Where would you go?

[keller34]

If you had a choice and only had 2 days to dive within a 3 1/2 hours drive from Tampa and plan on camping out somewhere, where would you go?

I am bringing my 2 sons and they have not dived as much so they are still new with 15 dives total right now.

I was thinking LBTS or BHB. BHB does not look like the tides will be right for us on the 19th and 20th. We was going to try 3 days but one son said he could not do Sunday.

Just trying to get ideas on where to go. They like springs but not much to see. They would like to see some critters.

 

[Chugwhump]

The camping thing is the problem.
Camping in a tent, pop-up, trailer, or RV?
LBTS for shore dives to be sure.
The camping thing can be tricky.
Jupiter and North Palm Beach County area have better Camping, but no shore diving.
also WHEN will you come over here, IF you DO come over here.

Chug
Sometime camper.

 

[keller34]

Tent and on the 19th of this month.

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[tcpip95]

Just curious.... why 3.5 hours (as opposed to 4)? If it were at all possible, I'd head to the upper/middle keys. Great viz, TONS OF CRITTERS, and you can camp in Key Largo, Islamorada, etc.

 

[keller34]

I didn't think of the keys at the time. I haven't look about shore diving there... It is an option. Any links to shore dive spots?

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[tcpip95]

Dunno about shore dives... I've always dived from boats down there. Didn't realize you were just looking for shore dives.

 

[keller34]

Dunno about shore dives... I've always dived from boats down there. Didn't realize you were just looking for shore dives.

Yea I was trying to keep the costs down now that I had to buy a new car and finish paying for a cruise trip for the whole family. Wife pulled on the choker a little bit...

 

[diversteve]

Besides BHB:

https://www.force-e.com/go-diving/south-florida-dive-sites/

Scuba Shore Diving Site Page for: Blue Heron Bridge of Florida, USA East
Scuba Shore Diving Site Page for: Lauderdale by the Sea of Florida, USA East

There's a KOA campground in Hollywood. And another in Davie (east Ft. Lauderdale)

since I had to look to see if it's still there:
https://koa.com/campgrounds/hollywood/site-type/tent-camping-sites/
https://koa.com/campgrounds/davie/site-type/tent-camping-sites/

 

[sportxlh]

If the tides are not right at Blue Heron Bridge, then LBTS is probably your best option for shore diving though i think you'll have a drive that is longer than 3.5 hours.. Check out Gold Coast scuba's meetup.com site to see if they are sponsoring a shore dive the days you plan to go out. You can also rent gear from them as you can from other shops like Force-E.

Some of the state parks have really nice tent camping, Sites tend to get taken early but I've secured tent camping sites at the last minute when reservations by others were cancelled. Jonathon Dickinson state park is nice (I've not camped there but I think they have camp sites). Only issue is that you'll have over an hour drive each morning to get to LBTS. BHB isn't too far away though.

If you can afford one boat trip, Pompano's shallow reef is nice for newer divers.

Keep your eye on marine conditions, shore dives and boat dives do get scrubbed fairly often in the winter, keaving BHB as the only option. Enjoy

 

[100days-a-year]

There is nice shore diving from Vero south.Plenty of parking areas all the way to Ft Pierce.