Any SoBe Diver out here?

[dpreviti]

Hey all,

Just moved to Miami this past year and I'm really looking forward to meeting some cool people and making future dive buddies.

I'm in the process of getting my gear together & will be rental free and ready to dive by June...

I have my OW Cert and would love to even beach dive, I haven't gotten in my first soak yet here.

Any SoBe divers out there? I'm on 8th near the beach.

Dave

 

[Tom Winters]

I used to live on 8th between Euclid and Pennsylvania when I moved to Floriduh after 9/11. Then I emigrated back from Dade county to the United States.

 

[greg454]

I live in South Beach. At The Flamingo. I'm currently training for an OW with an instructor from Divers Direct in Fort Lauderdale. South Beach sucks when it comes to finding a parking place. How do you plan your shore dive? Wake up very early, find a spot on Ocean Av., walk to the beach? Or do you plan to go to South Pointe park (more parking there)?

 

[dpreviti]

I live in South Beach. At The Flamingo. I'm currently training for an OW with an instructor from Divers Direct in Fort Lauderdale. South Beach sucks when it comes to finding a parking place. How do you plan your shore dive? Wake up very early, find a spot on Ocean Av., walk to the beach? Or do you plan to go to South Pointe park (more parking there)?

Hey Greg,

I really haven't gotten that all worked out yet. South Point park is a possibility, I'm also looking into some kind of low tech gear cart.... haha yes I'm talking about a tricked out shopping cart

I live three blocks away from the beach and have a street sticker on my car as well so if need be I could shuttle stuff for us then while someone waits come back home & park.

If I stay around here, I'm looking into getting a M.U.L.E. to drive gear back and forth from the beach but that probably will not be till next year sometime. After we find more long term (better) digs.

Keep in touch when you finish your OW Greg and we will see from there. I'm also only OW and would prefer going with at least one person MORE qualified then myself (Adv. diver) so lets see who else jumps into the thread. It would be great to find 3-4 people maybe someone with access to a boat, but I'm also in the process of getting my coast guard stuff done & would rent for a trip, sometime in the future if I could get a good group together.

David

 

[dpreviti]

I used to live on 8th between Euclid and Pennsylvania when I moved to Floriduh after 9/11.

Do you get down here much anymore or do most of your diving up in Ft Lauderdale? I have heard there are lots of good wrecks, and reefs up your way, but there is so much to see, North / South / & West in this state it's a bit overwelming.

Then I emigrated back from Dade county to the United States.

Ouch I hear you on that.... my girl wanted to move down here to MIA. It's a little much, but she wanted to live the SoBe lifestyle. I don't think this is going to be a perminant place to live for us however since neither of us speak spanish.


Dave

 

[ReneeC]

Don't do much shore diving in Miami but if you want to come north (Hollywood and up) drop me a note. Be happy to take you out on some of the local reefs.

Welcome to diving and to SB

 

[dpreviti]

Thanks for the greetings and invite Renee!

I sent you a PM.

Dave

 

[Tom Winters]

I can't help you on shore diving off Miami Beach. The water always looked green and was covered in an oily sheen from all the sunbathers and who-knows-what. Dade county advertisers itself as the artificial reef capital with 8,000 feet of wrecks and structures.
In fact, I'm the last person to ask about shore diving since I refuse to do it anymore. Too many years of doing it for a living.
RJ has a dive boat right at the Marina on Alton Road - you can see it crossing east on 395 just before you land on 5th Street. That's your best bet for diving there. If you like the operation and become a regular, you should be able to get a good rate from him. In Hawaii, we always took care of regular repeat customers. They required no pampering and helped out a lot.
South Beach Divers on Washington wasn't much of a dive shop, and as much as I tried to like Tarpoon Lagoon also at the Alton Road Marina like RJ, that wasn't a good fit either although Valerie the owner is very nice.
Make sure you eat at Puerto Sagua over on Collins and 7th. It's a great place especially once they realize that you live there. I can't believe it's still there with all the upgrading going on.
I never get down to South Beach anymore - as much as I loved Miami Beach, I loathed the rest of the county. I missed Pizza Rustico on Washington and 9th until they opened a branch on Oakland Park and A1A.
I bypassed all of Broward county when I made the permanent move here and wound up happily ensconced at the Club Tom.
As much as I miss living in South Beach, I sure do not miss the parking nightmare there, especially on weekends. And the noise. And the dirt. And the weekend partyers. I never hear gunfire anymore on Friday and Saturday nights.
http://www.rjdiving.com/