Florida Dec 2010

[tmi116]

Sorry I didnt get any response from the travel forum. I am going to Orlando in Dec. I have 4 days to dive of the 10 day excursion, the rest will be spent paying crazy amounts of money to see fictitious mice, digress. I will be traveling with my OW certified daughter, so OW limits are my limits. Does anybody have any good shops charters or dive locations to check out? I will have a veicle and dont mind traveling to dive. Hell I would walk to dive I dont mind I just dont want to pass up diving in florida as this is the closest to tropical I have ever been. I do alot of swift cold braille diving here in PA and Upstate NY. Also are thier any requirements or suggestions to cary extra gear in Florida?

Thanks everyone!

 

[moneysavr]

Hi,
its a way off but some tips the Florida springs are something to see,do a google .They don't get blown out-72 deg water-can be gin clear with max vis, and winter limits the locals out of the mix so you will have them to your self if you go early!just a few we hit are
first two are private run;
<<< Blue Grotto >>>
my son loves BG because the air bell and the fish!
Florida's Pre-Historic Spring -- Devil's Den!
Florida state parks are inexpensive and nice! I like them as they are light on my economically challenged pocket book like $15.00 I think to dive,not bad!
Welcome to Florida State Parks
Welcome to Florida State Parks
and many other near by, they each are different offer fish,fossils,and are easy fun dives! great way for a new diver to work on skills in a no rushed atmosphere.
some are
deep others are not and some are not affected by weather like wind or rain*
* call first
next a road trip to Palm Beach area one day may get you in the ocean as the Gulf stream runs the closest to the USA off Palm Beach,and Boynton Beach would be my choice for some major reef diving,
Boynton Beach have 1/2 dozen dive boats running and if the winds are good diving is world class with reefs in the 55' range being a drift dive.

Underwater Explorers - SCUBA Diving Boynton Beach, Delray, Palm Beach, Reefs and Wrecks
see Kevs photos & info on the reefs at,
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/fl...379-boynton-dive-chronicles-new-improved.html
hope this helps, you can dive in some tanks near mouseville too,
stuff you need for a drift dive would be a safety sausage and a noise maker like whistle all cheap to buy!
I am down in a few weeks with my JOW son & Gal Pal for some spring and reef diving and cant wait!
Brad

 

[ScubaduoAdventures]

As he mentioned the springs will have the Manatees in them that time of year which you would snorkel with first and then you can scuba after in the springs but not a whole lot more to see, the Manatees are great though.
You could also do the springs one day and then drive south to Tarpon Springs and dive in the Gulf but it will be a littile cooler diving at that time.

Palm Beach is nice but if you have the time the best diving is in the Keys, you could drive down from Orlando in aprox. six hours.

 

[tadeotadeo]

West Palm Beach, Jupiter, Pompano Beach or the Florida Keys all have great OW diving for reefs and fish. The best is of coarse the Keys well worth the drive if you have a few days. Try Key Largo or Loee Key.

 

[tmi116]

Yeah thats what im talkin about. I knew I could count on you all for some good info. I have sausages and whistles not scared of the cold as we dive mostly lakes rivers and quaries up here they dont warm up much. I have a dry suit but will probably dive wet because thats how the kid will be diving. Pretty good info thanks

 

[DennisW]

If you go down to West Palm beach, you may want to check out the Blue Heron Bridge.
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/florida-conch-divers/279974-continuing-sagas-blue-heron-bridge.html
It takes some planning because you want to enter the water about 30 minutes before slack high tide. It's a great dive. Post on the forum above and you may get a local diver to show you around.

 

[DeputyDan]

Since you are going to be in mouse land do this:

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/florida-conch-divers/258995-disney-divequest-florida.html

It's a no -brainer for kids.

My kids loved the experience (be in the second group not the first group - that way your time is not as limited)

 

[Saint4429]

You can also check out: Dayo Scuba Orlando Dive Site Page - Open Water, Cavern, Cave and Technical Scuba Training and Diving