I currently reside in MN, and am trying to gather opinions on where would be a good place to relocate. I currently travel for work, and I would like to relocate myself somewhere that would offer some new diving opportunities within a short drive on the weekends when I am home. I am interested in completeing some additional certifications as well. The only real criteria I have is that I need to live within about a 1 hour drive of an airport. I am looking at Tampa and surrounding areas currently, but am really not familiar with that area at all. Can anyone offer any insight on good dive clubs in the area, nice communities to live in, etc... ( I am a 27 year old single male. I'm not crazy about metro areas, as I grew up in a small midwest town. ) Any info / advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks!
suggestions for relocating?
- Thread starter schancr
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
Funny you should mention moving. I've just relocated to South Florida from Charlotte, NC. I now live in Hollywood, FL, a 20 minute drive from my office in North Miami Beach. I'm 10 minutes from the Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport and 40 minutes from MIA. An hour north is West Palm Beach (great drift and wreck diving) and an hour south is Key Largo (needs no introduction). When I'm not in the mood to drive, I just drive for 5 minutes to the beach, pull my gear out of the back of the car, and do a shore dive. There are great reefs at roughly 100 yards off shore - full of reef fish, turtles, lobster and nurse sharks. The water is warm (87 degrees at 0730 Sunday morning) and clear (I had bad viz on Sunday - only 20 feet! It's usually in the 40-50 range, minimum.)
And as for dive clubs - the Florida Conch Divers are the best and most active club I've ever encountered. Our members are from all over the state, but we get together pretty often to dive. There's usually 2-3 dives going every week. We meet here on Scubaboard - drop by our forum for a visit.
Best wishes and safe ascents,
Grier
And as for dive clubs - the Florida Conch Divers are the best and most active club I've ever encountered. Our members are from all over the state, but we get together pretty often to dive. There's usually 2-3 dives going every week. We meet here on Scubaboard - drop by our forum for a visit.
Best wishes and safe ascents,
Grier
Hank49
Contributor
schancr:
I believe the airport is about 20 minutes from a lot of diving in Roatan, Honduras. Hank
scubafool
Contributor
I live about 40 minutes from Sanford International Airport, about the same from Daytona beach International, and about 2 hours from Orlando International. There are a couple of diveable springs close, decent ocean diving off of Daytona, great cave diving within 2 hours to the north, & West Palm is about a 4 hour drive away. Yea I like it here!
Dang Grier, if I didn't know any better, I'd think you live in Paradise!
madeline
Contributor
florida florida is the place, so many opportunities!!!!!!! I live 45 min from Orlando airport, 2 hours from the springs 3 hours from the east coast. 3 hours from the gulf, If I could pick a place it would be Ft Lauderdale, East Coast, have fun,
The Wanderer
Contributor
Tampa Bay is a large area. Tampa itself is a business center and is on the bay, not the gulf. Pinellas County - St. Pete, Clearwater - is a peninsula between the bay and the gulf. Try www.pinellaslife.com as a good site for general info.
If you are used to a less urban area, yet close to the airport, you may like Pasco, Hernando and Citrus Counties. Search for websites. Crystal River is in Citrus and is about an hour and fifteen minutes to TPA, has great diving and fishing nearby and the cost of living is low.
As much as I like the Tampa area, however, I must admit that the saltwater diving is better on the east coast, especially from Stuart on south. The gulf is shallower and has less viz and reefs, but is popular for spearfishing. The freshwater springs are mainly located in a line from Crystal River north to I-10, with a few between Ocala and Deland.
Come on down and do some diving and take a look around.
If you are used to a less urban area, yet close to the airport, you may like Pasco, Hernando and Citrus Counties. Search for websites. Crystal River is in Citrus and is about an hour and fifteen minutes to TPA, has great diving and fishing nearby and the cost of living is low.
As much as I like the Tampa area, however, I must admit that the saltwater diving is better on the east coast, especially from Stuart on south. The gulf is shallower and has less viz and reefs, but is popular for spearfishing. The freshwater springs are mainly located in a line from Crystal River north to I-10, with a few between Ocala and Deland.
Come on down and do some diving and take a look around.
Scuba_Jenny:Dang Grier, if I didn't know any better, I'd think you live in Paradise!
Hey, you figured it out before I did!!!
adder70
Contributor
I would look south of Orlando in any of the smaller towns near 27 or the Turnpike. You get a small town feel without being far from nowhere. Beware that you will smell citrus and citrus refineries, which can occasionally be awful although often nice. (The refineries are always stink. Check with locals for stench paths.) Also, Orlando airport is less than 3 hours from the beginning of West Palm diving areas (I used to make it in 4 from Gainesville), so a spot just about an hour south of the airport along the turnpike should be less than 2 from good ocean diving. Actually, Tampa has a few decent spots, although they tend to require longer boat rides and cost more.
As usual, Grier said it all. The only thing that I can add is the beach diving is AWESOME in my side yard in Lauderdale By The Sea.
Similar threads
- Question
