New member travelling to So. Florida

[Hal625]

Hi all......I'm a new member of the board and a PADI Open Water diver. I'm travelling alone to South Florida in mid-September and would like to do some diving. I see there are a lot of dive shops that run boats daily, but I'm wondering if they'll take a single diver. Any recommendations??? I'd like to dive Pennekamp for sure, and maybe one or two shallow wrecks in the three days I have. Any help would sure be appreciated. Here in PA, all we have are a bunch of quarries and a muddy river!

Thanks a lot..... Hal

 

[GrierHPharmD]

Be sure to stop by the Florida Conch Divers' forum. We'll be glad to have you buddy up with some of us. Look in the Private Trips folder, and you'll see lots and lots of trip reports. I might also recommend Ned DeLoach's book Underwater Florida. It gives you a really good sense of all the diving sites around the state, from fresh water springs to deep ocean wrecks.

To be a little more specific, most of the Key Largo boats will take single divers. I've used Silent World and Island Ventures and have heard good things about Blue Water Divers. I'm not sure where you're staying, but if you end up anywhere between West Palm Beach and Miami, be sure to let us know, and we'll include you in one of our beach or nearshore wreck dives. (The boats in the Boca Raton/Pompano/Ft. Lauderdale area are a little cheaper, and the rides are shorter.)

Good luck. I hope to cross paths underwater,
Grier

 

[CBulla]

Shoot some dates out and I'm sure someone among us will be happy to buddy with you for dives. As much as I like the Keys I'm going to have to also back Grier up in the dives in the 'Lauderdale area as being cheaper and I'll add to it by saying I think they are much better dives. on excellent reefs and wrecks.

 

[Pandie]

Each of the dive boats I've been on in South Florida (all three of 'em ) take single divers. Two just asked that you stick within eyeshot of the DM.

 

[GrierHPharmD]

And you get to dive with Colin and me, as well as the rest of our rogue's gallery...

 

[Hal625]

Be sure to stop by the Florida Conch Divers' forum. We'll be glad to have you buddy up with some of us. Look in the Private Trips folder, and you'll see lots and lots of trip reports. I might also recommend Ned DeLoach's book Underwater Florida. It gives you a really good sense of all the diving sites around the state, from fresh water springs to deep ocean wrecks.

To be a little more specific, most of the Key Largo boats will take single divers. I've used Silent World and Island Ventures and have heard good things about Blue Water Divers. I'm not sure where you're staying, but if you end up anywhere between West Palm Beach and Miami, be sure to let us know, and we'll include you in one of our beach or nearshore wreck dives. (The boats in the Boca Raton/Pompano/Ft. Lauderdale area are a little cheaper, and the rides are shorter.)

Good luck. I hope to cross paths underwater,
Grier

I'm staying in Fort Lauderdale and arriving late evening on Wednesday, September 15th. I'll be able to dive on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday because I'm not flying home until Sunday afternoon. I have information from Silent World and South Beach Divers. Both looked good to me. I still want to dive Pennekamp just to say I dove in the Keys (you know, an ego thing) Other than that, I haven't made plans. Just fishing for ideas now. I do see that most boats limit PADI open water divers to a maximun of 60 feet. Up here we go to 100 feet as our quarries are a lot deeper than that. (and there's still not much to see!) I guess I'll be limited to reefs and a few shallow wrecks. I'd prefer reefs. Thanks for all your help and I may see ya in September (wasn't that a song?!)

 

[murphdivers286]

Hey guys, don't forget about me and baitedstorm. We would like to join in.