Good question, but not one that is easy to answer.  Here are some points to
think about instead.

Your gear choices will depend on the kind of diving you will be doing.  The
most obvious issue is temperature, even relative to basic equipment.  Water
temperature affects the range of options for fins.

Fins - Avoid the latest and greatest for now.  Some are better than others,
but pretty much all of them involve some compromises.  They do one thing
well at the expense of other things.  You're probably not ready to assess
such details, which is why I suggest you stick to something tried and true.
There are five general categories of fins.  Ultra long free fins go beyond
what you should consider now, bringing the range down to four.  Force Fins -
These are the weirdest looking fins imaginable.  People will laugh at you
for wearing them, but those that use them, seem to like them a lot.  I'm not
in that group, so I'll quit talking about them before I say something really
stupid.  Vented Fins - This group includes traditional Jet Fins, Turtle Fins
and probably a few other makes and models.  They have a horizontal vent
(across the fin) that channels water through the fin, changing the way they
provide thrust, how much thrust they apply and how much water they move.
They're very popular with cave and wreck divers because they tend not to
move as much water and reduce the risk of silting out a cave or wreck,
reducing visibility to zero.  Some non technical divers like them too.
There are enough of them to suggest that they have something worth trying.
I don't happen to like them at all, but your mileage may vary.  Traditional
foot pocket/strap fins - You need these for cold water diving.  They are
designed to allow you to wear booties for thermal protection.  Booties are
also good for crossing rocky areas on your way to the water.  The downside
is that you have to wear booties, no matter what the water temperature, that
you have to carry booties when you travel, and, finally, all else being
equal, pocket/strap fins do not transfer energy as efficiently as full foot
fins, the final category.  Full foot fins are designed for warm water.  You
can wear socks to keep them from rubbing holes in your feet (something they
don't do if they fit right), but you don't normally wear booties with them.
If the water's cold enough, these don't work well.  If it's not, they work
great.  You carry less, wear less and get more efficient energy transfer.
I'm a warm water diver.  I wear full foot fins.

There are two models I like, both made by Mares.  I recommend Mares Plana
Avanti or Plana Avanti TRE fins for newer divers.  They are a good all
purpose fin, great for diving, great for snorkeling.  They are more or less
standard sized and quite efficient.  For those that think they need the
added power, Mares Power Quatro fins are also good.  They're noticeably
larger and noticeably harder to use to their maximum potential.  They don't
work well for snorkeling at all.  I use a pair of these for spearfishing, a
sport that benefits from the added power and speed possible with the power
Quatros.  Mares also makes pocket/strap fins that are quite popular, called
Quatros, not to be confused with the full foot Power Quatro fins.

Snorkel - Buy the least expensive snorkel that will meet your needs.
Comfort is important, for when you'll be snorkeling.  Almost nothing else is
important.  Save some money and keep it simple.  Diver's Direct has a Tusa
Liberator mask and snorkel combination that's actually pretty good quality
for $29.  If the mask will work for you, consider it.  I've never seen
anything nearly as good, for nearly as reasonable a price.

Mask - Don't even think about buying one on line.  Go to a shop, a big shop,
with someone that knows what they are doing, or staffed by people that do.
Your mask should be made of silicon and use tempered glass.  Other than
that, fit is everything.  The only way to know if one fits is to go to the
shop and try it.  Once you know which one fits you, buy it anywhere you
like.  Don't forget to check out the Tusa combination.

Dive Boots - don't have anything to do with open water.  They depend on fin
selection, temperature and other factors.  If you need them at all, make
sure that they work with the fins you chose.

Weight Belt - For now, spend the money.  Get a mesh belt designed for soft
weight pouches.  They are more comfortable than most other options and
outlast the neoprene ones that, while as comfortable as the mesh type, are
not as durable.  Weight belts are cheap and you'll always find a use for
one, even if you eventually settle on a weight integrated BCD.

There's a couple more pieces of basic equipment you'll want to buy soon.
You'll need a knife or some other form of cutting tool.  I like knives, that
can poke, saw and do other things, others like stainless surgical sheers
that cut some things more easily, wire for example.  Both have their merits.
If you chose a knife, be reasonable.  Nobody uses the mondo survival knives
so popular back when Lloyd Bridges first filed Sea Hunt.  I carry two
knives.  Each has a 3 inch blade, one pointed, one blunt.  Both are sharp
enough to shave with.  If you chose shears, talk to someone who knows more
about them.  I don't.

The final thing you'll want is gloves.  If you need thermal protection for
your hands, talk to someone local.  If warm water gloves are OK, go for
something that fits snug, but is not restrictive and that has a cut and tear
resistant surface where they contact things you grab.  Contrary to popular
myth, gloves are a safety device, something to allow you to grab things that
would, otherwise, hurt you.  When it can't be avoided, that may include
coral, but most often, it's barnacles and other things that grow on
permanent mooring lines, trash you may collect, anchors and chains you may
remove from the bottom, etc.  They are not a license to grab living things.

Lee

A good websites I should look at for gear? Thanks for the help all of this
really helps.

Thanks for the help. Since the season is going to be short for me I was
wondering if maybe I shouldn't just rent some fins and a mask and then buy
over the winter. Is it normal to rent the fins and mask/snorkel?