Orlando in Jan.

We'll be in Orlando on Jan. 20, hopefully will arrive the night before. If possible, we would like to dive before getting on our cruise ship the next day. Maybe there are some of you who live in that area who we could get together with and dive. We would need to be back at our hotel by 5:00 pm- does anyone have suggestions?

Foo

Do you want salt or fresh water? There are both springs dives and Atlantic dives within driving distance of Orlando

Have you already booked the hotel? Where is your boat out of? What time does your flight come in (what time would you be free after)?

Blue Springs is nearest (40 mins), there is some salt diving in New Smyrna Beach (1 hour-1.25), Then the Ocala bunch, Paradise, Blue Grotto or Devils Den (~1-1.5 hours), beyond that is at least 2 hours drive each way to say Jupiter, WPB or the like.

I'll know more tomorrow about the travel details. I probably jumped the gun, trying to make plans before I knew anything. I'm just excited to be coming to Florida, lol. I thought I wouldn't be there until next June (Key West), but my husband won a cruise in a contest at work, so we'll be coming in late Jan. also.

We already had a family trip planned for our Christmas treat for the Jan 1-6, through our LDS, and will be diving with our local dive friends during the cruise in Coz & Riviera Maya area. My boss was pretty cool about it when I told him that I needed to take off again a week and half later after the first trip, eeeeks!

As far as salt/vs. springs, you tell me? I only have 34 dives and my husband has 50+. He is AOW, I'm OW. We're not cave or penetration trained, nor do we have aspirations to be. Have dived some in Texas swamps and rivers, and some in the caribbean. We're in our late 40's, in fairly decent shape, but certainly not olympic athletes. I'm open to your suggestions. I'm thinking something fairly easy and close would be most in order, since we need to be back early.

I'll fill in the travel details asap. Offer suggestions as to first-time Florida dives? Thanks!!
Foo

The only reason i ask where you are staying etc, is to do with where you can dive on that free day. If you are cruising out of Canaveral, Orlando is your best place to stay, but your options are more limited. If you are cruising out of Port Everglades then i would head south and take in some nice drift diving or shore diving. The springs are good, they will be 72F year round, the salt will be colder and there is always the chance of fronts moving through and disrupting things. The springs range from places with a little cavern, to caverns that lead to caves or just open basins (although not too many of these). The cost can be anything from $5-10pp for state parks to $30pp for a commercial site (Ocala bunch). Dive boats run $50-60 depending on area. Let us know when you know more.

Wow! Excellent summation Simon!

Oh another thought, if you are flying into Orlando and going out of Canaveral, and wanted to see the pretty reefs in the SE it would be a 2.5-3 hour drive south on the turnpike. You could stay overnight down there and drive back up to Canaveral on I-95, which would be another 1.5-2 hour drive from wherever you stay if in the SE. If you drive from Orlando out to Canaveral its about 45mins-1hour, so you can do an out and back to the SE then to the port, or a nice triangular course - can even work navigation into this

simbrooks:

Oh another thought, if you are flying into Orlando and going out of Canaveral, and wanted to see the pretty reefs in the SE it would be a 2.5-3 hour drive south on the turnpike. You could stay overnight down there and drive back up to Canaveral on I-95, which would be another 1.5-2 hour drive from wherever you stay if in the SE. If you drive from Orlando out to Canaveral its about 45mins-1hour, so you can do an out and back to the SE then to the port, or a nice triangular course - can even work navigation into this

Click to expand...

LOL, why don't we just meet for drinks???

Sounds much simpler...

Foo:

LOL, why don't we just meet for drinks???

Sounds much simpler...

Click to expand...

No no no, we can get you wet when you get here, one site or another, drinks are post-dive Sorry if i bombarded you with options, just trying to let you know what is possible from wherever you choose to base yourself out of.

Simon,

I do thank you for trying to help me so well!!! I have found out where we're staying, but still not sure when we'll be arriving- hopefully I'll know that by tomorrow. We'll be at the Amerisuites Orlando Airport Northwest. It's not an option for us to stay anywhere else, as this is a corporate thing. The group that my husband is in is supposed to arrive on Thurs the 20th, but we're trying to arrange flights for ourselves that will arrive on the night before (19th). Yes, we cruise out of Canaveral.

I read about the aquarium dives at Epcot, too bad they start so late (4:30 afternoon is the earliest), because we do have to be back at our hotel by 5:00 so we can make the first party, LOL. The springs sound pretty cool, although my first thought was ocean, since we'll actually be near one! I've seen some pics of some of the springs, they look very beautiful. Cavern openings would be great, but I don't want to ruin someone elses good time because we're not cave divers. We don't have lights, but could probably scrounge some up.

Again, I do really thank you for taking an interest and trying to help us! I'm glad you asked all the questions, because I'm learning more about the type of diving that yall do. I'm thinking that the 2-3 hr away trips are going to be too far, an hour or so would be the max really.

Foo