Shore diving in Pensacola, Ft Walton, etc

[lanierbrian]

I was wondering where some good shore diving spots are in W. Florida. I just moved here, and am looking for cheap diving!

Thanks

 

[The Chairman]

I moved your post to our area as you will get a better response. Stone should be by shortly (and hopefully others) to give you the low down of that area. Don't forget that you are in close proximity to the finest spring diving in the world. Hope you have a lot of fun here, get to meet some cool people and that you learn as much as I have.

 

[Stone]

I've done one shore dive in Pensacola (Ft Pickens), and I know there is rubble near the pier on Pensocola beach, and jetties at Alabama point on Gulf Beach. Chickdiver probably knows if there is any decent shore diving around Pcola.

In Destin, you can reach the jetties by walking, but it is probably a mile from where you park (through the sand). I've also heard that people dive around the Crystal Beach Pier (but I never have)

 

[lanierbrian]

Thanks for the info. I've heard of the "Ponce-de-Leon" springs. Are there others?

Brian

 

[Stone]

lanierbrian once bubbled...
Thanks for the info. I've heard of the "Ponce-de-Leon" springs. Are there others?

Brian

Here's a link to the Vortex Springs website. It is in Ponce-de-Leon.

 

[Dr Dive]

Pensacola Beach Pier is good as is Navarre Beach Pier. Both are weather (surf) dependent, as they are shallow. Ft. Pickens is good, but you can only get there by boat. Boats are readily available to offshore sites and are reasonable for the level of service and quality of sites you can get to. The springs are great. Morrison is free when it is open. Vortex is pricey, but essentially guaranteed diveable, if a little crowded. Springs are a 150+ mile round trip from P'cola. Let me know if you have other questions.
Dr Dive

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Yeah, just east of the existing P'Cola Beach Pier is the old pier rubble piled up. Its a fun dive with a variety of life. Vis can vary, but generally 15' or so when conditions are OK. It can get much better, and much much worse.

The road to Fort Pickens was knocked out by the hurricanes and they are still trying to figure out what they need to do in order to reinstall access to the Fort, much less start construction on whatever it is they plan on doing. There are jetties, Catherine(Norwegian bark), and Sport(tug on the bayside) off Fort Pickens, so it really sucks not having that access anymore...

Heading East...

Navarre Beach Pier is fun, lots of life here as well.

There is a sailboat off the bayside of Okaloosa Island's National Seashore Park that can be dived. Its small and hardly worth a full tank, but fun.

Destin Jetties are great, full of fish, a wide variety of them as well. There's even the chance of Manatees and Dolphins showing up - albeit slim.

Crystal Beach Pier(Destin) is uber shallow, probably better off snorkeling, but people have dived it as well.

St. Andrews Jetties in Panama City Beach are fantastic, lots of life, lots of coral/sponge, lots of colors.

Springs... Morrison's been noted, Vortex has been noted, Ponce De Leone Spring is within a park that doesn't allow diving. Cypress Springs is awesome and will likely be the clearest water you ever see, but requires a boat to access it(john boat, canoe, kayak, whatever).

Heading West...

Alabama Point Jetties at Perdido Pass in Orange Beach, AL, great little dive, lots of life at times. Never know what'll show up.

Gulf State Pier(Gulf Shores), its a long walk from the nearest public parking, but it can be a fun dive with lots of life.

Whiskey Wreck(Gulf Shores), great access, showers, restraunt onsite, lots of life, ect.

There are more shore accessible wrecks off Gulf Shores and Fort Morgan, but it would take serious bribing to get their locations.

 

[kchFLA]

suprbugman the original post is 4 years old. If the person hasn't figured out diving in this area yet, he really needs a compass.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Someone else gets the blame for reviving it I didn't notice the year, but the month and date aren't off by much!

 

[indiana*joe]

Old or not, I was just searching for the same info for the same reasons and it was very helpful!