USA

[Kris2]

Have we got any American members or contributors on board. I,m contemplating going there in January and would welcome advise or suggestions. Was thinking of maybe Florida where could mix some freshwater dives with salty ones.
Never having been accross the pond previously would love to be able to talk to some US divers about the winter diving scene over there.

[Rod Bateman]

Not from the US but have dived and worked in Florida quite a few times.
Firstly non diving I would suggest a snorkel with the Manatees in Crystal River. The best set up is Birdsunderwater.com . They also do cave diving in the feshwater springs if that is your thing.
For diving the rest of Florida the keys are quite good for diving. I would suggest Key Largo Horizondivers.com.
For Fort Lauderdale try diversdiscountflorida.com

[bakerstreet]

Not from the US but have dived and worked in Florida quite a few times.
Firstly non diving I would suggest a snorkel with the Manatees in Crystal River. The best set up is Birdsunderwater.com . They also do cave diving in the feshwater springs if that is your thing.
For diving the rest of Florida the keys are quite good for diving. I would suggest Key Largo Horizondivers.com.
For Fort Lauderdale try diversdiscountflorida.com

I have done some snokelling in Crystal River. Didn't see one though :(

I have done some diving in the Keys. The reefs were not great, but we did a wreck called the Eagle and that was great. They do a 32m dive and then an hour off and they dump you in on a 5m reef.

I will go back one day to do the Spiegal Grove. That looks like great fun.

Its wortha trip to watch the americans do their air signs for PSI!!

I dived with Rainbow Reef. They were quite good.

I am on the Discount Diver Mailing List I have asked to be removed twice and they still bombard me with e-mails.

Another thing is that florida dive shops are the size of B&Q :)

[Kris2]

cheers Rod.Thanx for the advice.

[Kris2]

many thanx Bakerstreet.

[Eddie Clamp]

Have we got any American members or contributors on board. I,m contemplating going there in January and would welcome advise or suggestions. Was thinking of maybe Florida where could mix some freshwater dives with salty ones.
Never having been accross the pond previously would love to be ablehttp://www.bsac.com/diverreports.asp?section=1241&sectionTitle=Americas to talk to some US divers about the winter diving scene over there.

Well! You may have looked here already, but......: http://www.bsac.com/diverreports.asp?section=1241&sectionTitle=Americas

Eddie

[AndyA]

Another thing is that florida dive shops are the size of B&Q :)


Too right, got a good few bargains last year at Divers Direct who have various shops in Florida, great service too.
www.diversdirect.com

[northern_diver]

anyone know of anything in washington state? aberdeen area especially?

sorry kris...minor highjack:o

john

[Richard Whitcombe]

Florida i think you'll find the fresh water sites and the common salt (ie keys) are a very long way apart so not really easy to combine.

As for the keys themselves its not fantastic. OK for 2 or 3 dives on a fairly badly damaged reef but not in the same league as red sea or others.

[bakerstreet]

As for the keys themselves its not fantastic. OK for 2 or 3 dives on a fairly badly damaged reef but not in the same league as red sea or others.

I'd agree with that. Reefs must find it hard to develop with the hurricanes and all that.

However the Spiegal Grove was righted in a hurrcane a couple of years ago :D

[Richard Whitcombe]

I'd agree with that. Reefs must find it hard to develop with the hurricanes and all that.

Hurricanes do very little damage. Its mainly thousands of divers smashing into it, boats mooring and so on.


However the Spiegal Grove was righted in a hurrcane a couple of years ago :D

I was on the boat that discovered it had moved and was righted :)

[bakerstreet]

Hurricanes do very little damage. Its mainly thousands of divers smashing into it, boats mooring and so on.

How to the reefs in the red sea survive then? I would have thought they had more traffic on them than the ones in florida/keys.

I can't even remember the name of the two that we did (they were that dull) Dont think there was anything to moor to though.

[Richard Whitcombe]

Far more reef to start with. Probably better managed too.
Also the fact that potentially there is more life there to start with.

[Kris2]

In that case, can anyone suggest anywhere stateside for January preferably not involving ice