Lafayette LA diving?

[stevenkimbell]

Ive read a post or two here about the poor conditions around New Orleans, but what about areas to the west? I will be making several trips over the next few months, mostly to the Lafayette or Baton Rouge areas. Does anyone have experience with any dive shops out of or around the Lafayette area? I understand diving around the abandoned oil rigs can be pretty neat - are there any boats out of the area that dive them? What about shore diving?

Pennsacola is 4 hours or so away and i dont know that i will have time for that. what about sites in between?

 

[L.S.U. Dolphin 82]

Ive read a post or two here about the poor conditions around New Orleans, but what about areas to the west? I will be making several trips over the next few months, mostly to the Lafayette or Baton Rouge areas. Does anyone have experience with any dive shops out of or around the Lafayette area? I understand diving around the abandoned oil rigs can be pretty neat - are there any boats out of the area that dive them? What about shore diving?

Pennsacola is 4 hours or so away and i dont know that i will have time for that. what about sites in between?

NOLA, BR and Lafayette are inland. There is no diving there. No shore diving in Louisiana either. The Gulf water off the shore line in LA looks like the Mississippi River, Your best bet would be to drive to Pensacola, where there are numerous world class dive sites in clear water.

 

[Rekcals83]

I currently live in New Orleans. To dive I basically have to drive to Pensacola or that general area. It's normally a ~ 3.5 hour trip, but here is the catch. Most charters leave first thing in the morning. So you basically have to spend the night there the night before, it's definitely worth it though.

 

[Zznola]

Im in New Orleans too. Just started looking into gulf shores but looks like Pensacola has more options. Do you have a favorite shop in Pensacola? Any less expensive hotel options? Thinking about looking for an afternoon boat then catching the next mornings trip as well.

 

[lostcajun]

The food is GREAT, the people are GREAT, in fact a recent Harvard study declared that Lafayette is the happiest city in the United States, and perhaps the world. But the diving........ not so much.