Going To Destin

[RTC'83]

We are traveling the second week of Aug. Have checked out Emerald Coast Diving. Advice, sugestion, dive sites. Any and all input appreciated it.

 

[sportxlh]

I've never dove with Emerald, but have been out with Scuba Tech in Destin many times. Destin actually has a handful of reefs unlike most of the other locations on the Gulf. The reefs are not large, think football field size, but are filled with tropical fish and beautiful in ther own way. I like White Hill Reef and Amber Jack Reef the best.

If you are into macro life, the rubble piles are good sites. I've seen multiple frog fish and bat fish on dives I've done on the rubble piles.

If you like nudibranches, the Liberty Ship (really a barge) is a good site. It's boring otherwise except for the huge bull shark that hangs out on it.

 

[Addicted2H2O]

I dove with Emerald Coast in December '17 right after Christmas and thought they were pretty decent. Not as good as some of the operators I've been out with in Cozumel, but still pretty good. Didn't have great visibility on those dives because it rained the entire time we were out and it was cold both above and below the surface, but nothing that was their fault. Not sure what the sites are called but one we dove was a boat (maybe an old crew boat or something similar in size) which had plenty of life around it and then a rubble pile where an old bridge had been demo'd that had some some pretty neat critters, like bat fish, etc. as mentioned above. Only did a two-tank with them so I don't have tons of experience with them, but I don't have any complaints about them, either. Their shop is really nice and they do nitrox fills so that's something to consider. And the boat was pretty decent, too. Not a small go fast boat, but rather a bigger one with a head and covered deck with a platform on the back. Don't think you could go wrong with them but that's my opinion. YMMV

I'll be in COZ with Scuba Toys while you go to Destin. Have Fun and Safe Diving!

 

[Saniflush]

I have not been out with them personally but some buddies in my normal dive group have and all gave them a thumbs up.