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#1600
Florida in March
lerpy - 1/31/2013 6:36 PM
Category: Buddy Wanted
Replies: 10

Im packing my truck with dive gear and heading south for a month. Going to be based in St Augustine Fla but looking to dive as much as possible, and try and hit different parts of the state. Looking for dive suggestions and dive buddies that know the places to go. Planning to try and get out to the gulf and down to the keys possibly for boat dives, and have heard the springs are the place to go in N. Fla.

Matt
#25
CSI - 2/01/2013 9:18 AM
Keys for sure, Springs are cold, 72 degrees, make sure you know about diving at the Blue Heron Bridge in the West Palm Beach area, always great, gotta go at high tide slack but great shallow diving no matter how rough it may be outr front, try drift diving from Jupiter south on the east coast. Great drift diving, so welcome to Florida my friend,

CK
#1600
Subscribed
lerpy - 2/01/2013 10:10 AM
I have done the Blue Heron Bridge, it was great. Thanks for the advice, really appreciate it. 72 cold, that sounds nice and warm to me. Lol. Thanks again.
#275
Subscribed
whodunit68 - 2/02/2013 6:48 AM
the springs on the eastern side of the panhandle are 71-72 degrees year round. I’m from NJ (living in FL now) and have done 3-3.5 hour dives in the springs in a wetsuit and I’m fine. Hardly cold! :)

the western/northern side of the panhandle the springs are closer to 68 degrees. In some places where you have intrusion from a river or in a pond, you will find water temps in the 50s in the winter.

In the winter, even the ocean drops to 70-ish near the surface so be prepared.

Ocean diving: Jupiter, BHB, and Pompano.

Fresh water: Ginnie Springs, Jackson Blue Spring, and Madison Blue Spring.

Have fun, Steve
#294
Subscribed
WannaGoDiving - 2/04/2013 5:42 PM
I just recently moved to Florida, so I don’t know they dive spots too well yet. But if you need a dive buddy, I’m always up for some dives. I’m in SW Florida, but am willing to drive some for some decent dives.
#1600
Subscribed
lerpy - 2/06/2013 10:22 AM
Steve, thanks for the info, I really appreciate it. Although I am hoping to do some diving in the south it sounds like the springs of the north and closer to where I am staying would be good to explore. I am hooking up with an instructor to do a cavern course up there, so hopping to meet up with people and get some experience in the caverns before heading home.

Might have to a throw a forum up specificaly for that to try and find some folks to dive with. Thanks again for the info
#275
Subscribed
whodunit68 - 2/06/2013 3:56 PM
hey Matt,

I’m glad to help. The Cave Diver’s Forum is focused on - you guessed it - cave diving.

I’m almost always up there on weekends and sometimes during the week. I’d be happy to do a cavern dive.

For caverns, think Ginnie Springs Ballroom, Orange Grove, and Jackson Blue.

Steve
#305
JMorales - 2/06/2013 5:50 PM
If you come dive the Springs make sure to post about it, there are a lot of people in N Florida who will go with you, including myself.


Have fun!
#234
rsh110 - 2/16/2013 2:53 AM
I will down the lower keys 18th to the 26th of March If your gonna be down in the lower keys around that time let me know I would go diving with ya I am itchin to get wet myself. If I am lucky I just might be able to get my buddy (with boat) in marathon take us out to the sombrero reef/lighthouse. But if not there are boat reef dives and also trips to the adolphus busch wreck are fairly close to my house.
#416
Daveyboy - 2/19/2013 9:56 PM
Venis beach for a great shore dive. East coast of Florida BHB and bathtub reef or just north of bath tub reef. I had good times on these dives especially Venice. No boat needed.
#11575
scubadmike - 2/26/2013 2:13 AM
I live in Palm Bay the best diving is on the East coast . Jupiter to Boynton . If you need help with finding good charters E-mail me . Mike Walsh {scubadmike@yahoo.com}