osuskydiver 0 #1 March 9, 2004 Thinking about SCUBA Diving the last day of my vacation to Florida. Will be in Deland for 2 days and want to dive the last day. Anyone have any suggestions where I should go. $$$, reservations, websites? By the time you read this you have already read it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stacy 0 #2 March 9, 2004 I'd recommend without reservation the southeast coast diving. Diving off of riviera beach, jupiter, and pompano have amazed me more than the reefs of cozumel and jamaica. It's a haul from deland area, but if yo are interested I can send you names of some people to contact, a few boats i like and have dove from. Most of them do two tanker trips with a wreck and a reef, there's some shore diving off of riviera bridge (huge spot for octopi). Water temps down in S Fl are in the 70s still, Someone last weekend I heard from dove to 150' and it was in teh upper 60s. I'm using my 3:2 right now and only feel a slight chill. __ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pleifer 0 #3 March 9, 2004 if you are a diver, then you know.... but if you arn't in the "know" make sure you wait the proper amount of time between diving and flying... _________________________________________ The Angel of Duh has spoke Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stacy 0 #4 March 9, 2004 also in the deland area, you may want to PM Bean. He lives up there and I think learned to dive up there, probably has some connections. I know there are some nice springs up there. __ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Amazon 7 #5 March 9, 2004 John Pennecamp.. there are plenty of tour operators in South Florida to go thru out of the Card Sound area http://www.pennekamppark.com/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
osuskydiver 0 #6 March 9, 2004 Quoteif you are a diver, then you know.... but if you arn't in the "know" make sure you wait the proper amount of time between diving and flying... Yeah I know, that is why I am waiting for the last day of the trip. Thanks for the reminder anyway. Stacy, could you PM me the contacts or websites. I would appericiate it. I do not want to head to far away from Deland, I am vacationing down there with Paige and don't want to leave her stranded too long. By the time you read this you have already read it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aviatrr 0 #7 March 9, 2004 In Deland area, there is no good ocean diving...but there are a few springs. What dates are you gonna be looking to dive? If I'm not busy, I'll take ya to some of the local springs. Mike edit: PM me with the dates if it's really soon...I may not see this post for a while.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stacy 0 #8 March 9, 2004 if you don't wander far, yo wn't see any of hte south FL reefs... the places I go are at least 4 hours south of deland. What you shold do is spend your last days at SoBe then hit the *good* diving off hte southeast coast. It seriously is not to be missed. Anyhoo, if you venture this way, I give major props to http://www.parrotislandscuba.com awesome staff, wonderful boats, and no cattle ships loaded with tourists. It's a local place with good people, two boats and they've catered to my new-ness to diving plenty of times. Like Aviatrr said, not much ocean/reef diving up in deland area. That's the south FL forte. There are springs up there too which I hear are nice but I'm not getting pulled out of the gulf stream for a spring. Send a PM to Bean. He lives in the deland area and learned to dive up there. Although he most frequently comes down here. __ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aviatrr 0 #9 March 9, 2004 QuoteAnyhoo, if you venture this way, I give major props to http://www.parrotislandscuba.com awesome staff, wonderful boats, and no cattle ships loaded with tourists. It's a local place with good people, two boats and they've catered to my new-ness to diving plenty of times. I've gotta second this one....I've been out with Parrot Island on both of their boats(actually, they used to have 4 - I've dove off of all 4) several times. They're great for recreational dives. I don't use them much anymore...I do mostly six packs since I do 90% tec diving. Another boat I used to use fairly often(but haven't been on in a while) for recreational diving is http://www.idivestarfish.com/ . You can also go to http://dive.scubadiving.com/talk/list.php?f=1 and ask about dive operators there.. Mike Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Amazon 7 #10 March 9, 2004 QuoteLike Aviatrr said, not much ocean/reef diving up in deland area Well ACTUALLLY.... there are plenty of artificial reefs just off of the north coast...compliments of Der Kreigsmarine early 1942 vintage. We used to fish and dive off of them out off of Jacksonville but you would have to hook up with someone who has the GPS Numbers. I would think some of the local dive shops could put something together. Beware of lots of monofiliment that has hung up on them from 40 years of charter boats and private boats fishing them.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Misslmperfect 0 #11 March 9, 2004 i went out with parrot island my 2nd dive in florida. 1st time was up in destin, and not much to see. beautiful waters, but not much excitement. im not familiar with deland at all, but go parrot island!! we went to tenneco towers one day and the tugs another. great diving!!!!! i havent been out on other boats...but id definately reccomend parrot island btw, anyone know of a forum for scuba diving that includes classifieds?? the ones ive found are crap, and i dont want to sell on ebay. i have a bc jacket and some other gear to get rid of....Oh Canada, merci pour la livraison! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stacy 0 #12 March 9, 2004 http://www.e-divers.org it's an email based forum based in south FL, but lots of equipment advertised and sold through it. scubaboard, I can't remember if they have classifieds or not... __ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cvfd1399 0 #13 March 9, 2004 Out of panama was cool there was 3 ship wrecks, a few barges, and a huge concrete angel statue. Also vortex springs has some cave diving out of a freshwater spring that flows 3 million gallons of water every day so it is crystal clear, and cool temps. