Anyone dive with Jupiter Dive Center?

[DiverAmy]

PBG/Jupiter has some nice places to eat. I really like Hogsnapper Shack and Sushi for seafood and for Chinese: Mr Zhang's Chinese Food Palm Beach Gardens. As mentioned, Juno Beach is lovely as is the waterfront on Singer Island, also the Blue Heron Bridge is not too far south and is a place where you can shore dive and she can snorkel. For shopping, PB Gardens, slightly to the south is packed with great stores, malls, and shopping centers.

I have gone out with JDC numerous times and they run a solid operations. Pluses include the boats are right behind the shop where you sign in, pay, and obtain and analyze tanks. Their crews are competent. There are other fine Jupiter dive ops, as well. Anyway, have fun in the area. Palm Beach County rocks

 

[OceanEyes]

Another hearty thumbs up for JDC. A class outfit in all regards.

 

[sheeper]

JDC is great one of the best. Really good (and trustworthy) shop also.
Another one of the best operators is Capt SL8r (www.jupiterscubadiving.com). If you are in the area for a week hit them both for the complete Jupiter diving experience!

 

[Amazz]

Definitely dive with Jupiter Dive Center. They offer quality gear sales and rentals, two great boats with seasoned captains. They go out 7 days a week if weather allows.

Check this out for non diving days: Canoe and Kayak the Loxahatchee River! - Canoe Outfitters of Florida It's one of the few wild rivers left in the US and lots of funn.

---------- Post added January 8th, 2014 at 09:41 PM ----------

I don't recommend bubble watching. It's a long 4 hour day on the boat in less than optimal seas in Winter. You'd be better off having her drop you off and then her doing some shopping. Not to sound patronizing, but I have worked dive boats for years. I can count on one finger where a bubble watcher in Jupiter in January had a good time. Don't do it.

 

[Johnoly]

Big thumb's up from me too for JDC, great boats and OP. Watch those wave forecasts as it gets closer. If you have 3 days of east winds which will push in clear sweet water, followed by the next day of west winds off the land and flat seas, it can be a snorkeler's delight doing the wrek trek or the MG111 with top to bottom viz.

For eats, if you tell us the wife likes margarita's it will turn into a 25 page long brawl of who has the best. But you heard it hear first,,,Rancho Chico is the best and the hot food is big, good & cheap !!

P.S. Bring a lionfish spear to catch her dinner.

 

[Sorrows]

This is good to hear--we (four adults) plan to come down in May and thought we'd dive with them then.

Are there any diver-friendly places to stay in the area? Cottages/condos/old-style motels, or is it regular chain hotels?

 

[iamrushman]

JDC is a great operation....have gone diving with them many times...........enjoy your day with them.

 

[Zznola]

Did a couple of drift dives with them. Dives went fine. The usual northward high viz current was slow and going south. Viz was ok, say 30-40 ft but not awesome. Had fun. Lots of turtles laying on the bottom.

Bring a large smb and know how to use it. The theory was there was a guide in the water with a flag. I and my instabuddy splashed last. He had a large camera. As soon as he was settled I looked around and it was the two of us. So we did our drift dive.

Point is to be prepared for a two buddy drift and bring a good large smb. We came up probably half a mile from the boat. They quickly saw our smb and picked us up.

Would dive with them again.

So how is it that they didn't wait for all groups to be settled before taking off?. Im still a beginner and a little nervous about this drift dive on your own thing.

I was about to get get a 4 ft smb. now you are saying the 6ft is necessary. I Just figure that the 6ft is harder to deploy. On vacation, in Roatan, the only one that sent up the SMB was the DM. I wanted to have one anyway just in an emergency but thought the 4ft would be good for that and I would probably never even need it. I do want to learn how to do it right so I may as well get the 6ft right off the bat I guess.

Im getting the picture that the Florida diving is a bit more self reliant which is fine, im just trying to get the parameters of what to be prepared for. I did a no guide dive in the keys last year when I was even less experienced and came up with a pretty good swim to the boat without a sausage. Now im realizing they shouldn't have even let us go without the sausage just in case we were directionally challenged, which we were!

 

[guyharrisonphoto]

If they put a guide in pulling a flag, then speak up beforehand so that you splash with them. That way, even if you surface first, you can follow the flag line up (do NOT grab it) and the boat will be there, unless they are picking someone else up, but will be there quickly.

For other more self reliant divers, you can deploy the SMB when you begin your safety stop so the boat has 3 minutes to spot it. Some divers just wait to deploy it when they surface, as they don't want to keep the boat hanging around on the surface during the safety stop when it could be picking up other people.

The beauty of Jupiter/West Palm diving is that you are not kept together in a "herd" around the DM or guide. Everyone enters the water at about the same time, and you can follow the guide if you want. Photogs can hang back. Aggressive explorers can swim ahead or do negative descents to reach the bottom ahead of the group. Everyone manages their own dive plan but the boats are expert at rounding everyone up when it is over.

And yes, I like a 6' SMB.

The florida diving can be more challenging, but don't let your beginner status deter you. Lots of classes are taught here and the students do fine. Just plan what you want to do, let the DM know your plan and your experience level, listen to any feedback or suggestions the DM gives you, and be comfortable with your gear. There is no need to be an expert at deploying the SMB from depth to do a successful drift dive. Just know how to deploy it on the surface.

 

[cb5150]

Jupiter Dive Center=Top Notch Operation. best customer service I have ever experienced in any industry.