Suggestions for a week in Florida

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galodoido

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I just don't log dives
I'll be spending roughly 9 days in Florida and I'm looking for suggestions of dive spots I shouldn't miss. I'll be flying into Orlando and renting a car, so I'm hoping to be able to dive some springs there. Then I plan on driving down the coast to Miami/Fort Lauderdale, and possibly Key Largo. If there is anything worth seeing on the Gulf side around Tampa or further south in Key West, I'd also consider.

I'll be traveling with my mom and she loves snorkeling, so if you know of any places good for for both diving and snorkeling, that would be great. But feel free to suggest wrecks and deeper sites, as I also don't want to miss out on those.

Thanks!
 
If you're on the Gulf side near Tampa anyway, drive a little bit south to venice and do a sharks tooth dive charter. I really enjoyed it last year. Ended up with a couple Megladon teeth and a large mammoth tooth.

There is another thread on here under the "Venice Fossil Divers" forum that will give you an idea about what it's all about. I think it's trip reports. You can see what people are finding.

The visibility on the dives can range from excellent, 15' to 20', to down right un-diveable. We had a good day when I was there with about 10'. The vis is not as important as you would think. Sometimes less is better. Low vis keeps you focused on the bottom where the teeth are. 30' max depth and hours of bottom time. It's actually very relaxing.

Anyway, I dove with Aquanutz dive charters and Capt. Mike. (check out his facebook page) I really enjoyed the trip and am planning on heading down again in June.

Enjoy your trip.
 
Blue Heron Bridge is excellent for both snorkeling and diving. It is tide dependent, so google it for the best times.

In the Florida keys, most of the snorkeling and diving is offshore. You might be able to finds a boat that allows both on the same trip, maybe at Pennekamp State Park.
 
What @gr8jab said... hit Blue Heron Bridge and enjoy a nice long 90 minute dive... then head south to the Keys.

I'm a quasi-fanboy of Rainbow Reef... I've seen them take divers and snorkelers out on the same boat. With that I'd call and check in advance so your mom isn't left on the dock.
 
In the Keys there are a number of sights with water depth in the high 20-20 but the coral rises up within a very few feet of the surface. A number of times I have scuba dove in the channels and seen snorklers up on top of the reef. Christ of the Abyss is a favorte snorkel spot that is also a dive spot but there are several like that.
 
Stop by Naples and go out with Salty Dog Charters (Joel). Diving here is extremely underrated. Often I travel and am super disappointed. I bet you see more big fish here than anywhere else you have been. Usually about 10 x 300-600 lb Goliath on each dive.

Our spots rarely ever get dived like other places, it is still untouched. Saw 4 whale sharks in a week last year in the fall.
 
I'll put another vote for Blue Heron Bridge but don't overlook the charter boats in the West Palm area. Jupiter Dive Center, Narcosis, Florida Scuba Charters, Abernathy's - all good and the local reefs are nearly as colorful & productive as the keys. If you really want to dive Pennekamp, then do it but it's a drive. I do day trips to WPB/Jupiter and occasional weekenders, but if I'm going to the keys, it's for more than a few days to make up for the drive.
 
Jupiter is the closest dive site to Orlando. The high ledge is right about 80’ at the shallowest. Like most FL east coast diving, it is usually drift diving. It is famous for large animals: turtles, sharks and Goliath grouper. West Palm is just south of Jupiter. It is about 55’.

In the same area, it the Blue Heron Bridge. It maxes out at around 20’. It has limited visibility with a max of 40’ and often far less. It is great for muck diving and macro stuff. You see things there that are rarely seen else where.

At Pompano Beach you get good diving. You see a fair number of soft corals but no hard corals.

I think that Key Largo has the best diving in the keys. It is a fair boat drive out to the reefs. The shallow reefs range from 20’ - 40’. Good fish life and decent corals. Visibility is ok but not great. There is a milky cast to the water from the fine marl on the bottom.

It is also famous for deep wrecks like the Duane and the Spiegel Grove. These are deep dives with current. You often see the large stuff out there.
 
@Ghost95 suggestion of going to Venice sounds great, I think I need to go there, maybe in the fall this year.

How common is it to find actual megalodon teeth? Do at least 50% of the divers find one? Not talking about those little shark teeth that are more common.
 
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