Florida advice needed

With a 3 day weekend over New Year's weekend, I'm thinking about driving to Florida for a single day of diving. From Mississippi, I'll invest a full day driving each way. Where would the best destination be to find a charter new years day for a quality dive?

Depends. You have the Gulf and you have the Atlantic. You have the central Florida springs and you have the Keys. You have reefs, fossils, caves, tunnels, shipwrecks, and you have drifts. You have the Gulf Stream. You have walk-ins and you have boats. You have depths from 30' to who knows how deep. There are LOTS of destinations, all offering something a little different.

What type of diving are you imagining?

You're gambling coming to Ft Lauderdale as your not guaranteed great sea conditions this time of year. Could be flat as a lake with 100 ft of vis or could be 6-8 ft seas.

Lee, I'm imagining 100' viz with gentle drifts down miles of pristine coral accompanied by turtles, mantas, and mermaids in 78* water....I'll be tickled with a boat dive that doesn't get blown out after I've driven 10-13 hours one-way for a single day.

diver86,

Given your location and time constraints, here's some info.

With a long weekend, from MS (not sure where in MS), Pensacola is your first, best bet. Here you have charter opportunities (weather permitting), shore diving possibilities and great food, fun and lodging.

Next option are the springs around Ponce De Leon. 2 to choose from, each with much to recommend.

Beyond there, Destin, Panama City and Port St. Joe. You won't get farther than that on a long weekend, and those three will be a bit of a stretch even so. You won't make Ft. Laud., the Atlantic or the Keys on a dare.

Sooo, back to Pensacola, we have a number of charter operations that will be happy to have you aboard, weather and numbers permitting. There are several good shore dive options for either of the likely weather scenarios, and it's a close, nice, affordable destination for a long weekend. Good stuff for kids and family, if you've got 'em and a fun place if you don't.

Send me a PM, or call. I'd be happy to share more info on the options, if you are interested.

Capt. Jim
Dr Dive
Dr Dive Pensacola, FL - Home of the USS Oriskany
drdive@drdive.com

If I was in your location, being as I like to dive ships, I'd go to Orange Beach, AL and dive the Oriskany. But that's just me.

If you don't mind coming down to Key Largo, Florida, we would be glad to help you find a dive or two.

Captain Slate's Atlantis Dive Center, Key Largo, FL

Hope you enjoy your time diving in Florida, Cheers!

Depends if you want to drive 4 hours or 14 hours. On the gulf i reccomend pensacola or destin, if you want to go to sofla might as well go to key largo

diver 86:

...to find a charter new years day for a quality dive?

Click to expand...

10 -13 hour drive from Miss, 100 ft of viz, 70 something temps, & New Year's Morning boat scheduled to go out ???

Jupiter, Florida

Yep they run January one.