jacobh21
New
I am recently certified and am looking to go over spring break to Florida to do some diving. Any suggestions on good diving for newbies that will be within our experience level but still entertaining for a couple days?
Looking for a good place to dive
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Chugwhump
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Do you have family, friends, or free lodging in Florida?
If so......
Where?
Do you want to hunt fish, bugs, fossils, manatees, or bathing suit clad humans?
Do you want to look at blind catfish or crawdads?
Are you afraid of sharks?
How far are you willing to drive?
P'Cola and Fort Walton Beach are closer to Knoxville than Key Weird.
Chug
likes sharks.
does not like wet rocks in the back of caves.
If so......
Where?
Do you want to hunt fish, bugs, fossils, manatees, or bathing suit clad humans?
Do you want to look at blind catfish or crawdads?
Are you afraid of sharks?
How far are you willing to drive?
P'Cola and Fort Walton Beach are closer to Knoxville than Key Weird.
Chug
likes sharks.
does not like wet rocks in the back of caves.
Last edited:
iamrushman
Contributor
what part of Florida are you going on spring break?
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Chug brings up a good point, there are great places to dive all over Florida but it depends on what you want to do. If you want to see pretty fish in warm water, then that is an entirely different thing than if you want to see manatees and can tolerate some colder water. There are lots of wrecks around Florida but many will require AOW certs to dive them due to depth.
OP
jacobh21
New
Preferably the upper half of Florida. I don't want to spend half my break in the car. Is there anything good in Pensacola?
Pensacola isn't really a great spot for newbies. You can try Morrison Springs- just don't enter the Cavern/Cave.
Dive Trip Planning 101
Step 1 - Decide on what your objective - I want to see....
Step 2 - Determine where you can see or do that...
Step 3 - Determine when is the best time to see it (Migration times, weather windows etc).
Step 4 - Determine the budget for the trip and then narrow your choices in step 2, or re-evaluate step 2.
Step 5 - Evaluate the skills, training and equipment required to accomplish your objective.
Step 6 - Passports and visa, and are they required? Does the destination require medical clearances to dive etc.
Step 7 - Make reservations for place to stay, dive boat etc.
Step 8 - Execute, rinse and repeat.
For someone in college, a Step 6A is often recommended. Determine best approach and story for the parental units and ask for funding.
Seriously, as others have said, you need to refine what your objective is. Do you want to dive for fossils, babes, manatees etc. From there where to go will be come simpler to select. Do you plan to party hard? Party hard and intoxication do not mix well with SCUBA diving. Lots of good diving in NC I am told. Ship wrecks in water well within recreational diving range. Lots of combat lost vessels, American, German, Confederate, Union etc.
Charleston SC is an easy and shorter drive from Knoxville. http://www.scubadiving.com/travel/south-carolina-charleston Dive for fossilized sharks teeth, or perhaps one of the several wrecks there in 60 feet or less (note, wrecks in shallow water will get beat up more than deeper wrecks so don't be disappointed if they are badly decomposed). NOTE DO NOT ENTER A WRECK OR CAVE OR CAVERN without TRAINING FIRST. EVEN A FEW FEET can result in TRAGEDY! Many a non-cave or wreck diver has entered caves and wrecks crystal clear water and figured "what's the harm if I just go in a few feet" Then when they turn to come back out, they have stirred up the silt and can't find the exit. With limited air, that does not always end well.
Florida Florida Dive Atlas | Scuba Diving Breaks it down by various areas. Have fun.
Step 1 - Decide on what your objective - I want to see....
Step 2 - Determine where you can see or do that...
Step 3 - Determine when is the best time to see it (Migration times, weather windows etc).
Step 4 - Determine the budget for the trip and then narrow your choices in step 2, or re-evaluate step 2.
Step 5 - Evaluate the skills, training and equipment required to accomplish your objective.
Step 6 - Passports and visa, and are they required? Does the destination require medical clearances to dive etc.
Step 7 - Make reservations for place to stay, dive boat etc.
Step 8 - Execute, rinse and repeat.
For someone in college, a Step 6A is often recommended. Determine best approach and story for the parental units and ask for funding.
Seriously, as others have said, you need to refine what your objective is. Do you want to dive for fossils, babes, manatees etc. From there where to go will be come simpler to select. Do you plan to party hard? Party hard and intoxication do not mix well with SCUBA diving. Lots of good diving in NC I am told. Ship wrecks in water well within recreational diving range. Lots of combat lost vessels, American, German, Confederate, Union etc.
Charleston SC is an easy and shorter drive from Knoxville. http://www.scubadiving.com/travel/south-carolina-charleston Dive for fossilized sharks teeth, or perhaps one of the several wrecks there in 60 feet or less (note, wrecks in shallow water will get beat up more than deeper wrecks so don't be disappointed if they are badly decomposed). NOTE DO NOT ENTER A WRECK OR CAVE OR CAVERN without TRAINING FIRST. EVEN A FEW FEET can result in TRAGEDY! Many a non-cave or wreck diver has entered caves and wrecks crystal clear water and figured "what's the harm if I just go in a few feet" Then when they turn to come back out, they have stirred up the silt and can't find the exit. With limited air, that does not always end well.
Florida Florida Dive Atlas | Scuba Diving Breaks it down by various areas. Have fun.
Dnaber
Contributor
I just visited Ginnie Springs yesterday and I give it 5 stars!!!!!
Mouth Breather
Contributor
I'd suggest making the trip to Palm/Broward and do some beach diving. Lots to see, cheap. Could start by looking at where the meetup groups go: South Florida Beach Divers (Hollywood, FL) - Meetup. IMHO the best beach dive in Broward is Lauderdale By The Sea (LBTS) off Datura ave. Spring break is too early for lobstering, but you might be able to pole up a fish if you're lucky.
skullmancan
Registered
i have ben to the springs in florida they have at least 100 ft viz and the temp stays 72 degrees year round there is devils den gennie springs manatee springs blue grada all good places to dive i would not however try it in a 3 mil wet suit if you plan to stay there all day i would recomend a 5 mil
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