first saltwater dive in Destin

[firefighter987]

Hello everyone, I am new to scubaboard and new to s/w diving. I am ow certified and have been diving lakes in TN since the late 80's. I am coming down to Destin on 5-28 thru 6-06. There are great pics of the gulf and destin on SB and I cant wait to burn a tank. If anyone could give me some advice on a good shop and a good first dive for a newbie to saltwater. I have been checking out the jetties and they look convienent. any advice would greatly be appreciated. Thanks

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

ScubaTech and Emerald Coast Scuba are both excellent shops. Destin has several very easy boat dives available within 5miles of shore on tugs, barges, and bridge rubble.

The jetties are cheap, easy, and convenient. Get in the water at high tide for the best possible visibility and least current. The bottom drops down very very gradually and you won't get into current until you start getting closer to the point, so its a great place to get yourself aquainted with saltwater gulf diving.

A bunch of us dive the site regularly. If you need a buddy or directions, keep an eye out in the Trips-n-Happenings forum for dives. I'll be out there June 4th and 5th.

 

[SeaYoda]

...The jetties are ...convenient. ...

All except the walk to the water . Well worth it though!

 

[fun2chase]

There are tons of shells at the jetties, you will love it. If you do advanced dives ~110 ft send me a PM. I will be gone for Memorial Day week, but back the weekend of the 4th. Enjoy!

 

[Trisha]

Obviously, the other posters are the experts, but this is what helped me last spring doing my first salt-water dives -- and I heard it here first!
saltwatertides.com

I just printed out the readings for Lauderdale-by-the-Sea and Panama City Beach and had a blast.

 

[fun2chase]

You definitely must do the jetties when it is high tide or you will not have the visibility. Also, be careful, the current can be significant by the pass.

Have fun & dive safe,
-stacy

 

[mike_s]

All except the walk to the water . Well worth it though!

Yeah! you guys need to figure out a battery powered cart with big soft buggy wheels to carry gear, tanks, extra tanks, etc. Sea Yoda & Paul were talking that SuprBugMan was discussing such a device! (heh).

At least lets get someone to build a boardwalk from the road through that soft sand you have to walk through before you get to the hard packed sand on the beach. Of course that would bring more people, especially fishermen, so we'd need valet parking down on the street also I'm afraid.


Trisha, Saltwatertides.com is an excellent source for tide information for that area. I used it for my trip to the jetties a couple weeks ago.

-Mike

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

I think a snowlift would make big $$ at the Destin Jetties

 

[firefighter987]

Thanks, everyone here was a big help. We had a great trip and the jetties are a great shore dive. Watch the current if you are new to diving the jetties! We got out a little late one morning and the tide started out while we were in 20 ft. MAN that got my attention. It was like someone flipped a switch: vis went to nothing and the current was something else. Thanks again and if anyone needs info on Tennessee just pm me.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Glad you had fun, the last couple of weeks haven't had the visibility typical of this time of year at that site, but its still nice Maybe next time you'll get to enjoy visibilities that will allow you to see you're buddy more than 10' away