Vacationing in Tampa...

[PalatkaBoy]

I will be there with the family this year from June 22nd - 27th and want to dive a couple of days. So if you locals can recommend operators and dive locations, it would be much appreciated. I was scheduled to go diving there in February with a few of you but that trip was cancelled. So if anyone has time to go diving during the week, please let me know.

 

[Splash-X]

Dive Clearwater out of Clearwater Beach is a good operation. I usualy go out on this boat and have a great time.

Welcome To Dive Clearwater!

There are some operators to the north, such as Narcosis Scuba. I have not been out with them but I recently worked the DEMA Be A Diver show with other area scuba shops and met the operators. Very friendly too.

Welcome to Narcosis Scuba Center

To the south there are boats that leave out of Maderia but I just don't know which ones they are.



There is a forum member, Chad Carney, who has a dive boat. Not sure if he's still taking people out. His phone is 727-423-7775 and his site is:

Florida Skin Diver


Diving in the Gulf is good on some days and crap on others. It isn't like vacation diving in the Keys, Bahamas or anything like that but it is some decent diving when the conditions are good.


Most of the best ocean diving is in the Keys (~6 hours from Tampa) or Jupiter / West Palm Beach (4 hours). We have some springs to the north (1-2 hours) that are great fresh water diving.

People from all over the country come to Crystal River to dive. We take open water students there during their checkout dives. Very nice place, the kids can snorkel down the river. It's about 1.5 hours to the north. American Pro Dive Center is who we usualy use up that way.

Snorkel Manatee Tours here in crystal river


Welcome to Tampa and have a great time! I work M-F otherwise I would offer to be a dive buddy or guide.

 

[Razz]

My family and I are in the same boat however we will be staying in Cocoa Beach the end of June and early July. We come down to Cocoa Beach twice a year. I have been doing some preliminary reading about the various sites and it looks like West Palm Beach is a decent site with several operators there. My son and I may sign up for the advanced open water course there as well. I hope you have a good experience.

 

[K Mejean]

Capt. Ty here on the board is a great Capt. out of St. Pete. He runs a great operation but he stays booked so its tough to get on his boat. There is also two boats out of Bradenton that I like. Scuba Quest runs them. They have a shop in Brandon that I DM for. The manager is also a member of the board. His name is Brandon. They run charters every day of the week. You can book through the local shop and just go down there to dive. They are a full service shop so they have tanks and rental gear if you need it. The local number is (813) 654-8027. Just give them a call and tell them your dates and they will hook you up. If you have any other questions just give me a yell. I will do my best to help you out.

 

[Splash-X]

My family and I are in the same boat however we will be staying in Cocoa Beach the end of June and early July. We come down to Cocoa Beach twice a year. I have been doing some preliminary reading about the various sites and it looks like West Palm Beach is a decent site with several operators there. My son and I may sign up for the advanced open water course there as well. I hope you have a good experience.

In WPB one of the best operators/shops around is the Jupiter Dive Center. Staff is great boat leaves from the shop parking lot. It's tough to beat them!

Jupiter Dive Center, Scuba diving lessons at a PADI 5 Star facility, daily scuba diving trips in Jupiter, Florida.

 

[PalatkaBoy]

Thanks to all for the feedback.

 

[califdiver67]

I am in clearwater beach several weeks a year and have gone with Narcossis and Dive Clearwater, both excellent operators.

Narcossis is a top notch operation with excellent dive masters, catering to all skill levels. The dive master is great and the owner of the operation is really helpful and their store has a good selection of stuff.

Even though I like Narcossis, I am now exclusively diving with Dive Clearwater - the boat is only a 9 minute walk from my condo - I roll out of bed 15 minutes before check in time! The operation is great and the boat is set up perfectly. The captain is very good. I am a spearfisherman and the captain is very helpful with regulations and is very strict regarding following the rules. Finally, as an advanced diver, I find just enough freedom to do my own thing.