Sanibel/Captive Island diving

[Pappy]

I'm looking for info on Sanibel/Captive Island diving.
Dive shops, charters, dive sights, etc. Thanks!

 

[Wristshot]

I know that this isn't exactly answering your question, but be prepared for disappointment. When I was at Captiva last year, the water was very cloudy, and it would not be very suitable for diving. I do not remember seeing any dive operations out there, but I am sure there have to be some. I just don't think that the diving will be very good.

The fishing, on the other hand was fabulous. In fact one woman in our group had to release a Red Fish because it was too big. We ate two others that we caught and they were wonderful.

W

 

[bobert]

I am a new avid diver (110 dives in last 8 months) with a friend who has a house on Sanibel that I have a key to. I'm sad to say I have gone over to the island only a few times this year because there really is not any good diving there. You have to go out many many miles to get into deep enough water to have a meaningful dive. If you find out anything to the contrary please post so I can start using my friends place over on Sanibel.

 

[Pappy]

Thanks for the replies.

I did some checking on the net and it did not look too promising.

We have a week long conference scheduled there next April and I was just doing some wishful thinking.

Oh well....I hear the restaurants are good! If I can't dive, I can always eat!

 

[Pappy]

How about charters out of the Fort Myers area?

 

[BCS]

My in-laws are in that area and so I am forced to be there a couple times a year....my relief from the insanity is I make the 2hr (ish) drive over to the West Palm area and dive all day....usually get back to Ft Myers about 7 or 8pm and sometimes stay and have dinner w/the divers and get back to Ft Myers around 10 or 11. But I did check for local diving in that area (Ft Myers/Sanibel) and it really wasn't practical. The feedback I rec'd from the local shops and divers was that the boat ride out to any kind of dive site that was even remotely considered "a good dive", was at least an hour to two and due to the long boat ride (more gas) the charter fee was very high. I figured I'd rather travel for a couple hours on land and pay my own gas bill (much cheaper) and get a charter with a 15-25 minute boat ride to a very nice dive site than waste the same amount of time on the Gulf side...
Hope that helps...

brandon

 

[Pappy]

Makes sense.
Maybe it's still early enough to get the company to change the location of the conference.
Surely 150 people would not mind changing their plans to accomodate a diver!!
Sounds like a reasonable request to me!
Thanks again for the input!!!

 

[Wildbill]

on the west coast of Florida runs hot and cold from week to week. Some times you only have a 1-2' and others you will have 25-30'. I took my dive course in Ft. Myers/Sanibel area. There are a lot of artificial reefs in the area. Have only gone to a couple but you have to get there by boat. Less than an hour north is Venice where a lot of us boarders go for Shark teeth. Check out the Florida Conch Divers Section and post this same question you will get someone to give you better info and probably a dive buddy or two. Walter and CBulla seem to know quite a bit about the area.

Wildbill:cop:

 

[Former FLL Now MSP Diver]

Check the messages towards the end of this thread out. Walter gave some good feedback on the better sites to dive in that neck of the woods.

Marc

 

[Pappy]

Thanks again!!