Dive Shop Recommendation for Miami

[Voltaire]

I am planning to dive in Miami on August 16, 2003. I dive for underwater photography; so, I am not interested in a drift dive and I would prefer to dive locations at depths of 40 to 70 feet. Also, I have no interest in cattle-call boats. Could anyone recommend a first class dive shop? Thank you.

 

[downtime2]

Voltaire-
A lot of it depends on where you'll be staying. If you are staying in Kihei area, I highly recommend Ed Robinson's Dive Adventures. They are very friendly to photographers and let you dive your own profile. They break the boat into 3 groups, by experience level, and do send a dm down with each group, but the only rule they have is to stay within sight of the group. You determine your own profile and you surface when your air/ndl dictates. The staff is extremely knowledgeable and friendly as well.

I have used them on both my trips to Maui and will continue to use only them on my future trips back.

If you are staying in Lahaina or Kanaapali, someone else will have to help you on that one. I have heard good and bad about Lahaina Divers. Best I can tell, they are a cattle op.

Hope that helps.

 

[deepstops]

The easiest shop to deal with for diving in Miami is H2O Scuba in Sunny Isles. Their dive boat is docked right behind their shop and they do all levels of diving from OW to trimix. Henry Del Campo is the owner and their number is 305-956-DIVE They run a 30' Island Hopper dive boat that will run with four divers and maxs at 12.

Some of the best diving is just south of Miami in Biscayne National Underwater Park. There's only one operator allowed to run in the park and that's Divers Unlimited http://www.diversunlimited.com

or specifically

http://www.diversunlimited.com/html/biscayne.html
305-230-1100 The best coral and the best viz is down there.

 

[Voltaire]

Thanks Downtime, and I will remember that when I dive in Hawaii. But, I requested information on Miami, not Maui. It's the thought that counts. I appreciate it.

Thanks Deepstops, I actually did my OW with H2O about 5 years ago and I agree that they are a very professional and well run outfit. I have probably dove every site that they go to; so, I was just looking for something different. The Biscayne National Underwater Park sounds interesting, I think I will contact them.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Now that I am reminded of the shop's name in Sunny Isles, my experience with them was horrible. I won an advanced class with them at a dive expo. The class had to be rescheduled over a different weekend. Ok. I can handle that. They gave me a book, said study it. The first dive was deep on the Tennaco Towers. The DM lost the other girl who was diving with us. He was on nitrox, us air, and we blew the tables. The second, a reef dive, he lost me. I even went back to the boat looking for him and was told by the crew to just enjoy the dive. Needless to say, I never went back.

I have always wanted to dive Biscayne Nat'l but haven't the chance to yet, I hear its Miami's secret. Everybody goes to the keys and misses the great dives to the north.

 

[downtime2]

Geez, sorry dude...Guess I was just fantasizing!

 

[deepstops]

scuba_jenny once bubbled...
Now that I am reminded of the shop's name in Sunny Isles, my experience with them was horrible.

I've gotta say that sounds very unusual for H2O. Are you sure that wasn't with the Diving Locker across the steet from H2O??

 

[TX65]

That does sound like the diving locker across from H20.

For years, when traveling to Miami on business or living there, I dived with H20. I cant say I have ever had a bad experience going on a dive with them.

If Gary was skippering the boat and the DM got divers into deco (especially AOW students),,,he would resolve the matter at the very mention of it.

The boat that was / is running for the Diving Locker used to do dives for H20, but that was 8 years ago before Henry bought his own boat. I could see that happening on that boat.

I did dives out of Boca and Lighthouse point, but they tended to be cattle boats and didnt get repeat visits.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Actually it was H2O Scuba. South side of the highway. The entry in my log book has Henry's signature on it. Sept 22, 1996. He signed it with his instructor number. I was going to report the incident to Padi, but never got around to it. I swore, that I would never dive there again.
Good to hear it was probably an isolated incident.

 

[TX65]

ahhh ok,,,Sept 1996,,,thats when I moved to Aventura. That was still the period of the old boat and I can see you having an experience back then. As I remember Larry and Jeff were teaching classes,, both have moved on to other things.

That period also began a transition as Henry bought out the other owners who had gone on to other things.

For years now, Gary has been the skipper of the new boat and he keeps a good handle on everything.

Nice thing with them is that if you are the first people booked on the boat,,,Henry and Gary will let you request what dive sites you want to go on.

Even when I lived in Boca, it was usually worth it to drive down to H20 vs the cattle boats out of north broward.