Orlando, FL

[Bull Frog]

Howdy all,

long time reader, not so much a big poster.....anyhoo, i'm gonna be heading down to Orlando Florida in the fall and am researching the possibility of doing some diving in the area or within a couple hours of the area and i'm looking for suggestions...in the past i've done the Disney EPCOT Divequest in their Living Seas exhibit aquarium which was pretty cool but it's gotten pretty expensive since the last time i went, i've also gone done the Springs area northwest of Orlando (Ginnie Springs, Devil's Den, Rainbow River, Blue Hole, etc.) which were all good, but i'm looking for something different this time around if there is anything....I'm not advanced level diver yet, been diving several years and probably have a couple hundred dives under my belt, so any suggestions would need to be in the novice to intermediate level of ability.....thanks for any suggestions...

 

[ChainSaw0069]

2 options. Go Southwest to Venice Florida and dive with Florida West Scuba for sharks teeth. 25ft depth +-. Water is warm vis is good. They also do a wreck dive every now and then. The shops schedule shows when but shark tooth diving is mainly what they are about.
You could also head Southeast towards West Palm Beach or Fort Lauderdale for Wreck diving and drift diving on a reef. The American Dream 2 is a good outfit in Fort Lauderdale. There are others outfits that are good and I would hope others will post about them. I would suggest the springs up North but you already know about them. Check the Florida thread also.

 

[OneRestlessNative]

I live in the Melbourne area and there are quite a few beach dives available from Sebastian south.
It has been really flat here and the conditions are getting pretty good viz wise. The farther south you go the better the viz. Vero beach, Hutchinson Island, Jupiter. Ect... I really want to do the west coast stuff Chainsaw mentioned near Peace river and such. Do some shark tooth hunting and such. Find one of those massive Megladon teeth!!!

 

[sskasser]

The diving out of West Palm is outstanding! Check with the Little Deeper ... they put a dive master in the water with you, to carry the flag and point out the cool stuff However, you're also free to take a separate flag if you'd prefer. The owners are divers and love to make sure everyone has a blast.

 

[ChainSaw0069]

The one carrying the flag is never lost....

Where near Sebastion are the beach dives? I visit family in Indiatlantic and would like to try diving that area.

 

[OneRestlessNative]

Im showing around 15 listed beach accessible dives in a book called Underwater Florida by Ned Deloach and that pretty much puts you into south Ft. Pierce/N. Jupiter area. By my experiences there is plenty to dive from Sebastian south. Water clarity can be pretty iffy and only gets better as you go south and mid summer calm weather holds. Add me if you'd like chainsaw and send me a PM whenever. I'm right over the bridge mainland side from Indiatlantic. I'd like to have posted some more specifics but that is a TON of typing. Its not the beautiful reef system like south Florida but great for lobster diving and spearfishing if your into that kind of stuff.