Planning a trip to Florida

Hei, I'm planning a one week vacation to south Florida in begin of December.

I'm travelling with my dad who does not dive and from this forum I've understood I should travel to the Keys for the most interesting dive sites with best visibility.

I just AOWD qualified in Mediterranean last summer and I'm quite novice what comes in to diving Unfortunately it looks like most (some?) dive operators in Florida charge up to $40-50 extra for guided dive tours. Now I am looking for recommendations on dive operators who can guide dives for free or a lot less than that. Paying extra for guidance with trip & equipment rental is quite expensive.

Should I book my dives for the weekend or for week-days? I'd like to dive for 3-4 days in two different locations.

I am also looking for a Mares equipment shop with repair service in Miami & Upper Keys area, could not find any with Google.

All help is appreciated!

Hi Joha,

The Keys does offer some really nice dives, and was actually where I recieved my certification. I personally use Conch Republic Divers whenever I go out on a charter down there. The crew is very friendly and is very knowledgeable of the dive sites in the area. As far as guides, am not really sure what you are looking for, but I don't think you really need one for most of the reefs you'll visit. Perhaps you might want one for some of the wrecks in which case the guide might point out some interesting things, but I wouldn't spend the extra money on it. Just buddy up with some one and just explore yourself. However, if you feel that you need the guide just to keep on eye on you just so that you don't get into trouble, then that's a different story, at which point you would have to decide whether or not you feel safe diving with another OW buddy, or prefer having the added safety of an instructor or DM.

Whether you should book on the weekend or week day probably doesn't make too much of a difference in the keys because of it being a tourist destination, but I would have to imagine there would be less people on the dive boats during the week. So if you'd like less crowds and on the boats and dive sites, then you should probably aim for the weekdays.

Diving in the keys can get costly due largely to the fact that almost all diving if not all, is done off a boat at $50-60 a charter . If you had a dive buddy or two you might consider renting a boat for the day and asking some of the locals for some close dive sites. This is something I have done plenty of times when I didn't have my boat down in the keys. But then again, I am very comfortable handling and navigating a boat.

You might consider diving by the coast of Broward county mainly near the Fort Lauderdale and Boca Raton area. There's a bunch of people on this board who dive quite frequently from the beach, including myself. This is an inexpensive way to get a bunch of nice dives during your stay down here. For myself, it costs about $5 (the cost for a tank of air) for a dive that lasts about 2 hours, but I also have all my gear. For you, it would probably cost about 30-40 for the gear per day plus the cost of air fills. If you are interested in wreck diving there are a ton of wrecks right off our coast.

http://dixiedivers.com has a link on the left for a ton of descriptions of dive sites including beach, reef and wreck around the south florida coast.

http://www.fillexpress.com/library/datura.shtml this page is a description of right next to where we dive ( one block north). Their website also has a bunch of information about dive sites in the area.

Hope this helps.

Bond

You should really fill out your profile so we know more about you!!

joha:

Hei, I'm planning a one week vacation to south Florida in begin of December.

Unfortunately it looks like most (some?) dive operators in Florida charge up to $40-50 extra for guided dive tours. Now I am looking for recommendations on dive operators who can guide dives for free or a lot less than that.

Click to expand...

If you are diving alone, this is a GREAT place to hook up with people who may be interested in diving with you. Maybe you can score some buddies here, just by posting trip dates, and the diveOps you are bookiing with!

You did not say what you are interested in diving (wrecks/reefs?). If you dive reefs in the Upper Keys, you will not need a guide, but you will need a buddy. The DiveOp will assign you a buddy, or put you with another couple.

This can be good, or bad depending upon who they hook you up with! I was with a couple diving for two dives out of Key Largo. While they were good people to dive with, they guy sucked down air at an alarming rate, and it ment that my BT was cut from 60 minutes to 45 on both dives.

Your other option is to hire a DM, but don't count on finding one for less than the going rate.

joha:

Should I book my dives for the weekend or for week-days? I'd like to dive for 3-4 days in two different locations.

