Re: ? on Florida diving

On May 13, 8:21 am, -hh <recscuba_goo...@huntzinger.com> wrote:
> "BosquePhantom" <BosquePhan...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > ...
> > I am looking for any comments, either positive or negative, about the
> > Florida pan handle. Specifically, the Destin area. We realize this is not
> > a first class scuba destination but are hoping that it may be fine for our
> > return.
>
> I did a dive out of Destin with a friend a couple of years ago. Not
> sure that I'd recommend what I did as the first dives to get back in
> the water with after a hiatis, at least for the conditions I
> experienced on that day.
>
> Visibility was a "thin pea soup" green, maybe 30ft, and there was a
> bit of a surface chop and wind, such that we ran as a live boat
> instead of throwing in a hook. Conditions on the bottom were
> predominantly sand with ledge (lobstering) on the first site, which we
> dive-bombed on our marker (no surface float, due to currents) to
> find. Second dive was another called drop, onto a small wreck, which
> was also sitting on the sand. My understanding was that this was
> fairly typical.
>
> > I get sea sick easily.
>
> Skip the fried oysters the day before. Food poisoning and sea
> sickness can appear to have similar symptoms
>
> > Are there any places in that area which allow shore
> > diving? If Destin is just a bum destination for scuba, can anyone offer any
> > suggestions for the nearest location in Florida that might have better
> > diving?
> >From my general understanding of the topology of the FL panhandle, I
>
> don't think that it will generally make a huge difference in terms of
> general conditions. Pensacola reportedly has a good number of wrecks,
> which is more interesting than sand.
>
> Overall, if I were looking to move or retire to an area of Florida
> that had good scuba diving, the only reason why I'd consider the
> Destin area is that if you know who/where to go, you can do get in
> some good lobstering and spearfishing. Its not what I'd consider to
> be a clear-viz "go look at reefs" kind of place like Cayman.
>
> -hh

Must it be SCUBA? Would you consider snorkelling?

http://www.ginniespringsoutdoors.com/ Been there, done that, like it
a lot, strongly recommend it.

http://www.ginniespringsoutdoors.com...vils%20Springs
Been there, done that, like it a lot, strongly recommend it.

http://www.ginniespringsoutdoors.com...a%20Fe%20River Been
there, done that, like it a lot, strongly recommend it. You start at
the top of the river and let the current take you to the bottom. You
put your face in the water, the scenery changes continuously, a you
don't have to move a muscle. Talk about relaxing! Drift snorkelling
on the Santa Fe was close to the best Florida snorkelling experience
ever.

http://www.pennekamppark.com/snorkeling.html Been there, done that,
apparently we went during the wrong part of the year because the water
was choppy and visiblity was unimpressive. My wife is a poor swimmer
and the big waves made her very uncomfortable.

http://www.floridastateparks.org/manateesprings/ Best Florida
snorkelling experience ever! We saw mommy manatees swimming with baby
manatees. Wife loved it!

Chris Larkby <chrislar...@gmail.com> wrote:
> -hh <recscuba_goo...@huntzinger.com> wrote:
> > "BosquePhantom" <BosquePhan...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > > ...
> > > I am looking for any comments, either positive or negative, about the
> > > Florida pan handle. Specifically, the Destin area....
>
> [my response deleted]
>
> Must it be SCUBA? Would you consider snorkelling?

Where in the Destin, FL area would you recommend to snorkel?


> http://www.ginniespringsoutdoors.com/ Been there, done that, like it
> a lot, strongly recommend it.

Unfortunately, its merely 291 miles away from the location that the OP
was asking about.




> http://www.pennekamppark.com/snorkeling.html Been there, done that...

694 miles. An easy day trip, if you own your own Lear Jet


> http://www.floridastateparks.org/manateesprings/

290 miles.



-hh

On Jun 3, 4:25 pm, -hh <recscuba_goo...@huntzinger.com> wrote:
> Chris Larkby <chrislar...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > -hh <recscuba_goo...@huntzinger.com> wrote:
> > > "BosquePhantom" <BosquePhan...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > > > ...
> > > > I am looking for any comments, either positive or negative, about the
> > > > Florida pan handle. Specifically, the Destin area....
>
> > [my response deleted]
>
> > Must it be SCUBA? Would you considersnorkelling?
>
> Where in the Destin, FL area would you recommend to snorkel?
>
> >http://www.ginniespringsoutdoors.com/Been there, done that, like it
> > a lot, strongly recommend it.
>
> Unfortunately, its merely 291 miles away from the location that the OP
> was asking about.
>
> >http://www.pennekamppark.com/snorkeling.htmlBeen there, done that...
>
> 694 miles. An easy day trip, if you own your own Lear Jet
>
> >http://www.floridastateparks.org/manateesprings/
>
> 290 miles.
>
> -hh

Sorry.

> >
> > Where in the Destin, FL area would you recommend to snorkel?

snorkeling in that dirty ole Gulf? And don't forget the "red tide."

Daniel Kessler <dkess...@pop.cybernex.net> wrote:
> > > Where in the Destin, FL area would you recommend to snorkel?
>
> snorkeling in that dirty ole Gulf? And don't forget the "red tide."

As of last month, Choctawhatchee Bay is that classic brown & emerald
color of summer, but there's plenty of blue still at Destin Pass and
the waters appear clear. In any case, the area's predominantly a sand
bottom, so I'm not really sure where you would go to go snorkeling.

I can't recall how long its been since the last red tide report in
that area, although I'm sure that there's been an outbreak here or
there.

In the meantime, summer is here, so the traffic congestion on Highway
98 is approaching the typical summer load levels (ie, 'bad'), but
there's nothing new about that. Similarly, there's talk again about
trying to dredge a new Navarre Pass, but that talk's been going on
ever since the original manmade inlet was shut by Mother Nature a mere
3 months after it was opened back in 1965. Again, nothing new about
that.


-hh