Orlando Area Diving

[cgvmer]

Hello All,
I will be on a business trip to Orlando the week of Oct 8th, 2006.
I have been to this area 3 times in the last year already, without doing any diving. I would prefer not to make it a 4th time without a dive.

I have some flexibilty on the days for the dive, that week, Mon-thurs.

I am a new diver and expect I'll need to find a buddy for any diving I do.

Please any suggestion with approx time from Orlando.

TIA

 

[LiteHedded]

i'll buddy with you if you like.
there's not much in orlando
epcot divequest is an expensive but neat option.
otherwise your best bet is blue springs in deltona or there's some boat diving in daytona beach.
there's great reef/wreck diving further south if you have a rental car

 

[SoggyPretzel]

If you have the opportunity and a rental car I would suggest driving 2 hours south to Jupiter area. There are several charters there, but I like the Starfish out of Lanatana. I live in downtown Orlando and it's 2hrs 15 min to the dock in Lantana, turnpike most of the way. The diving there is really good. The dives local to Orlando are limited to springs. Blue Spring in Orange City is the most popular. There are others within a day's driving distance like Blue Grotto and Devils Den. Oct may be too early to see the manatees in Crystal River unless we have an early cold snap, but that's worth the drive (also 2 hours) if they are there.

If you have the funds I would recommend the living seas at Epcot. It's an aquarium dive, but you get to watch the tourists eating dinner on the other side of the glass, pretty cool!

 

[Reel Crazy14]

Daytona has some great diving too, that is if you don't require 100 ft vis. Seadogs in New smyrna runs a top notch dive boat, give them a try.

 

[LiteHedded]

Daytona has some great diving too, that is if you don't require 100 ft vis. Seadogs in New smyrna runs a top notch dive boat, give them a try.

i've been thinking about diving with them
what's the vis normally like?

 

[digimidi]

Our LDS planned a trip with Starfish Enterprise out of Lantana and it was a very enjoyable dive. As stated before, 2-2 1/2 hours south of Orlando, but worth it.

 

[truck1]

You can check with Dixie Sands Scuba (literally up the block from Universal studios) also.They run trips pretty regularly and if not Mike will set you up with where to go.

 

[Reel Crazy14]

Summer, depending on where the the thermocline is, anywhere from 10-80 feet. It varies extremely. Average for NE Florida is usually around 30 feet.