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ron 10 #14 March 9, 2004 West FL. has some cool diving if you like wrecks. Not as good as S.FL...But not bad. We have 2 that are very good. Call SCUBA Quest and ask about the local dives. There is the Baranto which is a 90 foot tug in about 110 feet of water. The superstructer is very open. You can penitrate the hull, but it is MESSY inside, lots of line and junk...So I would not suggest it unless you are a tech diver. The other one I can't remember the name...But its a 450 boat upside down....Its about 120-150 feet. The gulf is a fickle bitch...One day you will have 50 foot vis, the next 5 feet."No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JJohnson 0 #15 March 9, 2004 Just go where the sharks are not. Remember in Florida they have two ways to get eaten...sharks AND alligators. I'll stick with skydiving...invading the home of sharks is just crazy.JJ "Call me Darth Balls" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ron 10 #16 March 9, 2004 QuoteJust go where the sharks are not. Remember in Florida they have two ways to get eaten...sharks AND alligators. I'll stick with skydiving...invading the home of sharks is just crazy. And SCUBA divers think throwing yourself out of a plane is crazy. Pilots think only two things fall out of the sky. Some think rock climbers are stupid. To each his own. SCUBA is a great deal of fun."No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pleifer 0 #17 March 9, 2004 was not sure if you were flying or driving back... from what I hear key west is awesome diving, or see if you can get on a charter boat that will take you around the bahamas for a day... I have allways wanted to dive with the turtles... enjoy _________________________________________ The Angel of Duh has spoke Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stacy 0 #18 March 9, 2004 Key west is supposed to be OK, but Key Largo is supposedly the real treasure spot. KW is very commercialized and from what I hear stirred up due to the tourism, newbies with no bouyancy skills stirring things up... Everyone I talk to says make the shorter drive to key largo. I can't wait to get down on the Spiegal Grove.... __ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JJohnson 0 #19 March 9, 2004 It's all fun until a Cadillac with teeth decides you are part of the menu....Notice that there are no dangerous flying predators that we have to concern ourselves with in skydiving....If sharks grow wings I'll have to take up cave diving. The movie Jaws just ruined me for the ocean...Shark attack is the only unreasonable paranoia I have.JJ "Call me Darth Balls" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ron 10 #20 March 9, 2004 QuoteIt's all fun until a Cadillac with teeth decides you are part of the menu....Notice that there are no dangerous flying predators that we have to concern ourselves with in skydiving....If sharks grow wings I'll have to take up cave diving. The movie Jaws just ruined me for the ocean...Shark attack is the only unreasonable paranoia I have I know more skydivers that are broken or dead than SCUBA divers that have been hurt or died. I know more skydivers that have had CYPRES fires than divers with shark attacks. Its just a FEAR...Just like some will never skydive...It does not make it safe or dangerous..Its just the perception."No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aviatrr 0 #21 March 9, 2004 QuoteWell ACTUALLLY.... there are plenty of artificial reefs just off of the north coast...compliments of Der Kreigsmarine early 1942 vintage. We used to fish and dive off of them out off of Jacksonville but you would have to hook up with someone who has the GPS Numbers. I would think some of the local dive shops could put something together. Beware of lots of monofiliment that has hung up on them from 40 years of charter boats and private boats fishing them.. Yes, there are plenty of artificial reefs off the coast from Daytona to Jacksonville....but the problem is that most of them are 20+ miles out, and the boats out of those areas have a 50%+ cancellation rate due to sea conditions. Plus, the visibility usually sucks out there. I've been on many wrecks out there..and only once did I find vis better than 20'...and that was at 280' deep. From surface to 280 we had about 10' vis....from 280 to the bottom, better than 100'. Mike Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aviatrr 0 #22 March 9, 2004 QuoteKey west is supposed to be OK, but Key Largo is supposedly the real treasure spot. KW is very commercialized and from what I hear stirred up due to the tourism, newbies with no bouyancy skills stirring things up... Everyone I talk to says make the shorter drive to key largo. I can't wait to get down on the Spiegal Grove.... You haven't dove the SG yet? Wow...I thought everybody in Florida had.. I went out there with a few friends one weekday. We got to the shop that runs the boat, asked if they had a trip planned for the day(we didn't call ahead, kind of a spur of the moment thing on the way back from diving the Wilkes)...they did not..we asked how many people they needed to sent the boat out. There were 4 of us, and they said that would be fine. We start lugging our tec gear out of our trucks(doubles, stage bottles, deco bottles, and scooters) and they just about shit themselves.. After they asked about our experience level and what we planned on doing....they all grabbed their doubles/deco bottles and joined us.. We had a guide to show us the entry points on the SG, and we spent a good 90 mins cruising around inside. They did a fair job at sealing most of the tighter stuff off, but since it went down early, there were some things they missed....we even found a welding machine in one of the corridors.. Mike Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JJohnson 0 #23 March 9, 2004 I don't care how many dead or injured you know....the fact that concerns me is that if I can prevent being dead by shark attack....which I have figured out at least one way to devrease the odds...stay out of the ocean. Sharks don't put on water tanks and come up into Starbucks or Denny's do they? I'm just returning the favor. I percieve large fish with teeth to be dangerous....in fact I'll go one step further...I am fairly convinced that there is one shark that was assigned to track me down personally and be waiting for me if I ever step into the water.... Heck I require a look out if I go into the bath tub....If I go into a swimming pool I want a shark patrol helicopter. All sharks do is swim, eat and shit. For millions of years that is all they practice....and they are good at it....I've seen the documentaries......who are you trying to fool? You go in the water and you got a 90% chance of being eaten....JJ "Call me Darth Balls" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stacy 0 #24 March 9, 2004 QuoteSharks don't put on water tanks and come up into Starbucks or Denny's do they? I'm just returning the favor. And birds don't put on shoes to go to Denny's either. You still skydive. __ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
osuskydiver 0 #25 March 9, 2004 Going to be in Sobe the day before I am in Deland. What do you think. Jump at Sobe or Scuba then wait the 24 hours befor I jump at deland? By the time you read this you have already read it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
