Hi all,
My (24 y/o) son has finally decided that all this diving stuff the old man has gotten back into looks fun and he's getting certified.
So I was thinking after he gets certified and we do a couple more warmup dives in the local quarry (probably the same one he'll be certified in by end of Oct.) we should go somewhere with some nice shallow dives to get him experience, and get comfortable with diving.
My first thought was Key Largo:
I know some of the risks for winter weather and possibly getting blown out a couple days of the week (or more, yes it's a gamble), and possibly a rough ride in some higher seas even getting to the shallow reefs.
My only question is regarding strong currents in the winter.
I remember a dive I did myself on Dry Rocks (checked the logs - Jan 17, 1994) where there was a ripping southerly current there and it looked like it was snowing because of all the sand/particulates in the water. My insta-buddy and I decided to try and swim north one buoy to the Christ of the Abyss statue, but needless to say we aborted. I'd hate to have every dive of the week be like that for a newly-certified diver.
I've searched here, and other than @Johnoly's reply in a thread regarding the Boca->Hollywood area ('Currents - Shore Diving - seasonal?') I've not seen a lot of mention of winter currents being excessive. Luckily the King high tide's are listed as mid-December and we were looking at the first week of Dec, so we're avoiding currents that might be happening then.
I can't say I've done enough KL winter diving to know if high currents are "normal" in the season?
Anyone have any experience one way or the other?
--Chris
My (24 y/o) son has finally decided that all this diving stuff the old man has gotten back into looks fun and he's getting certified.
So I was thinking after he gets certified and we do a couple more warmup dives in the local quarry (probably the same one he'll be certified in by end of Oct.) we should go somewhere with some nice shallow dives to get him experience, and get comfortable with diving.
My first thought was Key Largo:
- Warm water
- Pretty fish
- Decent coral
- Shallow dives
I know some of the risks for winter weather and possibly getting blown out a couple days of the week (or more, yes it's a gamble), and possibly a rough ride in some higher seas even getting to the shallow reefs.
My only question is regarding strong currents in the winter.
I remember a dive I did myself on Dry Rocks (checked the logs - Jan 17, 1994) where there was a ripping southerly current there and it looked like it was snowing because of all the sand/particulates in the water. My insta-buddy and I decided to try and swim north one buoy to the Christ of the Abyss statue, but needless to say we aborted. I'd hate to have every dive of the week be like that for a newly-certified diver.
I've searched here, and other than @Johnoly's reply in a thread regarding the Boca->Hollywood area ('Currents - Shore Diving - seasonal?') I've not seen a lot of mention of winter currents being excessive. Luckily the King high tide's are listed as mid-December and we were looking at the first week of Dec, so we're avoiding currents that might be happening then.
I can't say I've done enough KL winter diving to know if high currents are "normal" in the season?
Anyone have any experience one way or the other?
--Chris
