Trip Report My First Year of Local Diving in South Florida

[Ironborn]

@Ironborn Great report! Have you done much shore diving besides BHB, or perhaps not for lack of dive buddies? I like the idea of doing more South Florida diving, and like the flexibility and lower cost of shore dives.

The only shore diving I have done here so far is at the Blue Heron Bridge. My understanding (and someone please correct me if I am wrong) is that the only other shore diving in South Florida is at Lauderdale-by-the Sea. What I saw of the reefs on boat dives in neighboring Pompano Beach persuaded me that the reefs in Broward County were not that great, and that I would be better off elsewhere. (If someone disagrees with that, I would like to hear their opinion.) The lack of a regular buddy has been another obstacle, but I hope to resolve that with Self-Reliant Diver certification.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I did not move to South Florida for the local diving. Nor did I move here for the weather, like many other New Yorkers did before 2020, or the vacation-like atmosphere. I moved here as part of the “blue state blues” mass exodus of people from places like New York and California, who “voted with their feet” for the saner and safer environments of places like Florida and Texas, beginning last year and continuing into 2021. I made the decision to move in summer 2020, when the combination of medical authoritarianism (“Faucism”) on one hand and escalating violence, crime, and lawlessness (“FLOYD-19”) on the other persuaded me that my native New York City was no longer a suitable place to live.

Having made the decision to leave, I considered possible new homes and decided on Miami, Florida. I like the Governor's pragmatic approach to public health and his upholding of law & order, and the Mayor has been attracting workers in my field (technology) from the sinking ships of San Francisco and New York City. Other advantages of Florida include the lack of state income tax (which has freed up money for diving) and its respect for the 2nd Amendment.

Why include this???

Much of your thread is fantastic and full of great info and as a local diver was fun to read. However, people move to FL for different reasons. Yours was primarily political. Who cares? It’s completely irrelevant to the thread and adds nothing diving related. It wasn’t necessary to include it and it takes away from what could have been a great thread.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Is Sea Experience the one with the small six-pack boat that “hot drops” divers and will go out with only two divers?

No. Sea Experience is out of Ft Lauderdale at the Bahia Mar. Large catamaran style boat like Horizon Divers has in Key Largo and the larger SFDHQ boat. A good operator for snorkeling and recreational scuba. Nothing tech or deep.

Dive and Snorkel in Fort Lauderdale | Scuba Diver Instruction | Sea Experience

All things scuba & snorkel in Fort Lauderdale. Daily snorkle and dive boat trips, scuba instruction, instructor training & more. Welcome to Sea Experience.

seaxp.com

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I heard about Pompano Dive Center; local divers talk about “the good old days” on their boats. Why did they close?

They were a great dive op! I used to dive Pompano Beach quite a bit and have hardly dived it since they closed. I don’t really care for any of the other charters that are left in the area.

I believe the owner of their location and their boat slips jacked up the rent on them and they felt they couldn’t continue to stay in business. Jimmy Gadomski with ScubaTyme used to be one of their tech instructors & captains.

 

[Insta-Gator]

@Ironborn you should contact @Scuba_Jenny for information about local shore diving.

 

[deeper thoughts]

Great report and insight. We left nyc over 16 years ago and have never looked back
I dive primarily Islamorada/Tavernier it is less crowded than Key Largo.
I have over a hundred dives on Davis ledge alone
That being said the northern keys reefs have been fantastic.

 

[johndiver999]

Wow,
Edited by Moderator

I thought the write up was very well done, thanks.

 

[Ironborn]

Great report and insight. We left nyc over 16 years ago and have never looked back
I dive primarily Islamorada/Tavernier it is less crowded than Key Largo.
I have over a hundred dives on Davis ledge alone
That being said the northern keys reefs have been fantastic.

Is the underwater environment of Islamorada and Taviernier any different from that of Key Largo, aside from the lack of crowds?

 

[deeper thoughts]

Is the underwater environment of Islamorada and Taviernier any different from that of Key Largo, aside from the lack of crowds?

A bit, some reefs are deeper. More patches and not like the vast reefs of Molasses/French

 

[Ironborn]

A bit, some reefs are deeper. More patches and not like the vast reefs of Molasses/French

Is there a specific operator in Tavernier/Islamorada that you would recommend? Is there one that stands out for great service, in your opinion, like Horizon Divers?