Fort Lauderdale shops

[bug]

Hey everybody I am going to be diving the the Fort Lauderdale area. Acutally I will be in Aventura. From Feb 28th - March 4th or so. If anybody could recomend a good shops in the area. My buddy and I would like to do a few dives a day and are thinking of maybe a night dive. We have never done one but we are going to be there for 3 or 4 days.

I mean I have found like 50+ shops but I don't know one from the next.

Thank you for all your help!

-Matt

 

[Norda]

Just got back from Ft. Lauderdale, we used Brownies since we were staying not far from the airport and our transportation was very limited. We all (3 of us) had positive experience. We did a two tank morning dive and everyone was right on time. Here is the contact information:

Brownies Southport Divers
1530 Cordova Road
954.524.2112

I don't know but from what I heard from others the diving is much better further North in Dear Field and Pompano, but you will need transportation. I think (not sure) it is a good 20 - 30 minutes North of Ft. Lauderdale.

 

[daylight]

Bug,
Welcome to the board.

I travel to Fort Lauderdale frequently on business and stay over to get in some of the great wrecks they have.

As Norda said, I also prefer Brownies. As an alternative, I check with Lighthouse Dive Center at Sands Harbor. You can contact them at 954-788-0208 or via Email at lhdc@prodigy.net.

Enjoy your trip and be safe.
DSAO,
Larry

 

[WreckWriter]

another vote for Brownies. I use them exclusively.

There's really nothing in Aventura. The only decent shop that is a bit closer than Brownies is called H2O Scuba. They're on Sunny Isles Blvd down near the beach. I prefer Brownies but I realize they're a ways away from where you'll be. Worth the drive though.

WW

 

[Curly]

Two decent operations in FLL:

The Scuba School -- www.scuba-school.com

ProDive (right at the Hall of Fame):

http://www.prodiveusa.com

 

[chris_b]

bug once bubbled...
...Acutally I will be in Aventura...

Matt, Aventura is pretty far south of Fort Lauderdale. You might consider looking at diving out of somewhere around Miami instead, it is likely closer. I don't know if there are boats that go out of the Bakers Haulover inlet, but that will be the closest area to you that might have dive boats.

If you don't mind driving a bit and are considering the whole SE Florida area, we had a great time with Fathoms o'Fun and Fill Express, both of which are in Pompano Beach. Those would be about 40 minutes away with decent traffic, depending on how far you're staying from I-95.

Good luck and have fun!

Chris

 

[greenalien]

We were in Ft Lauderdale in November. Our dive shop had recommended Pro-Dive but there was a boat show and they were closed.
We dove with Coral Island in West Palm and they were really nice but geared to the less experienced diver plus the dive master was a little annoying. (Super chatty and trying to make everyone laugh all the time) But they were a very competent and smooth operation. Very nice boat.
We dove with Parrot Island in Ft Lauderdale/Pompano and weren't very impressed. First time, nice boat, friendly captain, unpersonable dive master. Second time, they sent us out on their smaller boat(different captain and dive master), rushed our surface time, engine problems on the way back in.

 

[chris_b]

greenalien once bubbled...
We dove with Parrot Island in Ft Lauderdale/Pompano and weren't very impressed. First time, nice boat, friendly captain, unpersonable dive master...

Do you remember the name of the captain and DM? I think this is the same boat we went with. We had a great DM who was quiet but had a very good sense of humor. I think they may shuffle captains and DMs on the three boats from time to time, just curious if you remember who was on the boat.