Dive Buddies/friends in WPB area

[SheilaRee]

Hi All,

I"m making a quick trip down to WPB this weekend (June 15 - 17ish) and have found myself without a dive buddy. So, here I will be in WPB and there is no way I'm not diving! I will be staying with a friend on Singer Island. Maybe I'm dreaming this, but I thought I had read on SB that the Hilton on Singer Island had a dive shop and an area where divers hung out at night and uploaded photos, etc. So, I'm looking for someone to dive with and maybe meet-up with at any local dive bars. Is there such a place? I've done a search for "Hilton" on SB and I really don't think I imagined it, but I'm not coming up with anything! I only have a few dives in, maybe 25, in Bonaire and the Keys, but I'm pretty comfortable in the water and I snorkeled long before I was certified OW and Nitrox. I think I read that there is a shop (Scuba Club?) in WPB and they take out a lot of newbies. Just looking for some nice reefs with lots of fish and friends who are looking for the same. BHB is a possibility, as well, as long as I don't have to go alone. Please respond ASAP b/c I leave it two days! Thanks!

 

[danvolker]

Hilton Oceanfront Singer Island and the shop is Pura Vida ( see under Dive boats--they have a boat also)..but if you are going the 15th to 17th then you will need to time travel

 

[glee719]

Wow I was looking for the same and came across this thread. Great news. I am traveling down to WPB myself wanting to join Reef Photo's macro workshop, but want to extend a bit to do some more diving if I can. I just came back from 3 weeks of diving in Taiwan and don't want to work!

Any potential dive buddy with a spare room even? I rather spend money on diving than Miss Hilton...

 

[SheilaRee]

Oh, I forgot to mention I was taking the time machine down. So the correct dates are June 28th - July 2ndish. glee719 - I'm lucky enough to have a friend that lives there on Singer Island, but unfortunately, she's not able to dive this weekend b/c of a medical problem. Miss Hilton doesn't need my money either, but I'll go by and check it out anyway. Thanks, Dan, for the info.

 

[djtimmy77]

Dan relentlessly promotes the Hilton (and Pura Vida) so that is likely where you heard of it....I would be surprised if there was an area that divers regularly "hung out" there. It is not something that I've ever heard anyone else talk about. Dan, please don't blow up on me and write a 5 page essay about this, just giving her realistic expectations.

Make sure to also check out Force-E across the bridge, they are a great shop as well. While they don't have their own boat they can hook you up with several local dive boats. You have tons of great options in the area!

 

[danvolker]

Dan relentlessly promotes the Hilton (and Pura Vida) so that is likely where you heard of it....I would be surprised if there was an area that divers regularly "hung out" there. It is not something that I've ever heard anyone else talk about. Dan, please don't blow up on me and write a 5 page essay about this, just giving her realistic expectations.

The Hilton gets groups of 10 to 25 or so for many of the summer weeks. Last week they had Blue Planet in, a group of about 23 I think, which dove on Narcosis. Groups like this typically share their photos and videos with everyone in the lounge, on the big screen HD TV by the bar. The Hilton has it set up for divers to use this way. I have seen this type of thing very often.
If you have not been there, or don't have any friends that have stayed there, exactly what makes you think you ought to slam my post.....I could certainly get many testimonials from groups staying there....but then this would upset you also...so I suppose I should say nothing, and keep this information away from people looking for it?

 

[djtimmy77]

The Hilton gets groups of 10 to 25 or so for many of the summer weeks. Last week they had Blue Planet in, a group of about 23 I think, which dove on Narcosis. Groups like this typically share their photos and videos with everyone in the lounge, on the big screen HD TV by the bar. The Hilton has it set up for divers to use this way. I have seen this type of thing very often.
If you have not been there, or don't have any friends that have stayed there, exactly what makes you think you ought to slam my post.....I could certainly get many testimonials from groups staying there....but then this would upset you also...so I suppose I should say nothing, and keep this information away from people looking for it?

If this was a regular occurance of divers hanging out there....rather than the occasional dive group looking at pictures on a TV, then the local dive community might actually know about it and support it. I am not upset at all, just trying to provide another viewpoint aside from the over-selling that frequently occurs here.

 

[danvolker]

If this was a regular occurance of divers hanging out there....rather than the occasional dive group looking at pictures on a TV, then the local dive community might actually know about it and support it. I am not upset at all, just trying to provide another viewpoint aside from the over-selling that frequently occurs here.

The thing is, it is a regular occurrence now, and particularly in the summer, when big groups are coming from large dive shops all over the US. Maybe you are going from the experiences of the last ten years....in which you would be correct....In the last 2 years, the Hilton has turned itself into a Dive Resort, and it is getting a lot of dive groups....In fact, the last two weeks in July, they are hosting the Reality TV show the "Ultimate Diver Challenge", and event that will involve over 200 room/nights all by itself...these rooms occupied by divers

The Dive shuttle service was huge for the Shops in other states, and the custom "all inclusive" packaging, has led to the Hilton becoming something that never before existed in Palm Beach for Diving. There are about 7 other Hotels trying to work on this right now in Palm Beach, not just the Jupiter Beach Resort or the Delray Marriott, that you would see in SFDJ.com and I will be adding them as soon as they can offer real Dive Resort services and atmosphere as well.

I am not slighting Jupiter...it is actually the area I love to dive in the most. Jupiter Dive Center is creating some very cool packages with the nearby hotels, and if the OP had asked about something that really felt like a Jupiter kind of Zen, I would have been talking about Jupiter.
Bottom line is that in the last 20 years, Palm Beach had no real Dive Resort potentials...hotels did not work with dive boats to create the packages found at big destinations all over the world. In the last 2 years, this began to change.
Today, we do have a spectacular Dive Resort potential in Palm Beach, and it will only get better.

 

[djtimmy77]

Perhaps the hilton should schedule something more regular...like a weekly happy hour dive photo show in the summer...and advertise it. I bet some locals would show up for that. Get the visitors networking with the locals...that would only strengthen the dive community. Pura vida could promote it on their Facebook page.

I don't know how Jupiter came into the discussion. I would recommend the OP to palm beach over Jupiter anyway due to dive experience.

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Btw...to the OP...Force-E is hosting a night dive at BHB on Monday.

 

[DiverAmy]

Depending on how the weather looks and how my back is feeling, I will possibly dive this weekend. I am also planning on buying a new BC. I will keep you posted of my plans, if you haven't found someone to dive with already.