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Scuba Forum / General / June 2005Florida dive vacation advice
Our only diving experiences have been in SE Asia (where we live). In mid-July we are heading to Orlando, Florida for some meetings and have scheduled in a week to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. We want to go somewhere in Florida with good diving as well as interesting places to see and things to do when not diving. If you had 6 days to experience diving and relaxing in Florida for the first time, where would you go? Thanks for your advice. > Our only diving experiences have been in SE Asia (where we live). In > mid-July we are heading to Orlando, Florida for some meetings and have [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > experience diving and relaxing in Florida for the first time, where > would you go? Thanks for your advice. A lot depends on what you mean by relaxing. In Palm Beach County, you can find some good diving, including one of the favorites of many on this group, Boynton Beach and probably some relaxing beaches, but you'll probably have problems finding much else of interest. There's lots there, but it's not easy to find. In Broward County, you'll also find some decent reef diving and some good wreck diving. You'll find the beaches, but they won't be deserted and you'll find other things to do, but they won't be relaxing. It's kind of a high energy kind of place. Miami Dade County is much like Broward County except neither the reefs nor the wrecks are quite as nice. Then there's the Keys. There are quite a few cattle boat diving operations in the Keys, but there are also some more customized trip opportunities that may help you find the best reef diving available in the US. The Keys can be very relaxing, but with the exception of Key West, don't offer a lot not water related. Key west, on the other hand, can be both interesting and relaxing. If I did not have my own boat, which I do, I'd plan a trip to Key West, which I've done. I'd stay in a nice bed and breakfast, drop in on Mallory Square for sunset a few nights and do my dining and drinking right there. I'd get in my car and drive about 30 miles or so north to do my diving with several visits to Looe Key (shallow, colorful coral and lots of fish) and other reef locations. I might also take the day seaplane trip to Fort Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas for some relatively pristine snorkeling. Another option might be to stop all along the way, dropping in for a couple of dives with Lynn Simmons Splashdown Divers in Boynton Beach, a couple of dives on a wreck of choice with any of the operators in Ft. Lauderdale, spend a night's activities at Howl at the Moon on Fort Lauderdale Beach, tour Bayside in Miami, dive the Christ of the Abyss statue and Spiegal Grove in Key Largo, then head down to Key West for a couple nights and begin my journey back. Lee Thanks VERY much Lee. I really appreciate your helpful and detailed advice. AmbeIan > Thanks VERY much Lee. I really appreciate your helpful and detailed > advice. FWIW, I'd add two things to what Lee wrote. First, if you've come this far and are doing tourist things, then Cape Canaveral Space Center may be something to put on your list too. Its a bit over an hour's drive from Orlando, and do remember to check out NASA's launch schedule to see if you might get lucky: http://www.nasa.gov/missions/highlights/schedule.html Second, Florida's bigger than it looks at first glance on a map. For example, its a 400 mile drive from Orlando to Key West, so make sure to not forget to budget for driving time when making your plans, since you only have six days. -hh > Second, Florida's bigger than it looks at first glance on a map. For > example, its a 400 mile drive from Orlando to Key West, so make sure to > not forget to budget for driving time when making your plans, since you > only have six days. Very good point, seeing how certain lawyers ain't smart enough to figure that out. :-) Curtis > Second, Florida's bigger than it looks at first glance on a map. For > example, its a 400 mile drive from Orlando to Key West, so make sure to > not forget to budget for driving time when making your plans, since you > only have six days. 400 miles you say? That's not so far. Try driving from El Paso to Texarkana sometime... :-) > 400 miles you say? That's not so far. Try driving from El Paso to > Texarkana sometime... :-) Of course, neither one has acceptable diving so one might ask why one would *want* to drive from El Paso to Texarkana... <grin> > > 400 miles you say? That's not so far. Try driving from El Paso to > > Texarkana sometime... :-) > > Of course, neither one has acceptable diving so one might ask why one would > *want* to drive from El Paso to Texarkana... <grin> The from El Paso part is pretty easy to understand... as for the Texarkana part... well, it's the last place you hit before leaving the state on I-20... I'm sure there are plenty of good diving spots if you keep going far enough. :-) > The from El Paso part is pretty easy to understand... as for the Texarkana > part... well, it's the last place you hit before leaving the state on > I-20... Actually, it is not... I-20 doesn't go there... The last town on I-20 is Waskom -- unless they've moved I-20 again (I remember when it used to go actually *through* Dallas instead of on the south side of it)... > > The from El Paso part is pretty easy to understand... as for the Texarkana > > part... well, it's the last place you hit before leaving the state on [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > Waskom -- unless they've moved I-20 again (I remember when it used to go > actually *through* Dallas instead of on the south side of it)... Sorry... I meant I-30... although, it would probably make more sense to go through Orange on I-10 if you were heading towards nice diving. > Sorry... I meant I-30... although, it would probably make more sense to go > through Orange on I-10 if you were heading towards nice diving. I-10 doesn't go directly through Orange. You need to hang a left off the I-10 onto the 57 at Pomona, head south through Orange to I-5, south on I-5 to the 55, south on 55 to the 73, make a right on Laguna Canyon Drive, a left at the bottom of the hill onto Pacific Coast Highway, and then a right turn down one of several streets (I do Brooks a lot) where you can park, gear up, walk down the stairs, across the beach, swim out about 300 feet, and descend. Don't you Texans have any sense of direction? > I-10 doesn't go directly through Orange. You need to hang a left off the > I-10 onto the 57 at Pomona, head south through Orange to I-5, south on I-5 [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > gear up, walk down the stairs, across the beach, swim out about 300 feet, > and descend. Don't you Texans have any sense of direction? Orange, Texas, of course... From El Paso, SoCal might be closer though... <grin> > Orange, Texas, of course... From El Paso, SoCal might be closer > though... <grin> I just checked it out... Orange, CA is closer to El Paso than Orange, TX... Trivia for today, I guess... >> Orange, Texas, of course... From El Paso, SoCal might be closer >> though... <grin> > > I just checked it out... Orange, CA is closer to El Paso than Orange, > TX... > Trivia for today, I guess... Just one more reason to abolish Texas. > Just one more reason to abolish Texas. Not sure your logic behind that statement... Not that logic has ever really stopped you from arguing a point, I guess... Oh well, what can one expect from a goy Jewish lawyer -- you're inherrently confused at the genetic level... <grin> > > Orange, Texas, of course... From El Paso, SoCal might be closer > > though... <grin> > > I just checked it out... Orange, CA is closer to El Paso than Orange, TX... > Trivia for today, I guess... Well, that makes sense. CA is west of Texas. El Paso is on the West side of Texas Orange (TX) is on the East side of Texas. Therefore, everywhere in California is closer to El Paso than Orange, TX. :-) >> > Orange, Texas, of course... From El Paso, SoCal might be closer >> > though... <grin> [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > Therefore, everywhere in California is closer to El Paso than Orange, TX. > :-) Thank you. Grumman wanted a logical analysis of why we should abolish TX and you just provided one. > > I-10 doesn't go directly through Orange. You need to hang a left off the > > I-10 onto the 57 at Pomona, head south through Orange to I-5, south on I-5 [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > Orange, Texas, of course... From El Paso, SoCal might be closer > though... <grin> According to what Greg has said, the water's too cold for my tastes. I'd rather spend the extra 13 or so hours driving for warmer water when I got there. > According to what Greg has said, the water's too cold for my tastes. I'd > rather spend the extra 13 or so hours driving for warmer water when I got > there. Warm water is overrated. We have a lot more fish than Jamaica. > > According to what Greg has said, the water's too cold for my tastes. I'd > > rather spend the extra 13 or so hours driving for warmer water when I got > > there. > > Warm water is overrated. We have a lot more fish than Jamaica. I'm pretty sure I can't get to Jamaica on I-10. :-) > > > According to what Greg has said, the water's too cold for my tastes. > I'd [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > I'm pretty sure I can't get to Jamaica on I-10. :-) True. You have to take I-95 and I-278 as well ;-) > True. You have to take I-95 and I-278 as well ;-) Which takes you through East Orange. > ? "Greg Mossman" <mossman@qnet.com> wrote in message > ? news:11bgbppst24rs5b@corp.supernews.com... [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > ? I'd > ? > > rather spend the extra 13 or so hours driving for warmer water when I > ? got > ? > > there. [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > True. You have to take I-95 and I-278 as well ;-) I figured I'd probably have to take 747 or 777. Maybe I was wrong. > > ? "Greg Mossman" <mossman@qnet.com> wrote in message > > ? news:11bgbppst24rs5b@corp.supernews.com... [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > > I figured I'd probably have to take 747 or 777. Maybe I was wrong. You didn't say *which* Jamaica :-) > ? "Alan Street" <agstreet@nonono_san.rr.com> wrote in message > ? news:210620051026372605%agstreet@nonono_san.rr.com... [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > ? > ? > > ? > ? > > According to what Greg has said, the water's too cold for my tastes. > ? > ? I'd > ? > ? > > rather spend the extra 13 or so hours driving for warmer water when > ? I > ? > ? got [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > You didn't say *which* Jamaica :-) There's more than one? > > ? > ? > > ? > ? I'm pretty sure I can't get to Jamaica on I-10. :-) [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > There's more than one? Sure. http://www.answers.com/topic/jamaica-bay (ducking and running) > > Sorry... I meant I-30... although, it would probably make more sense to go > > through Orange on I-10 if you were heading