Hello from Sarasota Florida.

[Foxychicken]

Recently moved to Sarasota alone, Florida, rescue certified scuba diver. Have explored 30 countries so far diving the Red Sea in Egypt in July looking for a new scuba diving group to have fun adventures with near Sarasota Florida.

 

[Shabaday]

Not much good diving in Sarasota...you can check with Tanks A Lot and 2 Shea's in Clearwater/Tampa. There are springs that are nice but if you like Ocean diving you have Key Largo, Jupiter, West Palm etc...You can also check with ScubaQuest and see if they have anything coming up. If you want to search for Megdalon teeth that is out of Venice just south of you

 

[SpaceCat]

There are quite a few dive sites in northwest florida, in the direction of the panhandle, which isn't too awfully far (a couple hour drive). There are some really nice and popular wrecks to dive there.

The most popular thing to do in the area is the meg tooth diving, which is normally in 20-35ft off of venice. There are charters, or you can shore dive.

Ginnie Springs, the rainbow river, Paradise Springs, and a few others are relatively close to you.

As I am not a local, I don't know any of the local dive clubs, but I am down there looking for meg teeth a few times a year if you ever need someone to dive with. I have family in the area.

 

[Rob9876]

There are quite a few dive sites in northwest florida, in the direction of the panhandle, which isn't too awfully far (a couple hour drive). There are some really nice and popular wrecks to dive there.

While it can be fun diving wrecks in the panhandle (despite generally mediocre to poor viz unless you go way offshore on a good day and spend $$$), PCB, Destin and Pensacola are all 7 hours or more from Sarasota. She could be in Jupiter or Palm/Riviera Beach in about half that time, with good viz, blue water, natural reefs + wrecks also. Personally, I'd do the Gulf diving nearer to home, and head to the Atlantic for road trips.

To the OP: welcome to the forums!

 

[SpaceCat]

While it can be fun diving wrecks in the panhandle (despite generally mediocre to poor viz unless you go way offshore on a good day and spend $$$), PCB, Destin and Pensacola are all 7 hours or more from Sarasota. She could be in Jupiter or Palm/Riviera Beach in about half that time, with good viz, blue water, natural reefs + wrecks also. Personally, I'd do the Gulf diving nearer to home, and head to the Atlantic for road trips.

To the OP: welcome to the forums!

I forget that a reasonable drive for me is a much different standard than what most people consider a good little trip up the road. That is a solid point about Jupiter being much closer.

 

[Rob9876]

I forget that a reasonable drive for me is a much different standard than what most people consider a good little trip up the road.

I hear you! Being in Tennessee I'll drive 8 hours to the Florida panhandle to dive on a weekend, and I am not beyond doing a marathon 12 hour drive to SE Florida for a weekend (but I sure feel rough on Monday!).

 

[FLturtle]

Florida Underwater Sports is a good local dive shop in Sarasota & they also have a sop on Anna Maria Island.

 

[Manatee Diver]

they also have a sop on Anna Maria Island.

They closed that shop recently.

They still operate a charter boat that leaves from the South Coquina Boat Ramp.

 

[FLturtle]

They closed that shop recently.

They still operate a charter boat that leaves from the South Coquina Boat Ramp.

Thanks for the correction. I wasn’t aware of that.