Looking for Dive Buddies in the Central Florida Area

[sappnasty]

Good afternoon all,

I currently live in Palm Coast which is 30 miles north of Daytona and about 30 miles south of St. Augustine. I am looking for some new dive buddies to hit some local stuff. I have all of my own gear minus tanks, so the only thing holding me back from diving as often as I'd like is not having a dive buddy. My buddy Jake is currently mid-way through his OW cert and finishes next weekend. My wife is OW certified, but just had our #4 child, so even when she's ready it's tough finding a sitter for 4 (6,4,1 and 2 weeks). It would just be easier if I could find someone that could dive with me when my buddy Jake is not available. I love diving blue springs, but I have really been wanting to dive blue grotto or devil's den. I would love to do some ocean dives, but have no boat and I'm not experienced enough to dive from a boat without a seasoned diver. I plan to do mini-season this year and my buddy is going to let me borrow his boat...just need to find a spot closer in if such a place exists. If any of you are looking for the same please let me know. Pm me for my cell.

-Sapp

 

[sappnasty]

Still looking for dive buddies! Are you telling me on all of Scubaboard there is no one from my area??

-Sapp

 

[Bacchus_fl]

Hey Sapp,

I am also a relatively new OW diver and looking for local dive buddies. I live in debary in the St. John's which is just around the corner from blue springs. I was told about a couple dive clubs in the Daytona area which I am going to try to check out.

I haven't dove anything local (Daytona/ staugustine) area before but I have been just over 60' into blue springs. Other than that my diving experience has been in Jamaica and the WPB area. Interested in checking out anything else assuming I can make time and have the money.

Was thinking of diving Blue heron on Sunday 7/13 with a 10:40 high tide but that would mean leaving around 6am. Anyway let me know if you want to try to dive something local and I will try to make it happen.

Jason

 

[soccerrefjason]

Me too. I live about seven cartwheels from blue springs.

 

[Bacchus_fl]

I think I can do 4 cartwheels but I can walk the rest

I have only dove blue springs as part of my OW cert so I'm not very familiar but I also don't have a big desire to cavern dive or go into the dark. What's your experience with blue springs? Where else do you go around here?

 

[scubastingray]

Hi,
I'm in the Jax area and have been hitting most of the springs and other sites in N FL. I'll probably check out devils den/blue grotto once this summer (for the entry fee I hear once is enough). If you guys haven't dove blue springs I can give a little feedback. There's about 60ft of "OW" in the spring fissure before it becomes the cavern zone. It's pretty cool for a day of diving, but not the type of place I'd want to go every week (or even month). I've got a few people I dive with regularly so for charters/group drifts we would have enough.
Are you mostly going on weekends? I've got a super flexible schedule right now (meaning I can move things around), and have been diving just about every thursday. I try to avoid those places on the weekend as it gets even crazier than normal.

 

[sappnasty]

Good to finally see some locals. Bacchus, I used to live in Debary and I am very familiar with it and Blue Springs...with about 15 dives there so far. It a good place to just keep up your k knowledge and have good vis almost always. I used to enjoy the dive to 60, but now I have more fun drifting back taking my time looking for fresh jewelry or money dropped by those from the weekend! I am always down for local stuff, but would have to work around my schedule and 4 kiddies. My schedule is set for as long as I am on my squad, so you name a date and I can tell you if I'm working or not. I have done most of the local springs stuff in CF, but still plan to hit Devil's Den and Grotto before the end of the summer. Just took a trip to Venice Beach last weekend to dive for teeth...great time.

Scubastingray, I plan on getting my AOW sometime this summer. Just finished Nitrox course on the 26th so I am excited to start using that. I have done Seadogs before and hit the Yio Yuna and Mindanao, which was pretty cool. I am ready to branch out and look for some more ocean dives vs. spring dives.

Again, to everyone please pm me for my cell or cell phone number exchange and maybe we can get together and start chasin' some bubbles.

-Sapp

---------- Post added June 28th, 2014 at 03:09 PM ----------

Oh and I keep hearing about the Blue Heron thing? What is it exactly? Also just bought a GoPro and I'm ready to film some stuff.

-Sapp

 

[Bacchus_fl]

I agree the 60' dive into blue springs is fun but limited in what you can do. The best part is drifting back and finding the stuff people lose. Found a decent pair of sunglasses the one time I did it. The drift back is really more of a snorkel but fun nonetheless. My biggest problem with the spring is how far you have to walk in full gear before you can enter the water.

The only other spring I have dove is DeLeon as part of my training but there is nothing to see there. I am interested in some of the others like the rainbow river, the grotto, and devils den so please let me know if any of you are planning a trip to any of those.

I am also going to get my nitrox cert after the holiday and possibly my AOW after my keys trip at the end of July.

Blue heron bridge is a small bridge that crosses the intercostal to singer island. It is right by the lake worth inlet. On the coastal side of the bridge there is a public park called Phil Fosters Park where you can park for free. There is a beach area you can walk off and then dive the bridge pillings between the boat channel and the park. It's not a very big area but the diversity of marine life is amazing. Also as a dive where max depths are less than 25' you can make a tank last for well over an hour. I just did this dive for the first time a couple weeks ago and it was awesome. Would love to go back soon and often! The key is being in the water about an hour before high tide. This is when the vis is optimal and the current is minimal. However since this area is so popular for divers and snorkelers it is best to be there almost 2 hrs before high tide in order to get a decent parking spot and have time to get geared up before you want to be in the water.

 

[sappnasty]

Bacchus,

I would love to dive the Blue Heron bridge. After yesterday I did a search and watched some videos and it looks freakin awesome. As far as Blue Springs goes, probably gonna do my first Nitrox there because it is confined and I can focus on the particulars of the Nitrox blend where I am comfortable. So I am planning to do that in the next week or so. Was hoping to go tomorrow, but I was unable to find a dive partner. Mondays are my favorite days to go to find stuff from the Sunday before on the drift back. As far as the Advanced Open Water goes, we should try to schedule it at the same time. I talked to Discover Diving in Port Orange Friday and he quoted me at 250 plus gas down to Jupiter (in my own car) and 65 for two tank or 90 for 3 tank dive to finish up the AOW. Let me know.

-Sapp

 

[0002s]

I live in Central FL and frequently dive Blue Springs, Blue Grotto, Paradise Springs, and Blue Heron. There are also some great springs up towards the panhandle. West Palm has some great 2 tank boat dives (reef/wreck).

PM me if you have any questions. If I'm free, I'm always up for a 1 or 2 tank morning dive on the weekends.