I want to dive in Florida in February

[The Chairman]

What type of diving did you want to accomplish? Spring or salt?

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

where exactly is "south Florida"? is it the keys? I was going to try and stay within a couple of hours of Orlando and hire a car but have nothing planned yet.

Regards

James

Hi James
Quick geography on Florida. Its basic shape is a sore thumb (too many hurricane hits perhaps) running north and south. The northern end has a panhandle to the west. Orlando is just north of the middle of the state. You can reach either coast (east/west) in a couple hours. The Keys are a string of island hanging off the south east end, and runs south west, the road ending in Key West (great sunsets).The Keys are the only part in the state (and the US) that actually is sub tropical. The reef system runs from south west of the keys up to Broward and ends in Palm Beach County.

From Orlando, the Keys are about 6-7 hours away. Springs are 1-3, Broward County 4-5.

Diving in the northern parts are freshwater springs, southeast AKA South Florida is good ocean diving, either by boat or beach, the keys is basically all boat diving since the reef is about 5 miles offshore. The closest the reef comes to the coast is in Broward County, where Ft. Lauderdale is located (if you need a reference from a map). Generally speaking all of Broward County you can get to the reef from the beach.

Hope this basic introduction to Florida diving is a help. We are pretty much a friendly sort down here (too hot to fight about anything), so please feel free to ask...

Happy Diving...

 

[amelo1999]

Well I was gearing more towards beach diving from Ft. Lauderdale which depending on how fast you drive is about 3 hours from Orlando.

 

[DandyDon]

The Keys are the only part in the state (and the US) that actually is sub tropical. ...

Yeah, Hawaii left.

sorry, couldn't resist.

don

 

[amelo1999]

Hey maybe I'm a bit under the influence of some beverage but where is the group forum? Wanted the info on that dive you mentioned.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Hey maybe I'm a bit under the influence of some beverage but where is the group forum? Wanted the info on that dive you mentioned.

And what dive is that???

 

[amelo1999]

Whoops screwup on my part. didn't realize it wasn't in the forum. it was in the email because i am subscribed to this thread. It said something about hope we don't miss the singles dive or something

 

[H2Andy]

Hmmm... well... since you're going to be in Orlando, why not dive Blue Springs in Orange City (it's like a twenty minute ride)? You can get a taste of spring/cavern diving without having to be cavern certified (can't carry lights, though). From there, I'd head south along the east coast and dive Palm Beach or Ft. Lauderdale. Or, go south a little more
and dive Key Largo.

 

[narkedat50]

What type of diving did you want to accomplish? Spring or salt?

Hi Pete

I'll do either or both, I am realy open minded. I believe you have some beautiful springs out there so I'd like to see some of those if possible, but equaly, I have never dived off either coast of Florida so would be up for that too. The main aim is to get wet and go diving, meet some folk and expand my experience as I go along.

James

 

[The Chairman]

May I suggest that you do Blue Spring and then Alexander one day (or 40 fathom and ALexander) and then do a Boyton Beach dive another.