Florida Shore diving. Is it worth it? (for me)

[mgersch@cox.net]

OK here is the deal. I moved to Gainesville FL about 1 year ago. So I spent the past year diving the local springs. I'm looking to branch out into other areas, and I was thinking... I haven't done any shore diving.

By my calculations Venice is about a 4 hour drive for me. Vero beach about 4 1/2 hours. West palm 5 hrs, and Ft Lauderdale about 6 hours.

So, Venice beach is on the cusp of being divable as a day trip. Do you think that would be worth 8 hours of driving?
Or an overnight stay in a hotel?
And if I'm gonna start staying overnight in hotels, maybe I should save my money and go to West palm or Ft Lauderdale?
Or is there any closer shore diving that I don't know about?

What do you guys think?

 

[Scuba_Dad]

Hmmm??? Good question.

Vero and Ft Pierce are a gamble. If I'm going to do a beach dive... I'll normally go to Ft Pierce. If you want to increase your odds... go to Ft Lauderdale...

I can't speak for Venice... I haven't been there in 20+ years...

 

[lost@sea]

I have the same problem. I live north of Ocala and am tired of springs. Vero is not too bad of a drive but I have only done it once as a day tirp and only to snorkel. I do not think I would drive it again for a snorkle trip but would like to try it for a scuba day trip some time. The only other angle I can give you is that some friends and I went to WPB this weekend for a short trip (down Sat PM and back Sun PM) and dove a boat and it was well worth the trip. Of course, we split the gas three ways and stayed with friends so it was relatively cost effective. Hope this helps.

 

[Li'l38]

By my calculations Venice is about a 4 hour drive for me....

So, Venice beach is on the cusp of being divable as a day trip. Do you think that would be worth 8 hours of driving?
Or an overnight stay in a hotel?


What do you guys think?

Well, I can only say what happened when I drove 2+hrs to Venice. Ya never know if it will be a good dive or not. There is usually someone there nearly every weekend. Conditions were good for weeks before I went.... then, the Saturday I drove down- the vis was *zero* Dive shop cancelled charter. I didn't drive all that way to turn around n go home... rent tank anyway (OK- I'm a persistent li'l cuss) 2 SBers were brave enough to give it a shot with me. (this was about the time of the shark attacks in the gulf :11 I was not a happy camper but I got to log dive #16. (now you know why I just HAD to get wet.) The whole story is on this thread http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=102144 Went to the Blue Grotto the next day and that fixed me right up! Pompano has a decent hotel, The Sands Harbor. Rates in May for divers was $65/ night. Don't know if that has changed or if it counts for shore divers. We used South Florida Diving Headquarters to do certification dives. They're a great dive op and are right next door to the hotel. That's all I know as I haven't been many places yet. Just didn't want you to drive that far to Venice for zero vis. It was a westerly wind that ruined that dive day.... wish I could be more help.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

If you catch Venice on a good day, its a good beach dive. Ginnie Springs to Ft. Lauderdale is 5.5 hours...well depending if you "go with the flow" of fellow drivers.
Ft. Lauderdale area is awesome beach diving, and might be good as an overnight or weekend trip. But like any other ocean dive, how awesome it is, is completely dependent on weather.

 

[mgersch@cox.net]

Thanks for the input ya'll.
I'm starting to think that, as far a day drips are concered I better just stick to the springs. Then I can save up a little and make a weekend out of West Palm or Ft Lauderdale.

 

[Nemrod]

Get a dive kayak,your range increases 20 fold. You can actually dive many of the same sites others pay to go on a boat to and for the drift diving in SFla they work wonderful. They use no gas either and tote easily on a Yakima rack with their Yakima Yak racks. Kayaks are also good for exploring the streams and springs of Florida as well. Buy and rig for under 1,000 dollars.

 

[mgersch@cox.net]

Actually I would like to get one. But assuming for a moment that I do, (sticking with the theme of the thread) where would you dive within daytrip range of Gainesville?