Diving in Ft. Lauderdale 2/7-2/8 ?

[paulwall]

I'll be fleeing New Orleans for Mardi Gras. Will be diving Boca Raton 2/4, 2/5, 2/6 and usually use Pro-Dive in Ft. Lauderdale, but am interested in a more flexible schedule for 2/7-2/8.

Anybody got any trips planned during that period?

 

[pilot fish]

How is the diving in that area, Fort Lauderdale? Are there good Dive Operations/hotel combos? What's there to see that could compare with key largo?

 

[simbrooks]

How is the diving in that area, Fort Lauderdale? Are there good Dive Operations/hotel combos? What's there to see that could compare with key largo?

Plenty of reefs and wrecks, shore diving, airport nearby, more hotels, a bit cheaper for all things than Key Largo, the viz might not be as good. Large population of divers in the FCD who might want to go along on that weekend. However early February might be hit or miss on weather, last weekend was nice a little further north, but its been hit and miss lately and we were lucky. If i werent further north that weekend i would come along.

 

[pilot fish]

Plenty of reefs and wrecks, shore diving, airport nearby, more hotels, a bit cheaper for all things than Key Largo, the viz might not be as good. Large population of divers in the FCD who might want to go along on that weekend. However early February might be hit or miss on weather, last weekend was nice a little further north, but its been hit and miss lately and we were lucky. If i werent further north that weekend i would come along.

That is so great to hear that the diving is good in that area. I never think of F Lauderdale for diving but it is so much more convienent for those of us in NY to fly down there and dive than renting a car and driving another hour and a half to K Largo.What's the diving like, water temp etc, in April May?

 

[simbrooks]

You can rent a car and head up to WPB/Boynton Beach as well for world class reef/drift dives. Depths vary from 60-80ft reefs, wrecks from 70ft+, shore diving, 15-30ft (at the drop off). Temps vary from high 60's to mid/high 80's through the year, april/may i would guess back in the low 70's and of course the snowbirds are moving on back north, so accom might be cheaper again There are tons of boats out of that area, miles of shore line to dive and scores of wrecks too - however i dont know all the details only what i have dove and what i have read about in books, on here and talked about with others. People in the area would have a far better idea than i about such things.

 

[pilot fish]

You can rent a car and head up to WPB/Boynton Beach as well for world class reef/drift dives. Depths vary from 60-80ft reefs, wrecks from 70ft+, shore diving, 15-30ft (at the drop off). Temps vary from high 60's to mid/high 80's through the year, april/may i would guess back in the low 70's and of course the snowbirds are moving on back north, so accom might be cheaper again There are tons of boats out of that area, miles of shore line to dive and scores of wrecks too - however i dont know all the details only what i have dove and what i have read about in books, on here and talked about with others. People in the area would have a far better idea than i about such things.

I'd like to avoid the car rental deal and just cab it to the hotel from Fort Lauderdale airport and dive there for a long weekend. Have to ever dove in Fort L? Are there people in that area that could give some info on dive ops, sites, water temp?

 

[simbrooks]

Dove plenty of times out of Ft Lauderdale and surrounding areas, unfortunately the boats arent in the same location as the hotels, some shore diving is close by to some hotels. There will be people along after work kicks out i am sure and they check in during the evening hours. I still dont know the area like the locals though There is a sticky in this forum about Ft L dive boats, plenty of info on shore diving between Pompano and Hollywood should that take your fancy. Still think a car is the best option for hauling loads of gear, cabs just arent too helpful and dont hold your stuff while you are shore diving. BTW - Paulwall, sorry for this hijack, if you want i can split it off, just ask.

 

[pilot fish]

Dove plenty of times out of Ft Lauderdale and surrounding areas, unfortunately the boats arent in the same location as the hotels, some shore diving is close by to some hotels. There will be people along after work kicks out i am sure and they check in during the evening hours. I still dont know the area like the locals though There is a sticky in this forum about Ft L dive boats, plenty of info on shore diving between Pompano and Hollywood should that take your fancy. Still think a car is the best option for hauling loads of gear, cabs just arent too helpful and dont hold your stuff while you are shore diving. BTW - Paulwall, sorry for this hijack, if you want i can split it off, just ask.

Maybe that would be fair, split it? I've heard of one dive op that is right near a hotel but I don't have that with me at the office.

 

[paulwall]

I'd like to avoid the car rental deal and just cab it to the hotel from Fort Lauderdale airport and dive there for a long weekend. Have to ever dove in Fort L? Are there people in that area that could give some info on dive ops, sites, water temp?

I usually stay at the Marriott on the beach, and walk the 3/4 mile or so to Pro Divers (next to the swimming hall of fame, if you want to map it) on A1A. Great shop, but they only run 1 trip this time of year, at 1pm. Boat is big and comfortable, but can be crowded.

Diving (Ft. Lauderdale) is good to great, have done reefs and wrecks. Some drift diving, but mostly swimming around and navigate back to the boat (on a mooring buoy). Visibilty is in the good-great range. Water temps should be in the 70's (we had 74 in January on the surface, air temp was in the 50-68 range).

Further north, in Boca is the dive Boat Diversity, among others. Capt. Tony treats you right, and runs a class act. I've been on his boat with as few as 3 divers and as many as 15 (max load) including a class of 7. Excellent drift diving. Visibilty is in the good-great range. Water temps should be in the 70's (we had 74 in January on the surface, air temp was in the 50-68 range). Short boat runs, though. 10 mins or less from the inlet. Have had great conditions on all of my dives (well, the wind came up during the second drift dive in December, but it was still manageable 4-6').

Basically, in Boca, any wind from SW to NNW doesn't drive the waves up too much, from the N-SSE, the waves get unruly.

Don't worry about hijacking the thread, I'm just glad somebody's talking to me!

 

[Marvel]

You can always try The American Dream II http://scubafortlauderdale.com/ out of Ft Lauderdale. It's dockside at the Hyatt Regency on the 17th Street Causeway & a terrific dive op. If you guys are interested in some beach diving, let us know- the Conchs are always ready for a dive. Of course, we aren't on vacation so it can be a little hard to schedule...