- Messages
- 19,818
- Reaction score
- 18,685
- Location
- Philadelphia and Boynton Beach
- # of dives
- 1000 - 2499
I've been diving in FL for 20 years. Like many, my first exposures were the Upper Keys, I enjoyed the diving very much.I love the way those who live in Florida are voting for where they are currently located! LOL
Not surprising though. Most people in FL migrated in and therefore live where they've chosen to live. Some it's due to their job location but for many their location is an intentional decision.
The challenge is that the best ocean diving is not close to the best cave diving. If you split the difference you're too far away from both IMO. You need to decide which is more important to you (caves or ocean) and live close to that. Then do short trips for the other type of diving.
You've also mentioned living where it's cheap. Relative to what? Just about everywhere in FL is cheaper than NYC or DC or Chicago or San Francisco or Seattle or LA. But if you're comparing it to the rural areas of the US that's a different story. What's your baseline?
I had a chance business trip to Jupiter and was exposed to drift diving. I spent the next several years sampling the diving from Ft Lauderdale to Jupiter. I exclusively dive in the ocean, so cave country did not come into play. For nearly 10 years, we have had a home just north of Boynton Beach and I do my diving there, and in West Palm and Jupiter. Now, after over 1100 dives, it was the right choice for me. I still occasionally trek down to Key Largo to get my fix on the Spiegel Grove, Duane, and Bibb.
As @JimBlay points out, it is really a personal decision, based on your own diving