Beginner Dive spot- w/i 3hrs of Orlando

[FinallyDiving]

Hi all,

My son (18 yrs) and I just got certified this year and have to be in Orlando with extended family and a high school marching band the last week in December. I was hoping to get a dive or two in while I'm near an ocean (or gulf).
Where is a good spot for beginners within about 3-4 hours of Orlando? I'd prefer salt water if possible. We would like to dive on a Sunday but if that's not possible, do dive companies operate dives during the week as well? I'm pretty clueless on all this.

I'm trying to mitigate the horrors of a disney vacation during the crowdedest week of the year. We also signed up for Divequest Epcot for later in the week.

 

[Steve_C]

I am not a cave or spring person.

Rainbow river is an easy drift dive.

Key Largo is 4.15 - 4.5 hours from Orlando depending on traffic. Lots of good easy diving.

 

[mselenaous]

Key Largo is great for new divers. Tons of 30 ft reefs here as well as plenty of dive operators to choose from. Send me a PM if you want more information.

And so is the Blue Heron Bridge in West Palm Beach. Full of life at about 18-20 ft deep. Many ScubaBoarders dive there often and I'm sure would be happy to show you around (it's tidal dependent, so it's best to have a guide the first time). Check out the Blue Heron Bridge Trolls thread.

Also lots of 60ft dives in West Palm Beach and Boynton Beach and many good operators there to help you gain experience. Contact Scubaboarders: ScubaKevDM, Wilsway, SandyBramm, who have or work on dive boats in that area.

 

[diversteve]

From Orlando I wouldn't want to drive to Key Largo just to dive once. I also wouldn't want to drive back from the Keys on a holiday weekend.

This is Blue Heron Bridge. It's a great 20-30' deep dive. Scuba Shore Diving Site Page for: Blue Heron Bridge of Florida, USA East They do a lot of dive training there so it's usually benign conditions. The only consideration is it needs to be done at slack tide so ask someone when that is. (or go when they do) When it gets closer - post in the Blue Heron thread and maybe someone can meet you there and show you around. http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/florida-diving/386645-blue-heron-bridge-trolls.html This is linked at the bottom of the shorediving page also - more good info including tidal info. http://www.wadespage.com/D800DS06RF01.shtml

Also it's just off I-95 so a relatively painless ride south. The freeway immediately to the north of the Orlando Airpoort is State 528. Go east and it will run into I-95. Stay on I-95 south to State 708 then east a few miles. State 708 is the Blue Heron Bridge road except right before the bridge it might become A1A. It's also called Phil Foster Park.



Google suggests it's 2hr 38 min to West Palm Beach. They also suggest an alternate of Florida 441 direct from Orlando to WPB at 2:33 but that's a toll route. IDK which is faster.

The other option is to get on a boat in Tampa - it's a shorter drive. Shore diving there isn't any good though as it's flat/sandy. Most of that diving is based around wrecks and offshore ledges. IDK much about it except we used to spend time in Sarasota further south and it was pretty featureless off-shore.

What's really fun about Divequest is one of the sharks often runs a pattern. And will run you over if you get in it's way. But if you hover 3' away he'll go right by you..:cool2: There's going to be at least one DM in the water with you also.

 

[snowdog61]

What Elena said. Check the tides at Blue Heron Bridge (Phil Foster Park is where you'd be parking) and try and to work around that (high tide is best). West Palm is a just around the corner (Jim Abernathy's is a good Op) or you can drive up the coast to Jupiter. Any place from Stuart south will have good vis so depending on the the BHB tide schedule, you can work stay or drive north and ease the return trip

 

[djtimmy77]

In December I would recommend going on a big boat in WPB due to the high likelihood of sporty seas. JASA is probably best for your skill level, but if Narcosis or Wet Temptations are going to shallow reefs that particular day, their boats are excellent for the winter time seas.

 

[FLNativeGuy]

You have some good suggestions here. I've never been on the Blue Heron bridge dive but if it's rough offshore I'm guessing it's a no brainer (consult with locals in WPB...not me).

December weather in South Florida and Key largo can be good to great...or nasty with wind... and cold......and rough .....but if the weather is good...you are in for a real treat.

 

[sportxlh]

Lots of good suggestions already but I'll throw in a couple of ideas.

The Disney Dive Quest in the Epcot tank is fun to do (as a bucket list dive). The positives are that you are already at Disney so you won't need to rent a car and drive, it is a salt water aquarium and your family can photograph and video you from the Living Seas observation area. You are also guaranteed to see sharks, rays and turtles. The negative is that it is only a 30-40 minute dive and is not cheap.. Though between a car rental, gas, tolls and renting dive gear on a trip to south Florida, the cost might be similar.

If you want a true ocean dive, I suggest Pompano. The first reef line is only 25-30 feet deep and is a spectacular dive if marine conditions are calm. I know Pompano Dive Center and South Florida Dive Headquarters have regularly scheduled trips. I like this particular reef structure as much as most of the shallow dive sites in the Keys. If The marine conditions are bad the dive is not too fun because of the surge.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[Steve_C]

Couple comments on Key Largo. The boats go out twice a day. You could leave Orlando at say 7:30 AM and easily make the 1 pm dive boats. Spend the night at Key largo. Then catch the 8am or 9am boats and be back around noon. hae lunch and be back in Orlando by supper time.

You are from Illinois. Illinois diving is not so good. If you are in the Keys and have bad offshore weather, you can always go play in Jules.

I will also note that WPB is more exposed than the inside part of the reef off Key Largo. Depending on wind direction one might be calmer than the other.

----
Epcot is an amusing experience.

 

[sportxlh]

You have some good suggestions here. I've never been on the Blue Heron bridge dive but if it's rough offshore I'm guessing it's a no brainer (consult with locals in WPB...not me).

December weather in South Florida and Key largo can be good to great...or nasty with wind... and cold......and rough .....but if the weather is good...you are in for a real treat.

Blue Heron Bridge is also a good suggestion.... nearby dive shops are Force E and Pura Vida where gear can be rented and a guide can be hired.

Here's some additional info on BHB.

Blue Heron Bridge