Relocating to Florida...where is the best place to live/dive

[WannaLaguna]

Hey Gang,

My name is Jeff. My wife and I are considering a move to Florida this summer. We currently live in Southern California. We are originally from Toronto and dived the awesome wrecks of the great lakes wrecks regularly. We are both used to cold water diving (45-60)

We've lived and worked on Grand Cayman where I worked with one of the dive operations in George Town.

We moved to California for its beauty and to do some pacific diving but have not been very impressed with the conditions...other than diving with sea lions...that's wicked!

So, we are on the move to find the perfect place to live/work/dive.

If you could live anywhere in Florida, where would it be as far as diving is concerned?

I'm VERY interested in the springs but LOVE wrecks, reefs, wildlife...heck if I'm wet I like it...you know what I mean.

Looking forward to your thoughts!

Dive safe,

Jeff

 

[DivingPrincessE]

Are you looking strictly in Tampa? If not I would ask a mod to move this out into the main FL forum, as many in South Florida don't look in the Tampa sub-forum (and South Florida is where the best diving in FL is, especially for wrecks).

There have been a few threads about this topic recently, let me see if I can find them.

 

[DivingPrincessE]

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/florida-conch-divers/262080-where-move-best-diving-florida.html

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/florida-conch-divers/263816-moving-south-florida.html

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/florida-conch-divers/262855-move-florida.html

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/fl...15-relocating-florida-city-should-i-pick.html

 

[WannaLaguna]

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/florida-conch-divers/262080-where-move-best-diving-florida.html

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/florida-conch-divers/263816-moving-south-florida.html

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/florida-conch-divers/262855-move-florida.html

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/fl...15-relocating-florida-city-should-i-pick.html

Thanks DivingPrincessE! This is a great start.

 

[VJimScuba]

A great guide is Ned DeLoach's Diving Guide to Underwater Florida. You can buy it from Amazon. It provides a good discussion of the hundreds of dive sites through out Florida.

The best diving is probably still in the Keys. South Florida from Miami to Ft Lauderdale to West Palm have great reefs and excellent visibility.

I remain partial to the Tampa Bay area. I am just a few hours from the springs and caverns to the north. I am 4 1/2 hours to the Keys. Off the gulf coast are good wrecks and artificial reefs. They offer lots of fish but do not have the visual beauty of the Key reefs.

 

[WannaLaguna]

A great guide is Ned DeLoach's Diving Guide to Underwater Florida. You can buy it from Amazon. It provides a good discussion of the hundreds of dive sites through out Florida.

The best diving is probably still in the Keys. South Florida from Miami to Ft Lauderdale to West Palm have great reefs and excellent visibility.

I remain partial to the Tampa Bay area. I am just a few hours from the springs and caverns to the north. I am 4 1/2 hours to the Keys. Off the gulf coast are good wrecks and artificial reefs. They offer lots of fish but do not have the visual beauty of the Key reefs.

thanks for that VJim. I'll defintely check out that book. I have no idea where we will end up. I've only been to Florida once and stayed in Tampa. I'm thinking about south west but I don't want to be too far away from the springs...apparently, once you try it you're hooked

 

[deepstops]

Palm Beach County gives you great diving in your own backyard with both the Upper Keys and closest springs/caves 3 or 4 hours away. Wreck diving in the Gulf is some of my favorite diving in Florida but be prepared for long boat rides (that u$e a lot of fuel).

 

[joeleitz]

Thanks for the info on the diving guide -I'll have to pick that one up! I'm really looking forward to doing more dives and I haven't been to the Keys yet.

A great guide is Ned DeLoach's Diving Guide to Underwater Florida. You can buy it from Amazon. It provides a good discussion of the hundreds of dive sites through out Florida.

The best diving is probably still in the Keys. South Florida from Miami to Ft Lauderdale to West Palm have great reefs and excellent visibility.

I remain partial to the Tampa Bay area. I am just a few hours from the springs and caverns to the north. I am 4 1/2 hours to the Keys. Off the gulf coast are good wrecks and artificial reefs. They offer lots of fish but do not have the visual beauty of the Key reefs.

 

[CJM]

I will have to agree on the Pam Beach County area too.. South East FL seems to be the preferred area among many people. If I was to go I would consider that area first as well.

 

[stinggirl]

Some day I hope to move to the Keys..