Good Dive Op in Palm Beach

[ciret]

I'm on a work project in Miami Lakes. I would like to go diving, however, all of my previous experience is in warm Caribbean water, on a dive boat with a DM who I was very comfortable diving with. Even though most of the dives were guided group sort of deals, we would stay close and communicate. I was at the same resort for 18 months, so the DM was really my dive buddy. My understanding of the ops in the FLL/MIA area is that you need your own buddy or you take your chances with someone on the boat you have just met. And there is no DM so if you don't know the area or your buddy that doesn't sound like the ideal situation.
So, I guess what I'm looking for is a place to meet some local divers, dive op suggestions, like is it worth the drive up to Boynton Beach or other points north of Miami and are there any shore snorkel reefs close to MIA. I'm not here for weekends until May.
Any way sorry for the long ramble and partial hijack.

 

[idive2]

Down the canal a bit from Splashdown is Dive Charter International running a nice
boat the "deeper" and a little farther down Loggerhead Divers runs a pretty good operation. I noticed a smaller operator between the deeper and loggerhead
didn't catch the name of the operator ? At Riviera Beach Marina I've dove with Diving
Solutions and they seemed pretty decent as well. I think you could easily stayed entertained drift diving Boynton and West Palm for a week.