Lauderdale by the Sea for easy shore dives to practice skills and still have a fun reef dive. Deerfield/Pompano area for some boats that'll take you out to the 3rd reef and give ya 60' deep drift dives that are fun and easy. Is this what your after?
Where to go in Florida..read me
- Thread starter selkie57
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CBulla:
Hi there:
Yes, sounds good though never did a shore dive always boats. Pompano sounds best options so will look into accomodation today and dive shops for rentals and assistance. I may get some equipment before I go..for a first piece of equipment (i have mask, fins,suit) would you get BC or reg? I really don't know what to buy and I have a tight budget. I can't wait to get in the water again..I have a 3mm suit. will that be OK for Fl in April/May?
Appreciate any advice..i'm all revved up!!
selkie57:
I would get a BC first. You want something that fits and you're going to be comfortable in. Check out all the dive shops in your area and try on as many as you can. Think about what features you would like. One important feature is weight integrated. I hate wearing a weight belt, now. Also, do you want your alternat air source on your BC or on your regulator? You'll hear arguments for and against. I have both, because I have to teach AAS. But... when I dive without a class, I usually take my AAS off of my 1st stage and only use my Air-II. Something else to keep in mind... pockets!!! My BC only has one small pocket in the cumberbund... it's almost worthless... yes, it holds my mini flashlight and my fishing license.. but, that's it.
When you get ready to come down, post something in the Trips & Happenings section about diving LBTS... You'll be amazed at how many Conchs will dive with you. In my opinion, it's the second best "FREE" dive site in Florida... Blue Heron bridge is the best, but it's still closed...
Al
BC First, Reg/octo setup next. Do a lot of research and try on/out as many as you can at a shop pool to help determine what you'd like to purchase. I bought an inexpensive BC and reg set up so I could dive all the time until I learned more about what type of Diving I enjoyed most.. I'm slowly changing my gear to fit that.selkie57:
April/May.. wetsuit.. hmmm I am the wrong person to ask because I don't really wear them.. I dive the 72 degree springs in my swimsuit and folks on here think I'm crazy, sooooo.... IMHO, 68+ is swimsuit water! April/May in SE Florida is about 80 degrees in the water. `
I'm going to go against the grain here. IMO, a regulator setup would make a better "first purchase" than a BCD. Regulators are life support equipment. BCDs are modern conveniences. With reg ownership comes peace of mind. You know who's mouth it's been in, and you know who serviced it last and when. The outlay is about the same for either item, so I'd opt for the more critical of the two. If you rent a BCD, check the fit and operation prior to leaving the shop.selkie57:
I'll chime in with the others about Lauderdale By The Sea. The dives are easy, and you can go at your own pace. I've attached a couple of links below that might be useful.
BTW, the second link, to the Shipwreck Snorkel Trail, shows on of the favorite local dive sites for the Florida Conch Divers. Be sure to check out the Trips and Happenings section of their forum, and look for either the Datura or Hibiscus dive sites. (Those are the names of the streets where we meet.) We'd love to have you dive with us!
-Grier
http://www.fillexpress.com/divesites.shtml
http://www.fillexpress.com/library/datura.shtml
BTW, the second link, to the Shipwreck Snorkel Trail, shows on of the favorite local dive sites for the Florida Conch Divers. Be sure to check out the Trips and Happenings section of their forum, and look for either the Datura or Hibiscus dive sites. (Those are the names of the streets where we meet.) We'd love to have you dive with us!
-Grier
http://www.fillexpress.com/divesites.shtml
http://www.fillexpress.com/library/datura.shtml
Just pick a place that is convenient for you to stay. Beach diving is good from Pompano to Hollywood. Some places better than others. There are also tons of boat operators. There a couple of stickies in the Florida Conchs Club that list dive/boat ops and trip reports from various locations.
A 3mil should be fine, April water temps will be 74°-78° range, with the higher temps more likely. You might hit a thermalcline if you go off a boat.
A 3mil should be fine, April water temps will be 74°-78° range, with the higher temps more likely. You might hit a thermalcline if you go off a boat.
lrh626
Guest
Fun 2 Dive Scuba in Sanford FL has an awesome trip to the keys for either 3 or 4 days. Look them up on the Web at www.fun2dive.com. Tell Tham Larry sent you. They also do snorkeling with the manatees in Crystal River.
pidus
Guest
i must say, i've snorkled lauderdale-by-the-sea many many times before i got certified...and i love it there, the pier is very cool and the wreck trail is great, also not being too far from the shore is a great plus, i got my c-card in november 2004 and since then have not been back however i will take up any invitation to go diving there with a group, you should have a lot of fun selkie57, and your mum can swim alongside as well....while you're under the water she can be cruising the surface...the town is also very nice, lot's of quaint places to eat, relax, socialize....if you have a car you will have many choices of parking meters all around the area...if you are staying at the local hotels/motels/inns then they provide parking for you...the best reef expanse is to the south of the pier...if the pier is still under renovation you can even swim around/under it to see all the wildlife since there is no one fishing off it...i don't know the safety consequences of doing this since i am still a newbie but maybe one of the other members can comment on this...all in all if you're looking for a dive buddy and will be in the area send me a pm and i'll try to get a group together...should be fun...
however i will take up any invitation to go diving there with a group, you should have a lot of fun selkie57, and your mum can swim alongside as well....while you're under the water she can be cruising the surface...the town is also very nice, lot's of quaint places to eat, relax, socialize....if you have a car you will have many choices of parking meters all around the area...if you are staying at the local hotels/motels/inns then they provide parking for you...the best reef expanse is to the south of the pier...if the pier is still under renovation you can even swim around/under it to see all the wildlife since there is no one fishing off it...i don't know the safety consequences of doing this since i am still a newbie but maybe one of the other members can comment on this...all in all if you're looking for a dive buddy and will be in the area send me a pm and i'll try to get a group together...should be fun...Similar threads
