Considering that options this time of year in this area will be slim pickings, in cold water looking at rocky structure and bluegill mostly, if I didn't want to wait till next Spring to get my dive on, I might consider a trip somewhere. Cozumel is famous as a good place with overall budget pricing for the trip. You will pay the same for airfare whether you stay 4 days or a week though. But trading a week of Tennessee winter for a week diving the tropics can be some kind of sweet. In warm weather I'd consider Key Largo diving with Rainbow Reef Dive Center, 2 2-tank boat trips/day, but I don't know how reliable sea conditions are this time of year, or water temp.s Airfare to Ft. Lauderdale isn't bad; a rental car to get down there, stay at Courtyard Marriott with RRDC at the end of the parking lot...Sept. 2013 I did 20 dives in 5 days flat.
Richard.