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the ball-n-chain and I are taking a family vacation to destin. Last year, we dove the jettie, in the 'discover scuba' ... of course, we were hooked, and now we are fully certified.
is there any other place that charters a dive in destin rater than the hour session at the jetty?
Yes, there is Emerold Coast Scuba and Scuba Tech. Both of these are nice shops, friendly and with good service. They both charter to various sites. There is good and bad, they love to dive the Bridge Rubble, over and over. It is close and quick. Request a dive to a wreck or another spot. The Bridge Rubble is an OK dive but once per vacation trip is enough for most. A few weeks back I went with Scuba tech to the Haywood and then Amberjack. Nice dives. I have dove with Emerold Coast as well. I recommend both. There is really more varied diving in Panama City or Pensecola in my opinion but Destin is fun too.
I usually take my own boat as we will be doing in about a week. It makes getting to places off the path easier. Have trailer boart, will travel.
If I were you and you have the dollars, I would schedule a trip out to the Oriskany or another less challenging site out of Pensecola with MBT Scuba in addition to a scuba charter out of Destin just for some variation. That way your guaranteed not to be on the Bridge Rubble for all of your dives.
BTW, I don't know what it is about that stupid Destin Finger Jetty but I love diving there for some reason, cannot explain it. I think I will just pull my boat around though, that hike is getting a bit much for old folks.
well ill defiantly do the jetty again... lik i said last time was just disovery scuba, so i didnt get to enjoy it..
1, the first time breathing uderwater was paniced
2. the face squeeze at 30foot was unbarable *i hought you had to have your mask o as tight as possible, i know diferent now haha*
I just ordered a strobe/g9 kit, so im hoping to learn it and take some photos ..in 2 weeks im diving th texas flower gardens so im anxious
but being a beginner diver, are the bridge/wreck sites a good addition
being a new diver... Scubatech runs trips often (too often) to the Miss Louise off Crystal Beach. it's a tug sunk in about 50 or 60 feet of water and is inshore. decent dive and shallow enough for comfort level for newer divers.
Click for the Google Earth map to see Destin sites. Then if you had a boat and a GPS, load data into GPS, start engine, drive to site, drop anchor--dive, dive, dive! Dont' have a boat?, all divers should have a boat.
JFYI, the Flower Gardens can be a challenge for new divers, current, depth, distance, seas, maybe consider Nitrox cert. as well.
JFYI, the Flower Gardens can be a challenge for new divers, current, depth, distance, seas, maybe consider Nitrox cert. as well.
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Ive heard this before, and a little nervuos about it, being my first 'open water dive' im pretty cautions when it comes to things. My dive buddy is well advanced so thats putting me at ease..
im hoping this weekend to go to a dive park and tweek my nutrual boyancee control ect.
im assuming slow breathing, good communications, stay alert will be my controll methods...
i just ordered some safety gear *ie. whistle* in case current gets out of control..
can you think of anything else, that can 'ease my mind'
Ive heard this before, and a little nervuos about it, being my first 'open water dive' im pretty cautions when it comes to things. My dive buddy is well advanced so thats putting me at ease..
im hoping this weekend to go to a dive park and tweek my nutrual boyancee control ect.
im assuming slow breathing, good communications, stay alert will be my controll methods...
i just ordered some safety gear *ie. whistle* in case current gets out of control..
can you think of anything else, that can 'ease my mind'
Frankly, I am not sure the Flower Gardens is a good first open water dive but I cannot judge what you are capable of. It is not that it is bad, it is just it can be bad. Get yourself a sausage, a finger spool, a signal mirror, red dye pack and stay close to the anchor or mooring bouy, get yourself a small 4 AA light like a QT as well. You will be in the middle of the Gulf, if you drift away, adios.
I dove the FG after my Vortex Springs check out dives and a two tank dive on the Sea Cobra out of Destin. Dive #7 I think. I was paired with an experienced guy who in retrospect was very patient with me. I did hold my own for the most part in terms of air consumption and what not.
If you can follow directions and don't think that you need to swim to Cuba to see ALL of the reef, then the FG is ok. Keep the anchor line in sight at all times, take it low and slow and just have fun. Safety sausages are mandatory, and I'd buy the biggest one you can find. Whistle and mirror is also a good idea but cannot replace common sense. The FG dive briefs are good so pay attention. Also, consider the sea conditions and time of year. Although you can't order good weather, in late summer the Gulf tends to lay down and makes for calm easy trips.
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