Shore dive sites in Tampa...Clearwater...Dunedin...Florida

[ScubaSnack]

Howard Park Underwater and cave

This is one of my favorite dive sights. If you do go to the cave you will need to exercise caution! everything else is relativly easy but the cave ads in 65' at the enterance. There is a sink that is about 20 to 30' depending on tides. Water clarity varies greatly depending on weather and currents. I have several other local dive spots as well. In pinellas county most are all shallow 10 to 20 foot howard park cave is the deepest. and requires the most caution. If you want to dive it take a rope and be ready as vis can drop rapidly and it would be very easy to get lost and at 65' with an overhead of rock enough said. the brdges on the other hand and just offshore it is just like the gulf without the boat ride and and less depth.

Great info.....my buddy and I live 5 minutes from Howard park and have now dived the cave a couple times.....who would think Howard has a 65+ foot dive......pretty spooky without a rope and a light which we now have.....we are now able to swim straight to the cave....hard to find the first couple of tries.....very fun and cheap dive......you said you have other local dive sites.....VERY INTERESTED in WHERE...Haolyboy@yahoo.com.......thanks for the tip

 

[Blazinator]

Thanks a lot for the info on Howard Park. You did a great job of logging your activity - sounds like fun alot of fun - and frustrating to find the cave at times. Thanks for the info on locating it from landmarks. I go to Tampa every now and then, and will have to look for this site.

Howard Park Underwater and cave

This is one of my favorite dive sights. If you do go to the cave you will need to exercise caution! everything else is relativly easy but the cave ads in 65' at the enterance. There is a sink that is about 20 to 30' depending on tides. Water clarity varies greatly depending on weather and currents. I have several other local dive spots as well. In pinellas county most are all shallow 10 to 20 foot howard park cave is the deepest. and requires the most caution. If you want to dive it take a rope and be ready as vis can drop rapidly and it would be very easy to get lost and at 65' with an overhead of rock enough said. the brdges on the other hand and just offshore it is just like the gulf without the boat ride and and less depth.

 

[ScubaSnack]

my buddy and I went down the cave again today at Howard Park.....I stopped at the ledge about 60 feet down where it turns....too scared to go any further.....Fish darting out of the pitch black at my head

 

[Kim22]

Was the goliath down there???

 

[scubadobadoo]

I grew up in the Tampa area and my family is still there.

Shore dives...go to http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/basic-scuba-discussions/www.shorediving.com ...probably the most comprehensive world wide shore diving compendium put together on the web to date that I know of anyway.

The reality of the west coast area (due to the continental shelf etc...) is that you won't find typical salt water shore diving worth doing so give up the dream. The better diving by boat is even a bit of a ride on the west coast to get to deeper water with decent viz.

YOU WILL however find inland/fresh water shore diving in the "area" as you have now found out but it may not be as close as you would like it to be. Options include all of the springs and sinks, some as close as Hudson Grotto (worth doing ONCE and Weeki Wachee Springs also good for ONE trip. Those are about an hour from you up US19 N and can be done in one day. Add to that the farther options like Ginnie, 40 Fathom, Devil's Den and many more etc...but those are 2-3 hours by car away. You probably know this already so excuse me for butting in. And don't forget the sugar barge in Bradenton is a shore dive as well.

Head to the other coast and you have better options. I really like doing lauderdale by the sea. It's a great little shore dive. Happy diving!

 

[ScubaSnack]

I grew up in the Tampa area and my family is still there.

Shore dives...go to http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/basic-scuba-discussions/www.shorediving.com ...probably the most comprehensive world wide shore diving compendium put together on the web to date that I know of anyway.

The reality of the west coast area (due to the continental shelf etc...) is that you won't find typical salt water shore diving worth doing so give up the dream. The better diving by boat is even a bit of a ride on the west coast to get to deeper water with decent viz.

YOU WILL however find inland/fresh water shore diving in the "area" as you have now found out but it may not be as close as you would like it to be. Options include all of the springs and sinks, some as close as Hudson Grotto (worth doing ONCE and Weeki Wachee Springs also good for ONE trip. Those are about an hour from you up US19 N and can be done in one day. Add to that the farther options like Ginnie, 40 Fathom, Devil's Den and many more etc...but those are 2-3 hours by car away. You probably know this already so excuse me for butting in. And don't forget the sugar barge in Bradenton is a shore dive as well.

Head to the other coast and you have better options. I really like doing lauderdale by the sea. It's a great little shore dive. Happy diving!

I was just talking to a guy at the dive shop that was raving about Ft Lauderdale shore dives.....me and my bud are looking into making the trip over to the east coast for a day or two......Ive read about wiki watchee and the grotto.....it may make our schedule

 

[scubadobadoo]

That link above should read ShoreDiving.com - Your Shore Diving and Snorkeling Web Community!

Happy shore dive hunting!

 

[igotag!]

Where do you live in Dunedin? That is where I am from. Shore diving in that area is pointless, you have to go at least 30 miles off shore just to hit 40 feet. Up here in the Pacific Northwest, I can walk into the water and be in over 1200 feet in places!

 

[CBulla]

May I suggest our Tampa regional forum?
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/florida-dive-clubs-groups/

There are a LOT of active divers in there who dive locally both shore and boat.

 

[shadow waiting]

where is the best place to do some spring diving around tampa. or which major city would it be best to fly into if i wanted to be close to a good spring dive site?