Where can I scuba dive in Florida?
December 16, 2005 5:26 PM Subscribe
Floridian Scuba-diving Mefites, help!
There's one full week left before Christmas, and I want to get in some diving in Florida. I'd especially be interested in finishing up my Nitrox certification (I just need to do the checkout dives). Help me figure out how!
There are two issues I need to resolve before I hit the road:
1) I don't know anyone in Florida, so I'll be going buddyless
2) I don't know anyone in Florida, so I have no clue where to go (ie: shops, places that run charters, etc.)
So, where can a buddyless diver head to in Florida within the next few days to get in a good deal of fun diving? (Note: I'm used to diving in muddy Minnesota lakes with 5' vis, so even the worst Floridian diving will be great for me!)
I'm driving from Georgia, and I can leave as soon as a satisfactory answer is posted. I can also manage my own sleeping accommodations.
Note: I'd also love to buddy up with a Mefite for a day or two. I've got PADI OW, AOW, and practically Nitrox. I've logged about 10 decent dives. I'm also a Red Cross CPR / AED instructor.
There are two issues I need to resolve before I hit the road:
1) I don't know anyone in Florida, so I'll be going buddyless
2) I don't know anyone in Florida, so I have no clue where to go (ie: shops, places that run charters, etc.)
So, where can a buddyless diver head to in Florida within the next few days to get in a good deal of fun diving? (Note: I'm used to diving in muddy Minnesota lakes with 5' vis, so even the worst Floridian diving will be great for me!)
I'm driving from Georgia, and I can leave as soon as a satisfactory answer is posted. I can also manage my own sleeping accommodations.
Note: I'd also love to buddy up with a Mefite for a day or two. I've got PADI OW, AOW, and practically Nitrox. I've logged about 10 decent dives. I'm also a Red Cross CPR / AED instructor.
There's a couple of dive shops in Panama City Beach. I went to one for my Nitrox certification dives. They took me over to one of the springs, like Vortex or Ginny. They're interesting for a little while; crystal clear water, cool, full wetsuit temperature. Not much to see.
I don't know how much ocean diving is going on right now, because the water's cold for the Gulf this time of year, and few local divers have drysuits.
You could try getting near Crystal River; I read recently someone reported manatees near there, which you could see diving.
posted by atchafalaya at 10:31 AM on December 17, 2005
I don't know how much ocean diving is going on right now, because the water's cold for the Gulf this time of year, and few local divers have drysuits.
You could try getting near Crystal River; I read recently someone reported manatees near there, which you could see diving.
posted by atchafalaya at 10:31 AM on December 17, 2005
You have 10 dives total, or 10 dives with Nitrox training (plus more without), or 10 dives including certification dives?
The biggest tip - if this is one of your first dives beyond the certification dives - I have is GO SLOWLY. So many new divers get all the gear on, jump in the water, try to go fast underwater, get nervous, and gobble down all their air. Especially if they're used to boring diving, and suddenly they're in a tropical paradise. On many group dives, we surface when one or two members are at the pre-arranged mark (1000 or 750), especially if it's a drift dive. Sometimes I surface with more than 1/2 my tank full still, and I'm certainly not holding my breath down there -- I know there are time limits, especially on multi-level dives, etc. -- but I'm still using far less air than anyone else I've met (not including divemasters, etc.)
The key is to take your time, not make big sudden flipper movements, keep your arms in tight against your body, not flailing, keep all hoses neatly organized, keep an eye on your buoyancy at all times, work with the current/surge, and keep your cool. Take the time to notice the little details as you move along, not rush to the next coral formation, cave, anchor, whatever.
This is how you find coins, shark teeth, mantas, teeny little fish in crevices, noticing the way the color of the coral changes as the wave depth changes, filtering the sunlight a little differently. This is what makes diving spectacular, and having more air allows you to spend more time (still watching your dive levels), and ensures that you're not panicky at the same time. It's a win-win situation. Have fun -- I'm jealous!
posted by fionab at 11:24 AM on December 17, 2005
The biggest tip - if this is one of your first dives beyond the certification dives - I have is GO SLOWLY. So many new divers get all the gear on, jump in the water, try to go fast underwater, get nervous, and gobble down all their air. Especially if they're used to boring diving, and suddenly they're in a tropical paradise. On many group dives, we surface when one or two members are at the pre-arranged mark (1000 or 750), especially if it's a drift dive. Sometimes I surface with more than 1/2 my tank full still, and I'm certainly not holding my breath down there -- I know there are time limits, especially on multi-level dives, etc. -- but I'm still using far less air than anyone else I've met (not including divemasters, etc.)
The key is to take your time, not make big sudden flipper movements, keep your arms in tight against your body, not flailing, keep all hoses neatly organized, keep an eye on your buoyancy at all times, work with the current/surge, and keep your cool. Take the time to notice the little details as you move along, not rush to the next coral formation, cave, anchor, whatever.
This is how you find coins, shark teeth, mantas, teeny little fish in crevices, noticing the way the color of the coral changes as the wave depth changes, filtering the sunlight a little differently. This is what makes diving spectacular, and having more air allows you to spend more time (still watching your dive levels), and ensures that you're not panicky at the same time. It's a win-win situation. Have fun -- I'm jealous!
posted by fionab at 11:24 AM on December 17, 2005
Response by poster: Fionab: 10 dives beyond my OW cert dives. I count my AOW dives as, well, a 5 mil wet dive to 85' in Lake Superior when both the air and bottom temps were 40F is a pretty intense experience. Thanks a ton for the advice -- I'm sure I could improve my trim and finning. I've got keeping my cool down, or at least, I think if I can stay calm on a 2' viz night dive in a local lake, I should be able to keep any sort of excitement in check when diving in clear water.
Right now the plan is to drive down to Tallassee and spend the night with a friend, then head down to Ginnie Springs. Then on to Key Largo.
posted by SemiSophos at 11:51 AM on December 17, 2005
Right now the plan is to drive down to Tallassee and spend the night with a friend, then head down to Ginnie Springs. Then on to Key Largo.
posted by SemiSophos at 11:51 AM on December 17, 2005
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by orlin at 5:36 AM on December 17, 2005