Jerseyian Seeks Floridian Advice

[Willyum]

I am new to diving and still have yet to perfrom my open water dive. I can wait a little longer till the water here in Jersey warms up and go to a place in PA. I would rather get a referral form and go to Florida for a couple of days as I think it would be a more scenic experience. I have no clue where in Florida I may find a good place to do my OWD. If any know where between MD and FL I may have a good experiece please send me an email. Thanks William cityofnewark@aol.com

 

[Walter]

I'd suggest doing your check out dives locally. If you do, you'll be more likely to dive locally after you're certified. You can always dive in Florida on vacation.

 

[alemaozinho]

hi,just read your message,i,am an instructor and i would like to do your checkout dives if you decide to come to florida.I,m diving out of boynton beach and use all locations from west palm beach to the keys.if you decide to come than you,re be able to find me at splashdown divers ,you can check them out on the web.thanks!!! if you decide to go to pennsylvania then you may end up in dutch springs it,s a quarry with a nice thermocline and low viz ,that,s where most of the stores up there go for the open water dives.

 

[CBulla]

OH.. if you want to spoil yourself, there is always check out dives here. Of course, you'll dive locally and wonder where all the reef fish are there after

I would follow Walters advice about being certified locally first. Since its where you live, its always good to have an idea of what is local or could expect local for when you get the urge to dive.

 

[jhelmuth]

I'd suggest doing your check out dives locally. If you do, you'll be more likely to dive locally after you're certified. You can always dive in Florida on vacation.

Right on Walter! Listen to the man - he knows what he speaks...

 

[garyfotodiver]

Second Walter's opinion. If you will dive in FL, then a referral is a good idea. Otherwise, check-out where you will dive most often.

Good Luck from a NJ diver who now dives in FL.

 

[GrierHPharmD]

As a former NC diver who did his checkouts in the Florida Springs and his AOW in the Keys, I'll have to toss in the opinion that it is pretty nice to do those checkout dives in warm, clear conditions, before returning home to the lakes and quarries. I certainly wouldn't hold up my certification because of a pending FL trip, but I enjoyed the experience of diving under both sets of conditions.

Walter's right about becoming familiar with local dive opportunities, though. As a new diver, it's important to gain experience by diving as often as your schedule and budget allows. Each dive gets a little easier, and with each dive you grow a little more comfortable in the underwater environment. Learning the ins and outs of your local dive sites with an experienced buddy or instructor is critical to developing good dive skills in those environments. (Incidentally, Walter's right about most things pertaining to diving, at least as far as I've seen!)

Anyway, whether you come to FL for a cert trip or as a credentialed diver, be sure to look us up and let us know when you'll be diving. Chances are, you'll have a bit of moral support from the Conchs...

Best wishes and safe ascents,
Grier

 

[MikeJacobs]

I am new to diving and still have yet to perfrom my open water dive...

I see the point about certifying locally but if you have the time & money, why wait?!

Southeast Florida is probably your best bang for the buck - all around it would be my preference to do an open-water here... good visibility, warm water, lots to see and make you fall in love with the activity. Anyplace in the greater Fort Lauderdale area (Broward County) is great, but Palm Beach County is great too. Afterward, if you still have time/money to burn, head down to the Keys to spoil yourself for sure.

Other's are right, though - you may not do much diving in NJ afterward.

We have some resident instructors here so if you're thinking you might do this post for referrals - you'll get at least a dozen.

 

[GrierHPharmD]

I see the point about certifying locally but if you have the time & money, why wait?!

That's kind of my point. It doesn't really matter where you dive - just dive! I did three years of river, lake and quarry diving before moving here. I punctuated those periods with trips to the Florida Springs, South Florida and the Carribbean. Sure, the warm, clear water was better, but I still enjoyed the dark, cold water near home, just because it was close.

The point is to dive every time you can, with experienced buddies who will help you hone your skills so that you can enjoy those exotic trips when you make them.

Again, good luck,
Grier