Scuba Road Trip Through Florida? Suggestions?

[JGander]

Ned DeLoach put out a book called Diving guide to underwater Florida. He has exactly what you want in that book.

He has a route from the panhandle down and from Jax down, with springs and other stops along the way with step by step where to stop.

 

[Nemrod]

I do this nearly every year.

1. Hit Oriskany or dive Pensecola with MBT divers or sub in Panama City for some wrecks and hit the St. Andrews Jetty for shore diving. Hit Destin for the Destin East Jetty shore dive.

2. Run down to Jupiter and dive with Jupiter Dive Center (great crews, boats and excellent shop and you park right at the shop and boats) for the best "big stuff" experience drifting medium to fairly deep ledges and a few wrecks (Wreck Trail). Or alternatively use Jupiter Scuba Diving and the red Kyalami diver boat (nice almost concierge experience). Hit the Blue Heron Bridge, use the Force E dive shop on Blue Heron Blvd a few blocks from the BHB to hook you up with gear, a guide or even some offshore stuff.

3. Go down to Tavenier in the Keys and dive with the Conch Republic for shallow reefs, deep ledges (Conch Wall) and the various wrecks like the Eagle and Spiegle etc). Best op in the Keys.

4. Rinse off at Morrison if the giant alligator is not there and the water is clear as it usually is. The only spring in Florida I will still entertain for diving as there are no park staff Gestapo to deal with and it is beautiful there.

5. Or for less money go to Bonaire or Cozumel.

Look, the problem with Florida is variable weather, rude drivers (SoFla), some rude people (again SoFla) and too much driving for not enough diving and it is expensive. At yet each year I make the sojourn because that is what I do and then I go to Bonaire and Cozumel and wherever . No place do I see every kind of turtle, all sorts of sometimes big sharks, Goliath groupers and all on the same dive, so many you get bored with them. I guess that is why I put up with the rest of it. And the dive ops I mentioned specifically are superb and will not insist on being your nanny if you demonstrate a modicum of competence. And they do not make you remove your fins to step up the ladder. WTH is it with Florida and the fins on the arms!!!!!!!!! I refuse to do that.

James

 

[JGander]

I do this nearly every year.

1. Hit Oriskany or dive Pensecola with MBT divers or sub in Panama City for some wrecks and hit the St. Andrews Jetty for shore diving. Hit Destin for the Destin East Jetty shore dive.

2. Run down to Jupiter and dive with Jupiter Dive Center (great crews, boats and excellent shop and you park right at the shop and boats) for the best "big stuff" experience drifting medium to fairly deep ledges and a few wrecks (Wreck Trail). Or alternatively use Jupiter Scuba Diving and the red Kyalami diver boat (nice almost concierge experience). Hit the Blue Heron Bridge, use the Force E dive shop on Blue Heron Blvd a few blocks from the BHB to hook you up with gear, a guide or even some offshore stuff.

3. Go down to Tavenier in the Keys and dive with the Conch Republic for shallow reefs, deep ledges (Conch Wall) and the various wrecks like the Eagle and Spiegle etc). Best op in the Keys.

4. Rinse off at Morrison if the giant alligator is not there and the water is clear as it usually is. The only spring in Florida I will still entertain for diving as there are no park staff Gestapo to deal with and it is beautiful there.

5. Or for less money go to Bonaire or Cozumel.

Look, the problem with Florida is variable weather, rude drivers (SoFla), some rude people (again SoFla) and too much driving for not enough diving and it is expensive. At yet each year I make the sojourn because that is what I do and then I go to Bonaire and Cozumel and wherever . No place do I see every kind of turtle, all sorts of sometimes big sharks, Goliath groupers and all on the same dive, so many you get bored with them. I guess that is why I put up with the rest of it. And the dive ops I mentioned specifically are superb and will not insist on being your nanny if you demonstrate a modicum of competence. And they do not make you remove your fins to step up the ladder. WTH is it with Florida and the fins on the arms!!!!!!!!! I refuse to do that.

