Fort Lauderdale Dive operations

[butrflyleslie]

Any good recommendations for dive operations in Fort Lauderdale. Or favorite dive sites? Is there any good shore diving? We're visiting from CA.

 

[deepstops]

My favorites are American Dream, Sea Experience, Avid Diver, Miss Conduct, and Parrot Island (not necessarily in that order).

Fort Lauderdale/Dania(Port Everglades)
American Dream II Capt. Todd Rogers / 954-577-0338
Sea Experience Capt. Bill Cole / 954-467-6000
Pro Dive 954-PRO-DIVE
Steffy Capt. Rob / 305-788-1165
Blue Runner / 954-923-2388

Pompano Beach and Boca Raton (Hillsboro & Boca Inlets)
Avid Diver / Captain Oliver Paoli / 954-854-7786
Diversity / Captain Tony Coulter / 561-368-9952
Miss Conduct / Captain Conrad Nix / 954-698-6139
Under Pressure / Captain Randy Whitneck / 954-943-2628
Parrot Island Capt. Jerry / 954-942-7333
Pompano Dive Center 954-788-0208
Tonto / Captain Bob Sheridan / 954-548-4457
Lady Go Diver / 954-421-2601
South Florida Diving HQ / 800-771-3483
ScubaTyme / / 954-786-0909

 

[Steve02]

In Boca Raton, my g/f and I had an excellent experience with Force-E. Ask for Tommy. They have several different locations.

Force-E Dive Centers

 

[netmage]

In Boca Raton, my g/f and I had an excellent experience with Force-E. Ask for Tommy. They have several different locations.

Force-E Dive Centers

Force E is a dive shop, they do not directly operate a boat,... But will be happy to arrange booking/tanks on the various boats Brian listed....

 

[DebbyDiver]

What netmage said.

BTW you posted this in the S. Florida Divers club's forum. I'll ping a mod to move it to the main Conch forum.

Deepstops gives several good boat recommendations. My hands-down personal favorite is Sea Experience II. Not only is the boat very roomy and stable and has four-stroke engines (fast and no fumes), but they have the nicest, most fun crew in town and they know exactly where to put you on the good stuff.

We have beach diving in Broward anywhere that you can park a car, more or less. There are many beach diving threads in the main Conch forum and, in fact, if you post the dates you'll be here and that you are looking for beach diving buds while you're in town, you'll probably find some.

Gold Coast Scuba Shop caters to beach divers more than any other shop in town. They are on Commercial Boulevard close to the beach, East of the intracoastal bridge. They also run a dive meetup with beach dives scheduled almost every day of the week.

 

[butrflyleslie]

Thanks for all the recommendations. We're staying at the Bahia Mar so I called Sea Experience and they said it's mini lobster season while we're there so all the boats will be geared toward that. I'm kinda bummed because we are not interested in lobster diving.
They said that pretty much all the boats would be doing the same so it looks like beach diving is our only option.

What are your favorite dives close to Bahia Mar? Any wrecks that are beach diveable?

 

[Zaixon]

Hog Heaven is a great wreck right near there. Check out American Dream II they have a schedule posted on their site and may not be lobstering, usually if it says open on the schedule you'll be able to request a dive. They also have a list of places they go to on their website. I dont think there's any beach diveable wrecks near.... but I could be wrong about that

 

[DebbyDiver]

There is a barge somewhere offshore across the street from Bahia Mar, it's a pretty long swim out from what I hear, but it's not incredibly exciting (never saw it, saw photos). Lobster mini-season is NOT the time to go beach diving, especially if you are not familiar with the area, the boat traffic is ca-razy and many boats come way in close to shore in search of the elusive crustacean.

You don't have to catch lobsters to go on a lobster trip, they are caught in all of the beautiful reefs that we dive every other day. I'll be on the 4:30 and 9 a.m. trips with Sea Experience on Wednesday.

 

[gixxer750]

I have a better idea for you. You guys should drive a little further south and dive in the Keys.
Key Largo will be perfect. Most of the ops dive in the Marine Sanctuary so there is no lobstering.

 

[idocsteve]

I have a better idea for you. You guys should drive a little further south and dive in the Keys.
Key Largo will be perfect. Most of the ops dive in the Marine Sanctuary so there is no lobstering.

^ This

It's an hour or so give or take to the Keys (depending on how far you go), and the diving is better there anyway.