Brand new diver in SWFL...help!

[Caitlin]

Hi everyone! I'm Caitlin and I just finished my open water certification in the Keys a few weeks ago. I absolutely loved it and I am so excited to get diving but I need some direction. I am having a hard time finding dive buddies in my area(Englewood, FL) but I am willing to travel. Also I am wanting to do my first dive soon and I am unsure the best place to go. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

 

[Dan]

May be start with shallow diving under Blue Heron Bridge in Jupiter, Christ of the Abyss & City of Washington in Key Largo.

I started 11 years ago & still having a blast, averaging 50 dives / year.

Enjoy your new hobby!

 

[SCRedWolf]

Hi everyone! I'm Caitlin and I just finished my open water certification in the Keys a few weeks ago. I absolutely loved it and I am so excited to get diving but I need some direction. I am having a hard time finding dive buddies in my area(Englewood, FL) but I am willing to travel. Also I am wanting to do my first dive soon and I am unsure the best place to go. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

If you want some easy confidence building dives head up north a bit to visit Ginnie Springs, Blue Grotto, Devil's Den, and the Rainbow River. All fun and easy. On weekends it's easy enough to pick up a buddy at the first three. Rainbow River needs a boat of some sort to take you up river a bit from KP Hole county park in Dunnellon. I've used American Pro Diving out of Crystal River for that trip. There's others too. Unfortunately I haven't found my way further south in Florida than Orlando for diving. Best of luck and have fun.

 

[ReefGuy]

Hi everyone! I'm Caitlin and I just finished my open water certification in the Keys a few weeks ago. I absolutely loved it and I am so excited to get diving but I need some direction. I am having a hard time finding dive buddies in my area(Englewood, FL) but I am willing to travel. Also I am wanting to do my first dive soon and I am unsure the best place to go. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Venice beach is an excellent and easy dive that is very close to you. There are also quite a few divers there, usually. The problem is that a lot of times there is little visibility there. Several years ago, they dropped a lot of large (`6' blocks) offshore in 13' of water, and I've seen all kinds of life, like up to 200lb Goliaths, there. The main attraction there is finding fossils. Also, PM Aristakat on this board. He's a local charter, and a great guy. There are several artificial reefs offshore that are fun to dive and in OW range (ie Tremblay and Novack reef), and even more when you're more advanced and some that are very adventurous. Most of them between 30' and 60'. Fantasea scuba in Port Charlotte and Depthfinders Dive Center, also in Port Charlotte are excellent resources as well.

 

[Caitlin]

May be start with shallow diving under Blue Heron Bridge in Jupiter, Christ of the Abyss & City of Washington in Key Largo.

I started 11 years ago & still having a blast, averaging 50 dives / year.

Enjoy your new hobby!

Awesome! Thank you for the suggestions!

 

[Caitlin]

If you want some easy confidence building dives head up north a bit to visit Ginnie Springs, Blue Grotto, Devil's Den, and the Rainbow River. All fun and easy. On weekends it's easy enough to pick up a buddy at the first three. Rainbow River needs a boat of some sort to take you up river a bit from KP Hole county park in Dunnellon. I've used American Pro Diving out of Crystal River for that trip. There's others too. Unfortunately I haven't found my way further south in Florida than Orlando for diving. Best of luck and have fun.

Great! Thanks for the advice! I will have to check those out

 

[Caitlin]

Venice beach is an excellent and easy dive that is very close to you. There are also quite a few divers there, usually. The problem is that a lot of times there is little visibility there. Several years ago, they dropped a lot of large (`6' blocks) offshore in 13' of water, and I've seen all kinds of life, like up to 200lb Goliaths, there. The main attraction there is finding fossils. Also, PM Aristakat on this board. He's a local charter, and a great guy. There are several artificial reefs offshore that are fun to dive and in OW range (ie Tremblay and Novack reef), and even more when you're more advanced and some that are very adventurous. Most of them between 30' and 60'. Fantasea scuba in Port Charlotte and Depthfinders Dive Center, also in Port Charlotte are excellent resources as well.

Thank you so much! It sounds like these are some great options not too far from me. I appreciate the info!

 

[diversteve]

@Scuba_Jenny guides at BHB so I'm sure she'd be willing to show you around. She's a DM with several thousand dives and regularly publishes photos of what's there. I don't need a guide but if I ever dive there I will hire her just so I don't overlook anything - it's a macro paradise in addition to all the fish. Also you have to figure out the tides for the best dive. I've read of divers from your area driving over for the day also.

This is the most recent post about it but also find "II" in this forum, it was ended because it was too long. Blue Heron Bridge Trolls III

I believe diving at the bridge also has it's own Facebook page.

 

[iamrushman]

howdy and welcome from your southeast Florida neighbor......you have all the opportunities mentioned above and the fact that you live in Florida will make you a seasoned diver in no time......good luck with your new found endeavor and dive dive dive.

 

[almsrq]

Hey Caitlin. We are in the same boat! I'm also new to diving and live in Sarasota. I'm always looking for dive buddies. Maybe knock out a few springs to fill my log book. Like Ginnie springs, Devil's Den..