Need recommendations for Pompano operators

[Mark Mathews]

Hey there, I'll be in Pompano either Sunday the 21 and/or Monday the 22. Wanting to dive Lady Luck and other wrecks. Anyone recommend a dive shop/boat. Thanks in advance!

 

[Plashb199]

check out scubatyme. they're really good too. pompano dive center is grade A as well.

 

[sportxlh]

I like the two noted by plashb199 and South Florida Dive HQ (especially if you want to dive the shallow reef line)

 

[iamrushman]

have fun........the lady luck is a fun and interesting wreck with easy penetration opportunities.........any dive shop in the area can hook you up with a charter. (Scuba Network...Force-E)...or those mentioned above.

 

[Johnoly]

.... Wanting to dive Lady Luck and other wrecks... !

Looking at your previous posts, You may want to lean towards Pompano Dive Center if your planning on getting in some deco time with slung bottles. The rec boats typically won't let you do that.

 

[dberry]

I can't speak to any other operators, but the dives for my deco procedures / wreck course last month were all with the South Florida Dive Headquarters (Home - South Florida Diving Headquarters) in Pompano Beach. There were other deco divers on both the Black Pearl (larger boat) and the Safari Diver (11 divers), and the crew seemed to know their way around doubles and slung bottles.

 

[PT4476]

I've done deco. profile dives with South Florida Dive Headquarters and Pompano Dive Centre, both are good operators. If you are going to do a tech charter I recommend the Hydro Atlantic, great dive, well worth many return visits.

 

[seeker242]

Pompano Dive Center.

 

[boulderjohn]

I have dived with both South Florida Diving Headquarters and Pompano Dive Center in the past, and I will dive with both again in the future. The big difference between the two is that Pompano Dive Center is more of a full service dive operation with a full retail store and tank filling station, while SFDH is more focused on providing a boat ride for you. SFDH was forced to move to a new location this winter, and when I dived with them they were still very much just moving in. I have not really seen the final product after the move.

The only problem I have with Pompano Dive Center is their policy on tank fills. Most places are very careful not to fill AL 80s beyond their rated capacities, but they will fill LP steel tanks beyond it--often far beyond it. Although it can vary by who is actually doing the filling, with Pompano Dive Center, it is the opposite. When I have dived with friends who visit me each year, they rent AL 80s filled to about 3200-3300 PSI every time. I have my own steel LP 85s, and I am lucky to get them filled to 2500 PSI, which is below their rated pressure. Some of their employees will go beyond that while acting on their own, but the shop management is against it. Thus, when I am diving with my friends, it is common for me to go into a dive with the least air of the group, even though my tanks have the highest capacity.

 

[PT4476]

I think the move, due from what I gather to the expiry of a lease, has taken away one of SFDH's advantages—they used to be right next to the inlet which made for shorter boat ride to the wrecks. But I will also happily dive with either operator, as mentioned in boulderjohn's post PDC does offer a full service dive operation, I find folks at SFDH a little more laid-back. For me it will be more about which operator is going where I'd like to dive the next time I'm in S FL.