Tampa/ St. Pete

[Bryan83taco]

I’m headed down to the Tampa area for work. I plan on getting a few dives in while I’m down there but I can’t really find much online. Who are the good charters? I plan on staying in the St. Pete area. I do plan on doing a fossil dive down in Venice one of the days I’m there. I’m interested in the memorial dive and any kind of wrecks. Any suggestions?

 

[CuzzA]

Narcois and Heroes dive shops consistently visit the Circle of Heros and then a wreck near by. The wreck will be pretty cool with jewfish, snappers and various other creatures. Unfortunately the circle of heroes dive is okay for doing it once, but don't expect much in the way of life other than urchins and starfish. The statues are covered with so much growth that you really can't make out much detail. There are brushes on site, so maybe people have been doing a better job cleaning them, but I doubt it.

Right now the bottom is covered with the annual coastal gumbo bloom we typically see when the water warms up and eventually dissapears, so if I were you I'd be looking to go with a charter that is going deeper. Off the Wall Adventures might be a good option. Maybe Two Shea, but they run mostly spearfishing trips, which might not be a bad option as there would be an increased opportunity to see sharks.

 

[kelemvor]

For the fossil dives in Venice, assuming you want a boat dive rather than shore:

Aqua Nutz: Aquanutz Fossil Dive Charters | Megalodon Shark Teeth and Fossil Dive Charters in Venice Florida

Aristakat: Aristakat Charters

There's a few others who turn up on a google search, but I've been on both of these boats.

 

[Catito]

I’m headed down to the Tampa area for work. I plan on getting a few dives in while I’m down there but I can’t really find much online. Who are the good charters? I plan on staying in the St. Pete area. I do plan on doing a fossil dive down in Venice one of the days I’m there. I’m interested in the memorial dive and any kind of wrecks. Any suggestions?

I suggest you drive to the East coast…

 

[greeniguana]

Hudson grotto :^)

 

[MikadoWu]

Hudson grotto :^)

I have that t-shirt.... sitting way way way back in the closet. Hiding in the dark where it belongs.

 

[Bryan83taco]

Thanks all for the advice! I’m good on the grotto, I’m forced to dive vortex springs way too much so I’ll take a pass of that one. Not sure if I’ll make it to the east coast, not trying to drive that far during my trip.

when does this Gumbo bloom go away? I’ll be down there early June.

 

[CuzzA]

Thanks all for the advice! I’m good on the grotto, I’m forced to dive vortex springs way too much so I’ll take a pass of that one. Not sure if I’ll make it to the east coast, not trying to drive that far during my trip.

when does this Gumbo bloom go away? I’ll be down there early June.

Well with all the wind we're currently getting hopefully it is getting turned up off the bottom as we speak. Viz will suffer for a couple weeks but should get back to normal with current and tides pushing it south. Try to find someone who is going further offshore. Usually once you hit 60-80 feet you'll be in clean blue water. FWIW, it's just green hair algae. But when it gets turned up the water looks like gumbo, for lack of a better term.

FYI, the Tampa Bay Spearfishing Challenge is Saturday June 5 so charters might be hard to come by that weekend.