St Augustine

TyGuy · Jan 9, 2012

My parents just bought a place in sunny St. Augustine. ive had family here but now i have a place that i can call home (and leave some gear at) i live up in new england and have done some lobstering and done tons of dives in those frigid new england waters. i was curious was the shore diving was like in the area or if theres any local boats that go out frequently. im an assistant PADI instructor and im really just looking to get out in some water warmer than 50 degrees.

also curious on what the rules and regulations are on lobstering and other shellfish (blue crab especially)

sportxlh · Jan 10, 2012

TyGuy:
...............also curious on what the rules and regulations are on lobstering........

You'll need a fishing license and lobster endorsement to go lobstering. When you buy your lobster gear, you'll pick up an underwater gauge to measure the lobster before you bag it. Regular lobster season runs from August 6-March 31. Most counties allow you to bag 6 lobsters per day during the regular season. Mini season is the last consecutive Wed and Thursday in July: I believe the limit is 12 per day during mini-season. Someone can correct me on the following if I am wrong, but I believe the lobsters must be brought to shore intact (everyone I know does this, but I not sure if that is simply a local practice or a regulation): you can peel the tail off once you’re off the boat.

mcgowman · Jan 10, 2012

Lobster and Blue Crab regulations are here:
Recreational Blue Crabbing
Spiny Lobster - Panulirus argus

SportXLH is correct, you must return to shore with the lobster intact.

Also, I'm not sure where all the protected 'no take zones' are located, but am pretty sure once you've harvested your catch, you cannot stop inside a 'no take zone' (even if harvested elsewhere). You can transit through the zone, but cannot stop.

TyGuy · Jan 11, 2012

thanks for the info guys, appreciate it. ill be coming back in march and most likely living here for most of the summer. any recommendations for shops in the area to go to for fills or charters? i love diving new england but ill take any excuse to get out of my drysuit

sportxlh · Jan 11, 2012

I don't know of any dive boats up that way (not saying there are not any either). Once you get north of Jupiter, the gulf stream moves farther off shore, by St Augustine, it is quite a bit off shore. When not diving in or near the gulf stream, Florida waters can be very chilly (especially in the winter) so you might want to bring your dry suit with you!! Many divers from St. Augustine or Cocoa Beach rountinely come down to Jupiter or WPB to dive.

There is one SB member from Jacksonville that posts periodically, 100days-a-year, maybe he can point you in the right direction. This is his SB profile page: you might want to PM him. View Profile: 100days-a-year - ScubaBoard

darushin · Jan 12, 2012

TyGuy:
thanks for the info guys, appreciate it. ill be coming back in march and most likely living here for most of the summer. any recommendations for shops in the area to go to for fills or charters? i love diving new england but ill take any excuse to get out of my drysuit

I live in St. Augustine. There is a five star padi shop called sea hunt scuba there. They are a good outfit that runs trips every thursday to dive somewhere. They can provide nitrox and air fills as well as service on most types of gear. There is also divers supply in north jax about 45 mins north. As far as charters go there is one that i know of out of jax called off shore scharters. They ok, wouldnt recommend them though. Otherwise to the south you have sea dogs in new symrna. They run boats everyday and they are a pretty good group of guys to run with.

If you want pm me and i can help you more.

Daru

100days-a-year · Jan 12, 2012

Post on the spearfishing board here and spearboard,spearfishing planet.Private boats are usually the way to go but Seadog does well to the south.Atlanticprodivers here in Jax beach runs charters too.WTs offshore stay in the 60s over winter and near 70 attimes.Vis is variable from nada to over 100' depending on a lot of factors.Bugs average #6-8 here and tails will weigh from #1-2.Blue crab can be caugh recreationally but a boat helps there too.St.A has a couple natural wrecks and about 20 artificial sites but they are packed during the summer.You can see sand tigers on the artificials in 70' to 100' right now when there's vis.GWs also make random rare appearances...figure on $50-&100 on private boats for gas and your fills.

St Augustine

Please register or login

TyGuy

Contributor

sportxlh

Contributor

mcgowman

Contributor

TyGuy

Contributor

sportxlh

Contributor

darushin

Contributor

100days-a-year

Contributor

Similar threads