Now I've ran into 2 people from the boards and didn't even knowit, lol!
If you are looking for a low budget dive that is still worthwhile, try Ft. Pierce and Vero beach. I did my OW cert dives 8 miles off Sarasota at M-1 and it was poor in comparison to the beach diving I did on the east coast.
Inlet Park in Ft. Pierce has good facilites for rinsing off afterwards and we hit 30fsw less than 100 yards from shore (easy swimming distance). There is a nice rock formation that runs parrallel to shore and has up to 5 feet ledges in some spots. We saw numerous fish species, some rather large lobsters, and a sea turtle.....not bad for a virtually no expense dive. Vero beach was about the same qulaity with the exception being the depth was under 12fsw. On the south end of Ft. pierce there is supposed to be depths of 50-60fsw withing swimming distance, but I can't say if that is true or not.
Sounds like you've already looked up most of the fresh water dive "hot" spots.
If you have access to a boat, there is some great diving out of the Cape Canaveral port.
Anyhow, I'm sure there are more places to dive than there is time to dive them in our neck of the woods.
Good luck and have fun,
jason