Click to expand...

I'd book dives when you can!!! Keep in mind that you can NOT depend upon good conditions for diving. In December I don't think you will have issues finding DiveOps with availablity especially during the week. I'd book what you are comfortable with, and if you get blown out for a day or two, maybe you can leave some room to help ensure that you get dives in.

Weekends will be more crowded, but I'd not worry too much about that as far as the diving goes.

joha:

I am also looking for a Mares equipment shop with repair service in Miami & Upper Keys area, could not find any with Google.

Click to expand...

Your Google must be having issues You can't spit in the Keys without hitting a Dive Shop or DiveOp!

http://www.florida-keys.fl.us/ypages/ypdive.htm

You may want to try DiversDirect First. They are bigger than most others, and may have more services, but I'm not local, so others can reply.

Have Fun, and Welcome to Scubaboard!!!

Like Ron is saying... diver's direct AKA world watersports is a Mares service center, and has several location in S Florida... Look for "world watersports" as the name of the store... There is one in Ft Lauderdale, near the airport... they are all over down here.

If you're not specifically heading to the keys... you should check out the reefs off of the coast between jupiter and ft lauderdale. It's more colorful than the keys. We often do drift dives with splashdown divers in boynton beach. They are GREAT... usually there's a "regular" on the boat who would be more than happy to show you the reef.

Hey Joha

In early December the Keys are your best option. I use Ocean Divers (http://www.oceandivers.com/) in Key Largo when I take my classes down...If you talk to the dive master while your loading up on the boat, he'll pair you someone who will give you a good tour...Weekdays are least crowded. They have a regular daily schedule of events.

Joe

I'll Plug Brent and Glenn from BlueWaterDivers.

Brent runs a class act, and while I only did two days of diving with them, they took good care of us. Brent was my divebuddy on the Grove as he loves to dive, and knew I did not have a ton of similar profiles in current. We drifted the Grove which made the dive less stressful, and is not something that most DiveOps will necessarily do. Brent and Glen where both laid back, and enjoyable to dive with.

http://www.bluewaterdiver.net/

I'm very sure BlueWaterDivers would take good care of you and make sure your dives are safe and enjoyable!

Thanks for the answers!

Glad to hear there is a possibility to get a dive buddy also from the charter boats too.
I don't still feel very confident with my diving skills so I prefer to dive with more experienced people instead of other newbies. But shallow reefs sound just as interesting as wrecks, I hope to get to experience both while in Florida. I'm especially fond of deep dropping walls or reef edges.

Looks like Divers Direct does not sell Mares Morphos BC. So far I've found Scuba Depot Florida offering it and other interesting items cheaply but they are located "far away". Generally scuba devices seem to be (a lot) cheaper in America than here in Europe.
I certainly have to visit Divers Direct too. On their web they advertise "fast" 10 business day repair service, too bad I cannot afford that slow annual gear check.

Now I have lots of more links to read. I think we'll stay close to Ft Lauderdale area for the first weekend and then drive south to Keys. Looks like Upper Keys is more recommended area to dive than Lower?

Upper Keys are definately better...a Divers Direct affiliate is right across the streetfrom Ocean Divers in Key Largo.

Joe

joha:

Now I have lots of more links to read. I think we'll stay close to Ft Lauderdale area for the first weekend and then drive south to Keys. Looks like Upper Keys is more recommended area to dive than Lower?

Click to expand...

The upper keys are better than the lower keys... definitely... also you should look at going a little more north of FLL and maybe do a day with splashdown divers out of boynton.

Check out their website... It's drift diving at it's best, with one of the best DM's around... It's definitely worth the 30 minute drive from downtown Ft. Lauderdale for a two tank trip... Friday's are always a wreck and a reef...

Howarde,

You keep on mentioning splashdown divers. I'm going to have to tag along with you next time you go. Hopefully Wilma doesn't destroy diving in the South East coast. It's pounding Cozumel right now, and Cancun is next. It's a shame, because Cozumel was truly gorgeous (underwater that is).