Looking for Dive Buddies in the Central Florida Area

[sappnasty]

Fellas,

This wife and I are headed to Blue Heron Bridge this upcoming weekend for my b-day. I told her I didn't want any gifts, just two days/4 dives at the bridge. I just bought a GoPro and GoPole and still haven't had a chance to use them yet. I figure that would be a great way to break it in. Hopefully the weather stays and a huge typical Florida storm doesn't roll in like they usually do on my weekend off. Anyone that's headed down there let me know.

-Sapp

 

[Bacchus_fl]

Hey Sapp,
I'm on my way down there right now. Going out w pura vida for a two tank dive at 1pm. Also diving the bridge tomorrow morning. Would love a dive buddy for the boat dive if you can make it. The wife and I will be doing the bridge in the am so you are welcome to join is if you'd like. Just let me know.
Jason

---------- Post added July 12th, 2014 at 08:43 AM ----------

Just re read your post and realized you may be talking about next weekend. Anyway Happy Birthday! I made the same trip for my birthday last month. Good times!

 

[sappnasty]

Jason I work all this weekend. We are going to try and go next weekend. Take lots of pics and let me know how it goes. Any extra info you can scoop up about the BHB dive areas let me know. Good luck and have fun.

-Sapp

---------- Post added July 13th, 2014 at 01:10 PM ----------

Jason,

When you get back update me on the Pura Vida dive. I think the sammich maker and I have decided on a boat dive as well. Want to know where you went and how you liked it. Thanks.

-Sapp

 

[Bacchus_fl]

We had a blast! The most important thing to the BHB dive is making sure you are in the water about an hour before high tide. We were down for almost 2 hrs which was awesome! The current will get pretty strong and vis will diminish greatly about an hour after high tide. You also want to be sure to get there plenty early enough to get a decent parking spot. If it is a morning high tide the parking lot is pretty empty but in the afternoon there are already a bunch of non-divers there to fish/picnic/boat and the parking lot is pretty full.

Pura vida is great, the staff is friendly and the groups are small. The boat is well equipped but it isn't the biggest or nicest boat in the area. We went to the 4th window of the breakers and to a barge wreck/ old bridge rubble site just out of the inlet but I can't recall the name right now. Both sites were great. Lots of sea turtles, green moray eel, lobsters, a massive school of snapper and allot of other amazing marine life. About 80' vis. But seas were a little rough.

You will have a blast! Wish I could go back now! Will post pics!

---------- Post added July 16th, 2014 at 11:09 AM ----------

These were all taken at the bridge. The last one is one of the half dozen small octopus we saw at BHB. So cool to watch them!

---------- Post added July 16th, 2014 at 11:10 AM ----------

Some of the pics from off shore. Had to throw a selfie in there

Enjoy your trip and let's make a group trip down there sometime!

 

[sappnasty]

Now that is freakin' awesome! Great photos! What did you use to take pics with? Some of your pics are amazing and that is cool to see how many different things you saw at the bridge. We are still on for this weekend and I can't wait. Hopefully the park won't be too crazy at 1-2:00 on Saturday, but I am sure it will be. Either way hopefully it will be as nice and viz will be good...also keeping my fingers crossed that the weather cooperates.

-Sapp

 

[Bacchus_fl]

The pics of the nudi branch and the jaw fish were taken by a friend I met while on my boat dive Saturday. He was using some type of sony with a macro lens and lighting. The rest of te pics were taken with my Panasonic Lumix DMZ3. This was the first time I've had it in the water and it did great for auto settings but would need better lighting and use the macro feature to get pics like the other guys camera.

I would suggest getting to the park at least 2 hrs before high tide and maybe a little earlier if you want to get a picnic table to set up on. Maybe just bring your lunch and eat there. It is not fun walking across the lot in full gear...which I did the first time I went and only showed up 1 hr before high tide. This is when most divers are already in the water so the lot was slammed. Good luck and let me know how it goes!

 

[sappnasty]

Will do! We are going to stay at the Double Tree and were going to try and get down there at about 11ish. That should give us enough time to fill tanks and get back to a good p-spot as high tide is at 3:15. Also, because I was probably going to get back late this weekend, I also took off the rest of the following week. If you wanna hit Blue Springs a few times that week, that would be great. Let me know.

-Sapp

 

[divebutt]

What the heck,

Going to be around Ocala on the 26th and 27th of July. Anyone up for a Ginnie Cavern or Paradise Springs dive?

 

[0002s]

Looks like you had a great time.

I wish I could have made the trip.

 

[Bacchus_fl]

Sapp, I'm down to go to blue springs in the afternoons next week on mon or Tuesday but will be on business travel the rest of the week and leave Saturday for key largo. There is a spot right before the bridge called eforce you can get your tanks filled or just over the bridge is pura vida who I've used and they are very friendly.

0002s, we had a blast. It would have been great if you could have joined but we can make it happen again in August. I'll check our schedules and the tide chart to see what we can work out. Such a fun weekend trip to take!

---------- Post added July 17th, 2014 at 03:57 PM ----------

Divebutt, I would love to do either of those dives you mentioned since I haven't done either but I will be in largo. Hope you find a dive buddy and have a good time!