Inexpensive dive boats? Miami/ Hollywood Area???

[ermaclob]

I want to start doing more boat dives. i normally tend to do mostly beach dives and boats dives with my university dive club which offers very good rates. But unfortunately there's only so much u can see from shore and the dive club does few to little dives. I've been looking and comparing rate for dive charters in the area and can only find places offering $80 - $75 trips sometimes with or with out weights/ tanks. i don't feel to compelled to pay that much when i search through the threads and find that a little up north places offer $55 - $65 trips.

Are there any dive boats around Miami or Hollywood that offer similar rates?? i would just drive a little bit norther but when i calculate the cost of gas it ends up being close to the same thing.

** i know theres a giant thread with a long list of dive boats but most seem to refer to boats up north. im still looking through it though, just trying to see if some one can point me the right detection.

 

[sportxlh]

Not sure if Pompano is too far away or not: but Pompano dive center charges $55. Pompano Dive Center - Dive Trips

Also you might call Force-E in Pompano and explain your circumstance as a poor college student and maybe they'll know of some boat operators.

 

[ermaclob]

yea pompono is defiantly out side of the limits of travel. i starts to become inefficient when the location goes past the south fort lauderdale area. so far the closest place i found was

Pro Dive - Scuba Diving, Snorkeling, Scuba Instructor Training

close to John U. Lloyd state park.

** i live in the Kendall area.

 

[GROBIOG]

I think Pro dive is no longer in business, what is there instead is Sea Experience, I dove with them and they are great, very friendly and has been in business long enough to be experienced in the area they are taking you diving, Bill owns the place and every time I went diving there he was the Captain on the boat, I think that makes a difference.

Scuba Diving - Snorkeling - Fort Lauderdale | Sea Experience

I think I dove with about 80% of all the operators from miami to jupiter, 99.99% of the operators between Boca and Ft. Lauderdale and a good number in the keys as well, if there is anyone charging less than $55/trip I have missed it, I think that is as low as you would find.
One way to reduce that price is to buy trips in advance, they all pretty much offer the same deal, buy 5 get one free, or buy 10 get 2 free, that would bring the price down to $45/trip.

 

[Force-E Divers]

Also you might call Force-E in Pompano and explain your circumstance as a poor college student and maybe they'll know of some boat operators.

Thank you for the recommendation. We book with several charters around South Florida and the rates are posted here: Force-E - Scuba Diving, dive boat rates, Boca Raton and Delray Beach, South Florida

Hope this helps!

 

[deepstops]

Honestly, living in Kendall, I'll suggest you check Active Divers Association - http://www.activedivers.org/

$35/year and they schedule quite a few $35 boat trips from April to November and they are based in South Miami /Kendall. They've survived 30+ years and that's saying a lot. Since most of the members are in your area, I'm sure you'll be able carpool on these trips if you buy some gas or lunch


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Shark Bait!]

paying the extra gas money to go to Pompano and boynton can be worth it since the reefs are so much nicer than Miami. Only time I feel compelled to dive in Miami is when I want to do wreck diving on deep wrecks

 

[tddfleming]

Thanks for sharing this info. We are actually moving down that way here soon. Husband and daughter are moving towards late Aug. so our daughter can start school down there.

 

[bilsant]

yea pompono is defiantly out side of the limits of travel. i starts to become inefficient when the location goes past the south fort lauderdale area. so far the closest place i found was

Pro Dive - Scuba Diving, Snorkeling, Scuba Instructor Training

close to John U. Lloyd state park.

** i live in the Kendall area.

I'm not sure what kind of mileage you're getting, but we're talking about an additional 17 miles one way from Hollywood to Pompano...