James

I don't know about the fins on the arms thing, I clip them to my BC like I do with shore diving unless I hand them up. Most of the dive boat ladders are closed outside, so going up them with fins on becomes problematic. It can be done, but it is easier for the dive operators to simply have people take off their fins.

And yes, depending on who you are diving with (other divers) you can run in to a lot of rude people in SoFL, I tend to simply stay away from most other divers for that reason. We tend to use Narcosis in the WPB area since once you are considered trustworthy as a diver they will drop you and let you go if you want.

 

[The Chairman]

What cert/experience level are you?

 

[Nemrod]

I don't know about the fins on the arms thing, I clip them to my BC like I do with shore diving unless I hand them up. Most of the dive boat ladders are closed outside, so going up them with fins on becomes problematic. It can be done, but it is easier for the dive operators to simply have people take off their fins.

And yes, depending on who you are diving with (other divers) you can run in to a lot of rude people in SoFL, I tend to simply stay away from most other divers for that reason. We tend to use Narcosis in the WPB area since once you are considered trustworthy as a diver they will drop you and let you go if you want.

Most Ops I use have a fin ladder. But I have no problem generally going up a closed ladder with fins on. I do not remove my fins until I am on the deck. I have a camera in my hands and it does not get handed up until I am ready to get out and fins on my arms or clipped to my harness would be problematic. I am good doing it the way I have been for 54 years.

The Ops I mentioned are not the ones with the fin fetish.

I have not had any notable issues with rude divers, quite the contrary, but rude drivers yes. Too much driving and not enough diving. Yet I am sure I will be back next year and the next ---- . Just have to go with the flow or should I say, current .

James

 

[tursiops]

Ned DeLoach put out a book called Diving guide to underwater Florida. He has exactly what you want in that book.

He has a route from the panhandle down and from Jax down, with springs and other stops along the way with step by step where to stop.

The book is 18 years old now....

 

[Robert H. Diver]

What cert/experience level are you?

AOW, rescue, nitrox, deep, Drysuit, no tech or cave certs yet.

 

[The Chairman]

This is a "spring heavy" list from the west panhandle to the Keys: Vortex Springs, Troy Springs (make sure to see the Civil War wreck), The Ballroom at Ginnie Springs (a cave without the need to be cave certified), Devils Den (by appt only nowadays), Paradise Springs (also call for an appt), Alexander Springs (the prettiest spring we have), Blue Spring Orange City (you might encounter a manatee), Blue Heron Bridge (hire @Scuba_Jenny), The Castor out of any of the boats at Two Georges marina in Boyton Beach, flip to the other coast and find Jamie on the Aristokat for shark tooth diving (find him on facebook), and then book a dive or ten with any of the great dive ops in Key Largo. If you have time and access, go snorkel Florida bay and look at all the sea walls and mangroves.

There are many, many opportunities for diving in Florida, these happen to be my favorites. We have more springs and more coastline than any other state in the union, not to mention our multitude of rivers and lakes. If you do Troy Springs, let me know and I'll try to join you as I live about twenty minutes away.

 

[Robert H. Diver]

This is a "spring heavy" list from the west panhandle to the Keys: Vortex Springs, Troy Springs (make sure to see the Civil War wreck), The Ballroom at Ginnie Springs (a cave without the need to be cave certified), Devils Den (by appt only nowadays), Paradise Springs (also call for an appt), Alexander Springs (the prettiest spring we have), Blue Spring Orange City (you might encounter a manatee), Blue Heron Bridge (hire @Scuba_Jenny), The Castor out of any of the boats at Two Georges marina in Boyton Beach, flip to the other coast and find Jamie on the Aristokat for shark tooth diving (find him on facebook), and then book a dive or ten with any of the great dive ops in Key Largo. If you have time and access, go snorkel Florida bay and look at all the sea walls and mangroves.

There are many, many opportunities for diving in Florida, these happen to be my favorites. We have more springs and more coastline than any other state in the union, not to mention our multitude of rivers and lakes. If you do Troy Springs, let me know and I'll try to join you as I live about twenty minutes away.

Thank you!!