Emerald Coast Scuba, Destin, Florida

[MattJ]

I was in Ft. Walton Beach in early October; couldn't quite get my schedule to synch up with Emerald Coast. Another vote for Scubatech here - my neice and I went out on the Sea Cobra and had a fine time. One of their DMs send me a CD with underwater video he took of both of us diving, which was a nice extra.

Matt

 

[Boat Chick]

Thank you all for the feedback. Unfortunately, we got skunked!!! We got a call from the shop early Saturday morning that there was a small craft warning and the boats were not going out I looked out the hotel room to the ocean, right there, and it looked like So Cal waves/weather...I was like, huh? ...looks ok to me...LOL. ..VERY cloudy, some wind, but no white caps...rained off and on (short drizzles). Yesterday, woke up, not a cloud in the sky and all there were were ankle slappers...lol, so....I "got it." haha...too bad we flew back last night, I bet it would have been good diving. We drove by Emerald Coast yesterday to check out the shop but they were closed.

I called numerous places to jet ski, parasail, etc. yesterday to at least get OUT on the water. All I got was "Season is over, sorry." LOL...It was beautiful yesterday...someone fill me in? We boat in So Cal year round as long as conditions are good...

That said, loved the place had lots of fun. I've always wanted to visit the Gulf of Mexico. It is gorgeous, white sandy beaches. I did snorkel yesterday out in front of the hotel, lots of sand and saw some fish the same color of the sand (not a clue what they were) so I did get my happy face on

 

[mike_s]

Thank you all for the feedback. Unfortunately, we got skunked!!! We got a call from the shop early Saturday morning that there was a small craft warning and the boats were not going out I looked out the hotel room to the ocean, right there, and it looked like So Cal waves/weather...I was like, huh? ...looks ok to me...LOL. ..VERY cloudy, some wind, but no white caps...rained off and on (short drizzles). Yesterday, woke up, not a cloud in the sky and all there were were ankle slappers...lol, so....I "got it." haha...too bad we flew back last night, I bet it would have been good diving. We drove by Emerald Coast yesterday to check out the shop but they were closed.

I called numerous places to jet ski, parasail, etc. yesterday to at least get OUT on the water. All I got was "Season is over, sorry." LOL...It was beautiful yesterday...someone fill me in? We boat in So Cal year round as long as conditions are good...

That said, loved the place had lots of fun. I've always wanted to visit the Gulf of Mexico. It is gorgeous, white sandy beaches. I did snorkel yesterday out in front of the hotel, lots of sand and saw some fish the same color of the sand (not a clue what they were) so I did get my happy face on

If you will notice above, I referenced how they wimp out in Destin with anything over 1 ft seas.


as for "season is over". Yep. basically eveything shuts down around Oct1st to Nov 1st. Especially all the beach vendors. (beach chair service, jet ski's parasail, etc.)

about the only things that run are the charter boats and dive boats on some weekends **IF** they get enough people and the wind doesn't pick up.

There was a thread here a while back discussing how wimpy they were in the area. I think it was called "why so shy in the panhandle"

 

[gsilvia]

Wow, Thats weird, I have been in their shop several times and they were more than happy to amswer my friends questions and he had a lot of them.

 

[PatMyGreen]

Saturday had some pretty bumpy weather offshore and I wouldn't blame them for canceling. I ran my charter and once the wind shifted out of the North they called it early since some of them felt out of their comfort zone and we only did one dive. We had waves coming from 3 quadrants and to say the sea state was "confused" is abit of an understatement.

A word of advice on looking at the sea from land. Pay attention to wind direction. If it is blowing from the land towards the sea it takes several miles to build to its full potential in terms of sea state. A north wind here can make the coast look flat but 3-5 miles out there will be very short period 4-5' seas.

All that to say, many charters would cancel and be intelligent for doing so, based on the weather this Sat. Also, I have never had a problem at ECS and have always found Anna to be extremely patient and helpful. Sorry to hear not everyone has had the same experience I have.

 

[Hetland]

I have to agree with Pat. It's hard for me to be upset with a charter for calling a dive (or fishing trip). Every time I've been out in iffy conditions, 3/4 of the passengers were hurling. While that wouldn't stop me from diving, it's certainly must be unpleasant for the hurlers and the guys that have to clean up the hurl at the end of the day, and I'd much rather dive with an overcautious captain than an imprudent one.

 

[Boat Chick]

Saturday had some pretty bumpy weather offshore and I wouldn't blame them for canceling. I ran my charter and once the wind shifted out of the North they called it early since some of them felt out of their comfort zone and we only did one dive. We had waves coming from 3 quadrants and to say the sea state was "confused" is abit of an understatement.

A word of advice on looking at the sea from land. Pay attention to wind direction. If it is blowing from the land towards the sea it takes several miles to build to its full potential in terms of sea state. A north wind here can make the coast look flat but 3-5 miles out there will be very short period 4-5' seas.

All that to say, many charters would cancel and be intelligent for doing so, based on the weather this Sat. Also, I have never had a problem at ECS and have always found Anna to be extremely patient and helpful. Sorry to hear not everyone has had the same experience I have.

We certainly were not upset that it was cancelled, just disapointed a little ;-) It was just interesting to watch the sea/weather and at home, might look fairly normal. Again, as I said, the next day it was flat. Then we realized, oh, THIS is normal for here I have pics for comparison, but have absoutely no clue how to post a pic here!

 

[mike_s]

I have pics for comparison, but have absoutely no clue how to post a pic here!

Easiest way is to upload it to your scubaboard gallery and them use the tags they provide with each picture uploaded.


or you can do it as a post attachment. Just click reply, then "manage attachments" and upload the pic and it'll be posted in a clickable thumbnail in the thread.

 

[walke121]

Scuba Tech and Emerald Scuba are both great operations.