Freediving Friendly Charter Boats -- South Florida

[Pre BC]

With both Performance Freediving Instructors (PerformanceFreediving.com) and Freediving Instructors International (FreedivingInstructors.com) now headquarted in Fort Lauderdale, the area is obviously a mecca for freediving education.

However, it is one thing to provide logistics for special seminars/workshops and quite another to support daily recreational freediving and training. Are there many dive boats in the area that both have freediver friendly policies and go to appropriate freediving destinations? Are there any that refuse to allow freediving or that should be avoided for other reasons?

It would be great if this thread could turn into an ongoing review. Please post your pans and picks -- explaining why in detail.

Additionally, I am looking for opportunities for non-spearfishing freediving. I am not against it on any level, I just think spearfishing is highly specialized and should have its own dedicated threads.

Thank you!

P

 

[Pre BC]

Hey guys:

Almost 100 visits to this thread and not one suggestionregarding freediving friendly charter operations in South Florida... Are there none out there or am I just fated to figuratively and literally "miss the boat?"

P

 

[DiveBee]

I am talking to Martin Stepanek, and he (F.I.I. Freediving Instructors International - from the beginner to the instructor) should be using my charter boat for the ocean sessions. Those would be pure freediving sessions with floats/lines/weights/plates. Any ex student can join in and take part of the ocean session for approx $20 (FII fee) + boat fee.

I also take spearos out on the reef/wrecks, for freedive spearfishing.

.:: DiveBee - Professional Dive Training ::.

 

[Pre BC]

Thank you for letting all of us know about your boat. Are you Coast Guard certified to take divers out past the 3 mile limit? Any charter boat good enough for Martin Stepanek is certainly good enough for me . He is one of the best freedivers in the world... I still have a hard time imagining a dive to a depth of 83 meters without fins!

Are there any other freedive friendly boats out there for days, times when the Dive Bee is not headed to deep water? There is a big difference between blue water and the shallow reefs just off the shore!

P

 

[OceanObsessed]

South Florida Diving Headquarters is freedive friendly. Depending on what you are looking for... they take people out for snorkeling charters, or alternatively, you might want to bring your own freediving buddy and go along on one of their scuba charters.

 

[DiveBee]

I have 50-ton USCG Master Mariner Captains license which allows me to operate as far as 200nm offshore. My boat has more than the required USCG safety gear:

DAN O2 extended range emergency kit (two 100% O2 tanks) to treat DCS/blackouts
EPIRB Emergency Locater Beacon
VHF radio with DSC & range booster (MMSI registered)
Expanded First Aid kit
8 Type-1 PFDs
etc...

On top of that the powerplant is an economical turbo diesel, with 210nm range on full tank. I can do two round-trip Bahamas crossings without refueling :cool2:

When bluewater spearfishing for pelagics we usually go out ~15nm to the edge of the Gulfstream

Thank you for letting all of us know about your boat. Are you Coast Guard certified to take divers out past the 3 mile limit? Any charter boat good enough for Martin Stepanek is certainly good enough for me . He is one of the best freedivers in the world... I still have a hard time imagining a dive to a depth of 83 meters without fins!

Are there any other freedive friendly boats out there for days, times when the Dive Bee is not headed to deep water? There is a big difference between blue water and the shallow reefs just off the shore!

P

 

[dumpsterDiver]

There is a big difference between blue water and the shallow reefs just off the shore!

P

Yeah there is a big difference one is about 2 miles further out than the other (in that area). If you start putting your wetsuit on when you clear the inlet, you will be in 300 feet before you are dressed.

 

[Pre BC]

Dumpster Diver:

Agreed! There are many places where deep water isn't all that much farther off shore... The question isn't whether there are charter boats that can get there... It is which ones do go there and what do they do once they arrive. In my experience integrating freediving and scuba isn't as easy as might seem on the surface (pun intended).

I have found just going along for the ride with scuba charters to be very hit or miss unless the operator is actively trying to market to freedivers... not because they don't want to be helpful... It is just that the locations they go to in order to meet the needs of the majority of their customers aren't always great for freediving. Additionally, they tend to want to anchor/moor in a specific location whereas I want to be free to drift in the current. So at home, I routinely take both sets of gear (scuba and freediving) when I try a new boat just to make sure I can have a good time... Given I don't want to drag two of everything when I travel, I try to scout out freediving friendly charters before I go... That is why I am so grateful for the input from those of you that know the sport, the area and the charter operators!

Which brings me back to my question about the most freediving friendly charters in South Florida... Thank you to everyone that has contributed so far!

P