Recommended fresh water dive on drive down to the keys?

heydn62

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• Apr 1, 2011

• #1

Is there a good place to stop for a fresh water dive somewhere midway between Atlanta and the Keys? Will be making the drive soon to dive with my daughter who was certified in October and has not had a chance to dive since. Would like to let her put on the gear and get comfortable again before she jumps off the boat in Key Largo. Don't want to go out of our way too much, but if there's somewhere convenient, it might be a good way to break up the drive. I did my certification at Blue Grotto and that may be an option, but wondered what else may be worth stopping for. We won't have our own tanks, so it'd have to be some place where we could rent them. Would appreciate any recommendations.

 

Buoyant1

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• Apr 2, 2011

• #2

I'm not sure of anything on the way, I think most of the freshwater dives are further west, but don't take that as gospel....but one thing you should do when you get to Key Largo is MAKE SURE that the dive op knows that she's very new to the sport and make sure you do a nice easy reef dive (or something like Christ of the Abyss) to let her get her feet wet so to speak. Most op's understand newbie divers and will accommodate you.

Good luck, and have fun!



actually, I'd be curious to know if there was something not too far off the beaten path from I95...I always thought that a good spring dive would rinse the salt off of my gear even better than the buckets and hoses do....

 

cudachaser

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• Apr 2, 2011

• #3

Just off I-75 in the Gainesville/Ocala are Ginnie Springs, Blue Grotto, Devil's Den & Paradise Springs to name a few

Joe

 

LakeCountyDiver

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• Apr 2, 2011

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Yes there is a lot of good places. You have like you said Blue Grotto and also Devils Den. The Den would be a great choice because it is shallow and novice diver friendly. I would not recommend Paradise for your daughter it is 100% Cavern and not for new divers.

A little further south of me in Avon Park you have Lake Denton which is Perfect for your daughter. It is very clear and has a whole navigation course and sunkin boats to see and maxes at 45ft.

If you are looking for a guide please PM me.. The Scuba Gym loves working with kids so it would be a blast.

 

sportxlh

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• Apr 2, 2011

• #5

LakeCountyDiver:

A little further south of me in Avon Park you have Lake Denton which is Perfect for your daughter. It is very clear and has a whole navigation course and sunkin boats to see and maxes at 45ft.

Click to expand...

This is probably a stupid question, but one I've wondered about. Are there alligators in Lake Denton?

 

LakeCountyDiver

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• Apr 2, 2011

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sportxlh:

This is probably a stupid question, but one I've wondered about. Are there alligators in Lake Denton?

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No that is nothing you have to worry about. I dive in many of the local spots here that are infested with gators and never see any. they are more scared of you believe it or not. Have you ever heard of a diver being attacked by a gator?

Lake denton is a great place to go it is clear and full of fish...

 

sportxlh

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• Apr 2, 2011

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LakeCountyDiver:

Have you ever heard of a diver being attacked by a gator?

...

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I know it does not happen often (just like shark attacks don't happen often) but I believe that Wesley Skiles, the famous photographer, was once bitten by an alligator while on assignment for Nat'l Geographic.

Alligators just freak me out. Give me sharks and morays and stingrays any day.

 

PatW

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• Apr 2, 2011

• #8

I dove at one of the local springs. There was a gator there. It was not really that big about 6'. It was after the plescostimus cats that infest the place. The cats are exotics. They are in many Florida springs having been released there by aquarium owners.

 

M

moneysavr

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• Apr 2, 2011

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I think Blue Grotto, or Devils den offer a great warm up to diving easy of entry,tanks on site ect,, it all works! but go early!!
We hit Troy Sprigs,Manatee on the way down but with any type of rains call first as they flood out, The springs like Blue Grotto and DD do not ,and the parks do not offer rental equipment we come down ready to dive anything!
safe trip!

 

jimw

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• Apr 2, 2011

• #10

I used to drive I-75 regularly before I moved to Florida. If I remember correctly, Ginny Springs is a little closer than most of the other choices. I would stay overnite at Ginny or nearby--maybe even 2 nites.