Daytona Beach/Orlando area diving

[2airishuman]

I am planning a family trip to Daytona Beach in early April. I have dived a good deal in the Keys but am less familiar with the possibilities further north. We will be visiting some of the springs for snorkeling/swimming/kayaking adventures and staying on the beach.

It will not be a SCUBA-centric trip but I am wondering if it is worth bringing scuba gear for the possibility of breaking away for a couple of days on my own. I prefer to dive solo without a guide and have no interest in cave or cavern diving. I like both boat dives and shore dives. Any recommendations?

 

[Johnoly]

Early April in the Daytona area is really tough because the blowing winds and especially the swells from the cool fronts rolling off SC & GA that mess it up for Florida. BUT there are 1-2 day "weather windows" that are flat enough so you can run out to the better dive sites that are 14-20 miles offshore. Like you said, this ain't the keys. The swells scrub the bottom and that will cut viz to 5ft. In the summer time we can get great viz of 50+ with no swells.

The majority of dive boats that run are spearo boats. But April is our only 'quiet' month because lobster just closed on 3/31 and grouper/hog doesn't open til May 1st. Red Snapper season is like throw darts at a calendar, good luck. So April Daytona dive charters are few to none. Jupiter would be your next closest bet at 3 hours each way, but if you like sharks, April is a great time for tigers and bulls. Jupiter would also accommodate your style of diving without a leash.

Driving inland 40 minutes from Daytona to Ginnie springs (in my opinion) would be 100% worth it if you have never been there and full rentals are available for the day trip right on site. You'll say it was worth the money,,, but once & done-bought the teeshirt.

Daytona is alot of fun, drive your car on the beach with dark sunglasses so you don't get busted staring at the college spring breakers. Orlando is 45minutes to the south where I'm from and the theme parks are a great time if you love roller coasters.

 

[100days-a-year]

Great time to dive local rivers for fossils and artifacts. Quite a few within a 2 hour drive. And since the weather is iffy and spearfishing limited there is a better likelihood of being able to find a local willing to go with or even show some spots.
Ocean shore dives start at Vero and run S. from there.

 

[sheeper]

Daytona area diving is a rough go. much further out and can be very rough this time of year with the winds a-blowing.
Best diving is down in the Palm Beaches. We have a lot of Orlando-Daytona divers in my dive club (Vero Beach Scuba Club) and they make the trek south for awesome diving.