Budget diving in south Florida (Miami, Keys, etc.)

[scubadada]

I've had a townhouse just north of Boynton Beach since 2011. I 'm 3 miles from Boynton Harbor Marina, 15 miles from Palm Beach and the BHB, and 30 miles from Jupiter.

The best reefs, diversity and number of reef fish is Boynton Beach, The best chance to see bigger stuff, sharks, turtles, is in Jupiter. Palm Beach is very good, in between.

None of the operators in Boynton Beach put a guide in, you carry your own flag. Many operators in Jupiter and Palm Beach put a guide in the water, you may ascend with the guide or on your own DSMB.

Dive times with the operators I use are 60 min in Boynton and Palm Beach. In Jupiter the bottom time is 45 min, dive time in the low 50s min.

 

[Pavao]

As a foreigner what would that mean?

What's the length of the dives? Typical depths? Overal time for two dives?

Assume one rocked up with the kit but needed cylinders/tanks, what would the price be ($110) ?

What "additional" charges would one expect to pay for -- Americans are famous for liking "tips" and "taxes", so what's the total?

Would one need to rent lead?

45 min bottom time, 55 at the surface. ~70 feet dive profile. Leaves dock 9 AM, back at about noon, there’s afternoon boats too.

A pair of AL 80s nitrox is $35 I think

Prices for pretty much everything here is given without taxes, get used to it, about 7% across fFlorida, $10 tip per tank is the norm.

Charter boats usually have lead at no charge

 

[scubadada]

45 min bottom time, 55 at the surface. ~70 feet dive profile. Leaves dock 9 AM, back at about noon, there’s afternoon boats too.

A pair of AL 80s nitrox is $35 I think

Prices for pretty much everything here is given without taxes, get used to it, about 7% across fFlorida, $10 tip per tank is the norm.

Charter boats usually have lead at no charge

You should estimate your gas use for the dives in Boynton Beach, Palm Beach or Jupiter. You may be OK with an
AL80 or you may have to upgrade to a HP steel 100 or 120, depends on your RMV.

 

[calevans]

I'm planning a jupiter/ palm bay trip

Come on over to Jupiter! You'll pay around $100 per trip for a 2-tank trip plus tanks and tips.

The boats leaving out of the Jupiter Inlet (Square Grouper) dive the Juno Ledge. 70'-95' average profile
The boats leaving out of the Rivera Beach Marina usually run mid-shore dives. The average profile is around 50'.

The water has been high 70's, low 80s the past couple of weeks so right on the edge of no wetsuit needed.

Also, there's the Blue Heron Bridge. If you've got your own gear, you can dive the bridge for the price of a tank rental. (well, and maybe a flag/reel rental, gotta have one of those at the bridge.) There are a couple of dive shops close to the bridge where you can rent tanks.

Here's everything else you need to know if you are coming down.

A New Scuba Divers Guide to Diving the Blue Heron Bridge - Uncle Cal's Dive Club

Uncle Cal shows new scuba divers everything they need to know to dive the Blue Heron Bridge at Phil Foster Park in Rivera Beach, FL

unclecalsdiveclub.com

Oh, and if at all possible, do it on a weekday. the crowds are kinda nuts on the weekends.

Cheers!
=C=

 

[Pavao]

You should estimate your gas use for the dives in Boynton Beach, Palm Beach or Jupiter. You may be OK with an
AL80 or you may have to upgrade to a HP steel 100 or 120, depends on your RMV.

Yeah, I have a good guess on that, done a couple of dives in the area

 

[formernuke]

Also, there's the Blue Heron Bridge. If you've got your own gear, you can dive the bridge for the price of a tank rental. (well, and maybe a flag/reel rental, gotta have one of those at the bridge.) There are a couple of dive shops close to the bridge where you can rent tanks.

BHB access is limited right now due to construction. Can still dive it but it's a really long walk with your gear right now.

 

[Umpman]

I wish this weren't true but it is. I've been traveling to Florida a few times per year for the past 20 years and each time I go I have less inclination to do it again. The reefs and corals are shot, other than a few colorful schools of the ubiquitous yellow reef fish, occasional green moray and a puffer or porcupine fish, there's not much to see.

I typically go for the wrecks- and there are only a few that are worth the trip- the Eagle and the Duane are my two favorites, but the Duane is often canceled due to currents and very conservative dive charters. I don't even find the Spiegel Grove to be all that interesting, not much life on it and let's face it how many times can you swim through rusty metal? The Bibb is too deep, the dives are short and again not much marine life. If you want to make the long trip to expensive Key West there's the Vandenberg- and it's been my experience that the visibility is typically quite bad with few fish to see. The few other wrecks between Key Largo and Key West within recreational limits aren't even worth a mention except maybe the Benwood which does have a good amount of fish on it, and being shallow it makes for a good long dive.

As stated by @Jonah Kowall, there are a few decent wrecks in Miami, visited by at least two dive Ops.

Skip Fort Lauderdale. Dead reefs with garbage all around, small wrecks. Pompano has a few good large deep wrecks, Boyton has the Castor which is rapidly deteriorating, and West Palm has two good "wreck treks" where you can see up to 4 wrecks on a single drift dive- those are my personal Florida favorites and you'll often see some sharks and Goliath groupers.

Jupiter has one wreck trek which is worth the trip up there if you're so inclined.

That pretty much covers diving in SE Florida.

Ft Lauderdale has great diving for recreational divers. There are 3 reef lines, between 15 ft and 90 ft of water. Several wrecks in the 50-90 ft range and several more in the 80-130 ft range. There are 2 wreck trecks where you can drift and see 3 wrecks in a single dive in you have good air consumption. The reefs are beautiful and thanks to the gulf stream have more biodiversity than just about anywhere else. There is great visibility (right now we are experienceing 100ft of vis) and lots to see. Are the reefs like the wall in the Bahamas, no, but they are still a fun easy dive and you can do a 2 tank boat dive for as little as $75 plus gear and tank rental.

 

[Umpman]

Says the poster who wrote a few hundred words about how horrible diving is in SE Florida.

For the budget, SE Florida has some fantastic diving. You don't like it? Don't dive here.

I agree

 

[Wibble]

45 min bottom time, 55 at the surface. ~70 feet dive profile. Leaves dock 9 AM, back at about noon, there’s afternoon boats too.

A pair of AL 80s nitrox is $35 I think

Prices for pretty much everything here is given without taxes, get used to it, about 7% across fFlorida, $10 tip per tank is the norm.

Charter boats usually have lead at no charge

$110 + $35 = $145 x 7% tax = $155.15 + $20 tip = $175.15

Not cheap, not outrageous.



I recently cancelled a two week trip to Florida (Orlando for a few days, a week in the Keys) with the wife as it was becoming really expensive. Would get a two x two week fully inclusive holidays in the Caribbean for the same.

 

[Edward3c]

I was looking at the Keys as a stopover for the SC invasion. Price for one night was about the same as crossing the Atlantic, a week was like chartering my own plane. Priced themselves out of the market.

I’m now off to Thailand to dive.