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

[paulwall]

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...

I'll add that to the list. I'm a single diver (wife doesn't go in the water).

Mapquest shows that shop .9 miles from my hotel, vs. 1.06 for Pro Dive (I guess I walked further than I thought). I've never had much luck beach diving (except in Curacao), but if the conditions are right...

 

[divad]

What's there to see that could compare with key largo?

Women.

 

[Padipro]

Just to give you guys an idea of what the diving here in south Florida can be like...

Mempilot and I dived the wreck of the Deep Freeze yesterday afternoon (1/26). Air temp was about 75 water temp 73, cloudless sky, light winds, minor current, seas 1 to 2 feet and vis was an unbelieveable 80 feet or so. The wreck sits in about 140 feet of water and at about 40 to 50 feet the wreck started to come into view. We headed to the bottom and inside the wreck to take a look around. We spent nearly 25 minutes inside the ship at a depth of 120 feet with a max depth of 135 before starting our ascent and doing a very light deco of about 6 to 8 minutes. BEAUTIFUL dive, one of the nicest dives aside from Tenneco Towers. On the second dive we did a deep reef, 80 feet or so, and again the conditions were perfect. I don't normally like diving the reefs around here (been there, done that, got the T shirt and the bumper sticker) so I'm pretty much board with it but today was different. I've dived some of the best reefs in the world, the Red Sea, Provo, Bahamas and the far east and today reminded me of any one of those sites. The marine life visable on the reef was beyond description, the vis was just as good as any of the other places I've dived before and the current was just enough to give you a push along the reef without being to strong to stop and look at something interesting you might spot along the way. It was one of the most relaxing dives I've done down here in a long time and if I had to rate it from 1 to 10 I'd give it a 9.5 only because I'm a wimpy south Florida diver and my drysuit was in the shop being repaired so I got a little cold on the scond dive only wearing my 5 mil semi-dry.

There aren't many days during the year that are like today but if you're lucky every once in a while you'll be in the right place at the right time and it's a wounderful day.

Diving here in south Florida is fantastic, that's the reason I live here, and Ft. Lauderdale has many great sites and dive ops. Take a look at this link for a list of a few of the dive ops in the area and this link for a list of some of the wreck and reefs in the area (Click on the "Dive Sites" link on the left side of the page).

Hope we see you down here and as others have said there are plenty of us Conch Divers that would be more then willing to show you around.

 

[pilot fish]

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!

Good to be talking to you, Paul. Anytime

I looked through some of my dive papers and see that I have some info on Pro Dive, think they were recommended by my LDS, and see they offer a package with Double Tree Hotel, right close by to them and, I think, the Bahia Cabana. Do you know them? Why would you do that 3/4 mile walk with all your gear? Have you dove with pro Dive?

 

[paulwall]

Good to be talking to you, Paul. Anytime

I looked through some of my dive papers and see that I have some info on Pro Dive, think they were recommended by my LDS, and see they offer a package with Double Tree Hotel, right close by to them and, I think, the Bahia Cabana. Do you know them? Why would you do that 3/4 mile walk with all your gear? Have you dove with pro Dive?

I have dived with Pro Dive on at least 3 separate trips to Ft. Lauderdale. They are a great shop, with a great staff, and a HUGE comfortable boat. If I had any negatives to say about them, it is only that the boat is so big, it gets crowded. On a limited structure (like a small wreck), it can be very crowded. Only running one trip a day this time of year almost ensures a crowded boat. Maybe it won't be so bad on a Monday and Tuesday.

The staff is extremely professional and efficient.
A diver had an emergency on ascent (unrelated to the shop/crew) and had to be evacuated. Every staff member on the boat knew what to do, and those who weren't actively assisting the injured diver were recovering the other divers and moving them to the upper level to free the back deck. The diver recovered, btw, but had been evacuated by the coast guard (Via boat).

As far as the long walk - Staying at the Marriott, my wife doesn't dive, and prefers to sit on the beach (pre-tsunami). She is a Marriott fanatic, and since I can always find a dive shop, her lodging whims are paramount. I can always use the exercise, I have a great backpack to lug my gear, walking along the bach is a luxury, it gave me a chance to "warm-up" pre dive, and a mile with 30lbs of gear on my back isn't really that bad (Except when it rains, those metal access covers in the sidewalk can become slick).

Marvel suggested another dive shop adjacent to the Hyatt. They've gotten good reviews, but I have never been out with them.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Ok, Heres the deal. There are a bunch of ya'll arriving round the same time..
I found at least 3 threads referring to diving the SE Coast of Florida looking for dive buddies. Why not contact each other?

 

[pilot fish]

I have dived with Pro Dive on at least 3 separate trips to Ft. Lauderdale. They are a great shop, with a great staff, and a HUGE comfortable boat. If I had any negatives to say about them, it is only that the boat is so big, it gets crowded. On a limited structure (like a small wreck), it can be very crowded. Only running one trip a day this time of year almost ensures a crowded boat. Maybe it won't be so bad on a Monday and Tuesday.

The staff is extremely professional and efficient.
A diver had an emergency on ascent (unrelated to the shop/crew) and had to be evacuated. Every staff member on the boat knew what to do, and those who weren't actively assisting the injured diver were recovering the other divers and moving them to the upper level to free the back deck. The diver recovered, btw, but had been evacuated by the coast guard (Via boat).

As far as the long walk - Staying at the Marriott, my wife doesn't dive, and prefers to sit on the beach (pre-tsunami). She is a Marriott fanatic, and since I can always find a dive shop, her lodging whims are paramount. I can always use the exercise, I have a great backpack to lug my gear, walking along the bach is a luxury, it gave me a chance to "warm-up" pre dive, and a mile with 30lbs of gear on my back isn't really that bad (Except when it rains, those metal access covers in the sidewalk can become slick).

Marvel suggested another dive shop adjacent to the Hyatt. They've gotten good reviews, but I have never been out with them.

My wife doesn't dive either so I have to take her above water needs into account too. I like the Marriott and have an account with them but lugging gear a mile pre dive is not my idea of fun.It might not be a good idea also. Since I'll just do a long weekend maybe I'll meet a friend and do it solo.

You think Fort L is good diving? What exactly is there to see and what are some of the sites? Good to hear Pro Dive is a good op.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Ft. Lauderdale has everything to offer that the Keys has without the drive. Boat and shore diving (the best in the state, and easy), wrecks, deep and shallow dives, reefs, artifical reefs. What else do you want?
Best Sites? Pick up Ned DeLoach's Guide to Underwater Florida. There are too many to choose from depeneding on what type of diving you are planning on doing. See Padipro's links in his trip report for more help.

 

[jviehe]

Im signed up for a trip out of Sunny Isles, north miami, on Feb 6, afternoon trip. You guys want to come down there for a dive?

 

[paulwall]

Im signed up for a trip out of Sunny Isles, north miami, on Feb 6, afternoon trip. You guys want to come down there for a dive?

That sounds like fun, but I'm (hopefully) going out with the Diversity at 8am Sunday. I'd have to get from Hillsboro to Sunny Isles in time for check-in, then back To FLL to see the wife.

How 'bout the 7th ?