towards nice diving. [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > gear up, walk down the stairs, across the beach, swim out about 300 feet, > and descend. Don't you Texans have any sense of direction? Do those directions start in El Paso? >> > Sorry... I meant I-30... although, it would probably make more sense to > go [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > Do those directions start in El Paso? No. They're from my house. Why I would I want to start in El Paso when I'm already here? I suppose if you wanted to start in El Paso, you could. Just take I-10 a little longer. Are you starting out today? > >> > Sorry... I meant I-30... although, it would probably make more sense to > > go [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > already here? I suppose if you wanted to start in El Paso, you could. Just > take I-10 a little longer. Are you starting out today? nah... my money right now is being saved for a new car. hopefully, I'll be able to put together a pretty decent starting point by the end of the summer so that I can sell my wife's car and get her into something that I can trust. > nah... my money right now is being saved for a new car. hopefully, I'll > be > able to put together a pretty decent starting point by the end of the > summer > so that I can sell my wife's car and get her into something that I can > trust. And then you'll let her test it by driving you out here? I'll be your dive guide for free if you carry my tank up and down the stairs. You won't even have to tip me. > > nah... my money right now is being saved for a new car. hopefully, I'll > > be [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > guide for free if you carry my tank up and down the stairs. You won't even > have to tip me. There's an idea. We're looking for vacation opportunities for December (just before Christmas). All we can afford till then is a trip to Six Flags OT. We're planning a trip with some of our friends who don't dive though... I'm not sure that'd work. > There's an idea. We're looking for vacation opportunities for December > (just before Christmas). All we can afford till then is a trip to Six > Flags > OT. We're planning a trip with some of our friends who don't dive > though... > I'm not sure that'd work. That's not gonna work. The water really is cold by then and winter storms can cause high surf. The Channel Islands are usually a good bet around that time, but then you can't just park and walk in the water for the price of an airfill and parking meter change. And your friends aren't gonna want to sit around the beach in mid-December waiting for you. And finally, I'm leaving for Roatan on Christmas so my gear needs to stay dry. Why don't you meet me in Roatan instead. You'll get more bang for your buck than Jamaica and your non-diving friends can explore the rich diversity of the local fauna: Roatan has over 47 varieties of endemic mosquitoes, no-see-ums, and sand fleas. Wonderful for the amateur entymologist. And you won't have to carry my tank down the stairs. > > There's an idea. We're looking for vacation opportunities for December > > (just before Christmas). All we can afford till then is a trip to Six [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > no-see-ums, and sand fleas. Wonderful for the amateur entymologist. And > you won't have to carry my tank down the stairs. 47 you say... hmmm... I might just have to see what they say about that. > We're looking for vacation opportunities for December > (just before Christmas). All we can afford till then is a > trip to Six Flags OT. Although diving in certain sections of the log ride might be interesting at times, I really don't think that they would like you putting up a dive flag there... >> We're looking for vacation opportunities for December >> (just before Christmas). All we can afford till then is a [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > flag > there... Then they'd have to rename it Seven Flags. > >> We're looking for vacation opportunities for December > >> (just before Christmas). All we can afford till then is a [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Then they'd have to rename it Seven Flags. That's not nearly as catchy... Without question, the keys fom marathon down to key west, especially if you spear fish. Giant grouper!! >Our only diving experiences have been in SE Asia (where we live). In >mid-July we are heading to Orlando, Florida for some meetings and have [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >experience diving and relaxing in Florida for the first time, where >would you go? Thanks for your advice. Happy 25th! You probably don't want to spend so much time on the road as you only have 6 days. Try this for local scuba diving places: http://www.florida-scuba.com/orlando.htm > Our only diving experiences have been in SE Asia (where we live). In > mid-July we are heading to Orlando, Florida for some meetings and have [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > experience diving and relaxing in Florida for the first time, where > would you go? Thanks for your advice. > Our only diving experiences have been in SE Asia (where we live). In > mid-July we are heading to Orlando, Florida for some meetings and have [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > experience diving and relaxing in Florida for the first time, where > would you go? Thanks for your advice. If you are going to stay in Orlando, try Fun2Dive.com, they are always diving either in the springs or of in the ocean. Regards, Don
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