Have one day to dive, staying in Orlando, where to go?

[cjames]

I'm coming to Orlando for a convention June 2-8 and want to get a dive in on the 2nd. I've read a bunch of the posts for diving around that area and still can't quite decide. I've dove Epcot before and it was fun, but not worth a second trip. I am going to bring my small camera rig, so I'm looking for someplace to take pictures. I probably won't take all of my gear, so I'll need to work through a shop for rentals.

I'd love to get a chance to photograph manatees, otherwise saltwater is it for me.

Any help?

 

[RiverRat]

I'm looking for same. Going to Orlando next week looking to dive a few days. Have you found out anything you could share? I just want to get wet, first dives of the year, springs, manatees or whatever. So far I've just contacted www.diveorlando.com.

 

[mikerault]

Ocala has the Manatee diving and is fairly close, Ft Lauderdale area has reef and wreck diving and is a little further. The springs run about 70 degrees year round. You snorkel with the Manatees then can do a cavern dive after or you can do a river drift dive.

Mike

 

[Don Wray]

I booked my advance open water class in Daytona this week...I am staying in Orlando and it's only a little over an hour to Sea Dogs in Daytona. Going to Ft. Lauderdale next month and think I'll book a couple of 2 tank dives there. Any suggestions from the Florida folks?

 

[RiverRat]

Hey Don, I actually left a message for Sea Dogs earlier today (closed on Monday) Hoping to get a day in with them this week. I'll post when I get back and let ya know how it goes with them.

 

[Dive-aholic]

You're looking at about a 1.5-2 hour drive from Orlando for the diving you're describing. If you decide to go salt, check out Discover Diving in Port Orange. They run daily trips, can rent you gear, and aren't too far from Orlando.

 

[RiverRat]

Thanks, I'll check these guys out too! Now to bed for some zzzzzzzzz's

 

[RiverRat]

Got back yesterday from Orlando. Was a good vaca, especially considering all the rain up here in the Northeast. I ended up taking a day and drove out to New Smyrna Beach and did 2 wrecks with Sea Dogs. Took about an hour considering I had to detour I-95 because of the wild fires. Sea Dogs is a nice, friendly group of divers. Nice clean boat, good crew, good briefings. Had a great time! The vis wasn't what I expected, 25fsw and I heard average is 30-35 on their sites. Most of the divers were spear fisherman but I was cool with it. Buddied up with a diver and we basically did a little hunting (while I observed and learned a little something) and a little browsing on the wreck. We dove the Thomas H and the Rio. Like I said a good crew and had a good time. The only problem was the 2 morons on a small boat that dropped anchor almost on top of one of our divers hunting on the bottom. My buddy pointed out to look to my left, that's when I saw a rope cruising by. I followed it down and saw the anchor dragging along the bottom. When we got back onboard I saw the unattended boat. 2 divers decided to hook the wreck and leave the boat. We must of saw it after it broke free. You should have seen them trying to catch their boat. Morons are gonna kill somebody. Should be a law against it.

 

[ScubaJW]

I think it is out of the season to snorkel the manatees as they have moved out of the Crystal River near Ocala.

 

[Don Wray]

I was on that boat too....you should'a said hi...surprised Deb didn't cut that anchor...I was the one taking advanced open water and nitrox and hung around the front of the boat by the stairs....I'll upload the photos of the H and Rio I took ...Sea dogs are a great bunch....right now they are only diving on Saturdays and Sundays and sometimes Fridays if they get 8 or more divers....great wrecks, great crew....I dove Thomas H. and Rio Luna on Saturday, and Medinow and Rio on Sunday....Medinow has a great swim through the hold on it....95 fsw next to stern....reasonable rates and Rick and Keith go to lengths to make sure you enjoy yourself...lots of flounder taken, (more on Sat. than Sun.) Huge Jewfish hang around and in the wrecks, large school of barracuda, angels, snook, sheeps head, few red snappers. Did naturalist on the Rio and was not disappointed. Beautiful man o' wars, sea cucumbers etc all around the wreck.