So, for reasons beyond me (financial) the 4 of us may, instead of blowing away the kids college education on a fancy LOB trip or two, end up driving to FL this X-mas / New years / 1st. January week. We go from brand spanking new and water timid diver to new diver, but a fish to somewhat experienced divers.
General Areas we consider: Key Largo-ish, Ft. Lauderdale by the Sea - ish (& BHB), Cave country.
Did a good bunch of reading but am still a bit lost - especially for the time of year.
Where might we have the best chances to actually go diving at that time of the year, maybe even try to get an AOW class in and complete it for the two newbs. - I mean weather-wise and weather protection wise and option wise as in where to go from... E.G. do the Bahamas provide a little protection to the coast in some areas further north (compared to the Keys) for the then maybe prevailing easterly winds - or all the same?
How much is BHB diving affected when the sea state in the Atlantic is too much for the timid newb (pretty much 2 foot waves and 3 foot swells and I'd call it for her, she may even call it earlier first time around... TBD...? Is one is allowed to dive there (in the dark) when slack high tide falls before sunrise or after sunset?
I like the idea of shore diving options (budget, easy to "schedule", solo if bored..) further north as opposed to Key Largo (otherwise nice except for ending up on French reef (unplanned) way too often), but other than that I have no good idea yet about the diving in the larger FLL by the Sea area .. and any especially weather-wise worthwhile to know differences... Is that greater area at that time of the year as overrun by tourists as the keys or maybe less so?
Cave country: Obviously less weather affected. But what would one do there as a brand spanking new OW diver not yet ready for a cavern class or even Intro to cave?
Manatees & springs - at least as a stop on the way there and / or back - maybe more: dos and donts & where & what not to miss and what regrettable tourist traps to avoid.
Panhandle - no idea...
Other stuff to do - when blown out... (sitting on the beach is not so much our thing, paddling rivers maybe, nature hike maybe, yeah the girls shop but the guys don't really)
Side topic: Since we're most likely driving: How / where to try to score a deal on a galvanized steel tank (maybe 2), maybe 120 cuft, maybe 133.... I can look for used of course... --- For new: Any point in trying to find a Black Friday deal and ask to hold it for a month until I can pick it up...? Or do those just also not really happen on tanks in FL?
General Areas we consider: Key Largo-ish, Ft. Lauderdale by the Sea - ish (& BHB), Cave country.
Did a good bunch of reading but am still a bit lost - especially for the time of year.
Where might we have the best chances to actually go diving at that time of the year, maybe even try to get an AOW class in and complete it for the two newbs. - I mean weather-wise and weather protection wise and option wise as in where to go from... E.G. do the Bahamas provide a little protection to the coast in some areas further north (compared to the Keys) for the then maybe prevailing easterly winds - or all the same?
How much is BHB diving affected when the sea state in the Atlantic is too much for the timid newb (pretty much 2 foot waves and 3 foot swells and I'd call it for her, she may even call it earlier first time around... TBD...? Is one is allowed to dive there (in the dark) when slack high tide falls before sunrise or after sunset?
I like the idea of shore diving options (budget, easy to "schedule", solo if bored..) further north as opposed to Key Largo (otherwise nice except for ending up on French reef (unplanned) way too often), but other than that I have no good idea yet about the diving in the larger FLL by the Sea area .. and any especially weather-wise worthwhile to know differences... Is that greater area at that time of the year as overrun by tourists as the keys or maybe less so?
Cave country: Obviously less weather affected. But what would one do there as a brand spanking new OW diver not yet ready for a cavern class or even Intro to cave?
Manatees & springs - at least as a stop on the way there and / or back - maybe more: dos and donts & where & what not to miss and what regrettable tourist traps to avoid.
Panhandle - no idea...
Other stuff to do - when blown out... (sitting on the beach is not so much our thing, paddling rivers maybe, nature hike maybe, yeah the girls shop but the guys don't really)
Side topic: Since we're most likely driving: How / where to try to score a deal on a galvanized steel tank (maybe 2), maybe 120 cuft, maybe 133.... I can look for used of course... --- For new: Any point in trying to find a Black Friday deal and ask to hold it for a month until I can pick it up...? Or do those just also not really happen on tanks in FL?
