Back in FL, and the scuba bug is biting! Jacksonville Area

[cyberfed]

Hey all!
After a long break from diving and a move to Colorado for several years I have returned to Florida. Currently living in Jacksonville. Looking to meet folks to go diving with! I was sad to learn that there isn't much off-shore diving out of Jacksonville. Either way I'm looking to dive!

I've been out of the game for awhile but I have all new gear and I'm ready to go. I hold the following certifications:
OW
AOW
Nitrox
Adv Nitrox
Decompression Diver
Caven
Cave

Though I don't cave dive anymore. I'm game for just about anything else. Looking to find some fellow divers in the area willing to do some weekend diving. I'm pretty flexible on the weekends. The only place in FL I can think that I have not done is Eagles Nest so I'm familiar with almost all the big sites. Hit me up if you are in the Jacksonville area and would like to setup some weekend trips on a charter boat or even some spring/cavern dives.

Cheers

 

[100days-a-year]

There is tons of diving off Jax, I have no idea who told you that. People dive year round. There are charters. Ut most people dive from private boats.
There are more than a hundred artificial reefs in 30 permitted areas. Wrecks as long as 600'
There are numerous natural shipwrecks and planes as jJax was home to a lot of Naval aviation.
I would suggest Mike Barnettes books and as well as Ned Deloaches to get an idea what's available.
Reef Histories | JOSFC | Since 1959

 

[cyberfed]

Well I’m basing it on google searches. Nothing coming up. Also 3 local dive shops said there really aren’t any except private ones because you have to go 10 miles out at least to dive. Also older posts here didn’t yield anything. If you know the name of a few can you provide them please? Or their websites? Thanks best I could find are spearfishing charters.

I’m used to west palm where charters are everywhere. What’s a private charter for 2 tank dive run?

 

[JamesScuba]

My SO and I are located in Jax slowly getting into more diving. We went to key largo in the middle of june and will probably go to a spring sometime soon to work on some stuff. Welcome to the area!

 

[100days-a-year]

Most of local shops are total goons but they are at least right about most dives being on private boats.
People dive the local rivers for artifacts and fossils from shore, kayaks and boats. Extremely low vis
People dives the N jetties from kayaks or boats. Low vis
Offshore dives start at 3 miles and runs out 60miles or more to deep wrecks in 300' + vis is variable and seasonal
Most but not all will be spearfishing or lobstering.
There are several dive charters here and in St. Augustine and a few that do both fish and diving.
Diving | Savage Diving
I suggest FB groups for local connections to private boaters.

 

[ProdiverMike]

Most of local shops are total goons but they are at least right about most dives being on private boats.
People dive the local rivers for artifacts and fossils from shore, kayaks and boats. Extremely low vis
People dives the N jetties from kayaks or boats. Low vis
Offshore dives start at 3 miles and runs out 60miles or more to deep wrecks in 300' + vis is variable and seasonal
Most but not all will be spearfishing or lobstering.
There are several dive charters here and in St. Augustine and a few that do both fish and diving.
Diving | Savage Diving
I suggest FB groups for local connections to private boaters.

I am a kayak scuba diver with over 20 years of diving, moving from south Florida to Saint Augustine. Could you recommend the local rivers to find shark tooth fossils?

 

[100days-a-year]

I am a kayak scuba diver with over 20 years of diving, moving from south Florida to Saint Augustine. Could you recommend the local rivers to find shark tooth fossils?

St. Marys river East of I95 and West of the town of St. Marys. 6 to 18 inches of vis and current to two knots.