Best place to live in FL for a diver?

[arenny]

Hello! I am in CA and considering a move to FL and one of the important factors is accessibility to good diving. Which cities in FL have the best beach diving? Reef?
Is it true that most reef diving in FL is drift diving?

Thank you so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am so jealous of your warm water

 

[MarineVet32935]

Depends on how much money you have.

From Sebastian Inlet south, the water gets clearer and clearer. There are some great beach dives in this area, but once you get down around Palm Beach, you will want a boat, because the Gulf Stream comes in real close there.

No, all reef diving in FL isn't drift diving. In the Keys you can moor up on a reef and your boat might not even pull the mooring line tight.

 

[genenaples]

South East FL is generally considered the best, from West Palm south to the Keys. I live in Naples on the SW coast and travel to Ft lauderdale or Key Largo at least twice a month. However, I prefer SW FL to SE FL, less crime, less traffic and less people. Its only a 1.5 hr drive to Ft Laud from here and 2 hrs to Key largo. Not to bad IMHO. However, if as you state, diving is your most important factor, check out SE FL

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Broward County has the best beach diving.
Another thread has been started asking the same questions, so to avoid a repeat, here is the link.
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=124056

 

[fishboots]

I live in WPB, but frequent Broward as well. I am between 5 minutes and two hours of anywhere I need to be.

 

[Fishermark]

I second (or third eyebrow) the thoughts on SE Florida. I lived for thirteen years in Ft Lauderdale and did my certification dives (back in 1985) in Lauderdale-by-the-sea with beach dives south of the Commercial Pier. You can do Lobstering, etc in the area without a boat. With a boat you can do great dives just a mile or two offshore.

I now live in Pt Charlotte, and love it here for reasons other than the diving! There's good diving here, but it is much farther offshore and the viz is not near as good as the Ft Lauderdale area on average.

 

[murphdivers286]

IMHO----- From Jupiter to Key West and everything in between. Each section offers something different. They are all great dives..... Move to the middle and dive them all..... Make sure you join us on a Conch event.

 

[arenny]

Wow, you guys are great! Thanks for all the great info!!

 

[ffestpirate]

Have to second the thoughts on southwest Florida! The pace is more laid back and everything you could want do do or see lies within a couple of hours.

 

[matts1w]

I'll third the vote for SW Florida. Laid back almost like the Keys, amazing spearfishing, great people, incredible esturaies and bays, close enough to blue water, and somewhat affordable and less crowded than Miami and Fort Lauderdale.

Sadly, I dont know how much longer the affordable and less crowded is going to last.....