Diving approx 2+ hours around Orlando?

[oregondiver]

i will be working in Orlando approximately 2 weeks a month for the next 3-6 months, figured I would get some diving in...if I can find a buddy. I don't mind the drive, but pretty much gotta work mon to fri.

I miss living in Seattle where I would do a dive or 2 after work 15 minutes away in the Sound. Now I am now in Texas...lets just say lakes don't make me quite as jolly. And talking the boy into multiple Caribbean trips...yea, obstacles...

So I typically travel with my gear, can drive to meet at a dive site. Where can I find buddies to hook up with?

Don't know the area at all...but I got one of them fancy talkie gps thingies! Anyone willing to let me tag along? I have dry suit or wetsuit. Just need to rent tanks. Hell, I can even bring extra pair of Force Fins if anyone wants to try a pair out!

Oh yea, and I fly in tomorrow and so free on Sunday...otherwise I am stuck by the pool and then I will be tempted to work.... To please please hit me up so I know to pack dive gear if anyone is up for a dive Sunday (or approx 3 weeks from now).
Shell

 

[Moor3061]

I am jealous, glad to see you can trade up blue lagoon, 288 lake, yahtahyahta for...

 

[oregondiver]

yea, was teaching at Lake 288 the other weekend....love seeing student smiles, miss actual critters other than the lake "perch-ana"

 

[Steve_C]

Freshwater river - Rainbow river
Also some springs but I am not a spring guy.

Personally best bet is Jupiter, Florida. It is 2hr 12 min by interstate. They have some nice diving out of Jupiter. Short boat rides. Reefs. Drift diving in 50-80 ft of water. From Jupiter south there is more nice diving like West Palm, etc.

If you get a long weekend you could go for Key Largo, I have driven it but too long a haul for me to do for just a day or day and half trip.

Have fun

 

[sportxlh]

Jupiter is the best salt water choice. Dive operators include Jupiter Dive Center (my favorite), Captain Sl8er, Stuart Scuba and a few others. I lived in the area until last year and dove almost every Saturday morning when marine conditions allowed. Its really good diving. If you're diving nitrox, just hang with the dive guide or you can hook up with an insta buddy. I normally dive solo with redundant gear (and am certified) which is pretty common in the area.

There is diving on the west coast of Florida.... search this forum for Tampa, St Pete and Clearwater operators. I don't know much about diving in those areas but they are fairly close to Orlando. Conditions are not quite as good as the east coast.

There are shops in Orlando with clubs that plan trips, so that might be a good way to meet local buddies. I met a bunch of Dayo staff on a live aboard and they are a great bunch.

 

[sportxlh]

One other item, if you're really bored and stuck in Orlando some weekend, you can do the Epcot Dive Quest aquarium dive. It's sort of a bucket list type of thing and not terribly cheap, but rewarding enough to do once.

 

[scubadada]

Hi @oregondiver

Exactly, what do you plan on doing while you're in Orlando? Are you just driving down and back for a day of diving? If you drove down after work on Friday, you could get in two days of diving and your range may be greater. There are inexpensive hotels available. There is a lot of fantastic diving in SE FL. I have a 2nd home in Boynton Beach and generally dive Boynton Beach, West Palm, including BHB, and Jupiter.

You don't really need a buddy to dive with Jupiter Dive Center (see above by @sportxlh). You can go down with the DM and either follow loosely and ascend with the DM or ascend on your own SMB at the end of the dive. It's pretty much the same with Narcosis out of West Palm. They put a DM in the water and you can stick around or ascend on your own, probably let them know if that's going to be the case. None of the operators in Boynton Beach put a DM in the water, I generally use Underwater Explorers. The reef drifts are generally easy to navigate and solo diving is pretty common. You didn't say whether or not you are interested in diving solo or whether you are certified. In general, you can always find a buddy or small group to dive with out of Boynton Beach if that is your preference.

Lastly, I will be down and diving the weekend of Feb 25-26 and would be glad to show you around if that works. PM me if I can help. I will likely be diving in Boynton Beach unless the seas are up. When seas are high, it is most difficult to get out of Boynton Beach, followed by Jupiter, and then West Palm. Narcosis often gets out of West Palm when nobody is getting out of Boynton Beach or Jupiter.

Good diving,

Craig
Portlander 1980-1988

 

[domdiggity]

I live in Orlando and am free to go diving with enough notice. The closest springs are blue springs and alexander springs. Blue springs is closed until march because of the manatees. There are lots of great shore dives on the east coast. Pepper Park in Ft. Pierce is the closest but it can be hit or miss with visibility this time of year. Blue Heron Bridge is always a great dive but can be tricky timing it coming from orlando because of the tides. There's tons of great boat diving in jupiter and west palm as others have said. There's also a boat that goes out of Ft. Peirce.

 

[steve-oh]

I run a dive charter outta ft. pierce about a 2 hour trip from Otown. 321-210-3774

 

[longtimer]

Originally from FL, but now an expat...I'd head less than 2.5 hours north to the caves, or 2.5 hours south to the beaches. Shore diving at Pepper Park is surprisingly good. Caught my biggest lobster ever there. Blue Heron Bridge is a no brainer, just find a local. Actually all those reef dives off boats from Ft Pierce on down are great lobstering and rec diving. The 50' reef is only .3 miles off shore in Palm Beach. Wreck diving galore around Pompano/Lauderdale as well as shore diving, and Key Largo is about 4.5 hours door to door. I'm getting jealous. I had a short project in Hialeah last year, and Orlando the year before, and was able to do lots of diving.