

[Dan G]

+1 thinking Singer Island is a good base for your trip. I did not spend much time on the beach there, but it did seem nice when I walked there at night. There are VRBO/Air BnB rentals and hotel resorts available. You can dive Blue Heron Bridge which is minutes away as well as dive off a boat in the immediate area. Singer is about 30 mins from Jupiter. We hired a guide for our first BHB experience, which I definitely recommend doing. A nice thing about Singer is that it seemed family friendly (I wasn't there with my kids) and is not over priced like the Keys.

As far as "valet service" such as offered in Cozumel, I am unsure what you can expect even if you hire a private guide. For example, I don't know if they will set up your ger or change it over between dives like the DMs do in Cozumel if you want them to. I suggest asking the various shops already mentioned.

 

[scubadada]

As per @Dan G

Pura Vida, Walker's Dive Charters, and Narcosis are not valet dive operations in the Caribbean sense. However, they are very helpful and will give you any assistance you need. You will set up and change over your own gear.

A guided dive at BHB is a good idea if the high tide time works out for your family schedule. You will need rental gear for that also. You can get gear from Pura Vida or Force-E, both very close. You can arrange a guide through either shop or see if SB favorite, @Scuba_Jenny may be available to take you. There is a separate thread that contains a lot of interesting information regarding the BHB

Blue Heron Bridge Trolls III

Here are some pics from 7/1, twilight dive, east side.

scubaboard.com

The BHB is currently under construction, but is still diveable

 

[LimitedSlip7]

Thanks for all of the info! I have no problems setting up my own gear and changing it over, I was just wanting a guide in the water so I'm not attempting to navigate my own way around unfamiliar sites. I'll also be diving solo so it would help with that too...