Where Next?

[jdbmga]

I just completed my open water certification this weekend. We want to go somewhere diving b4 the cruise so I can gain more experience. I really want to work on controlling my bouyancy. Where can I go that has nice diving not too far from the Atlanta, GA area. I don't want to go to anymore training type facilities as I don't find them fun to dive at.

[BuzzF117]

Make a long weekend and go down to the Freshwater springs in Florida. You can also check with your local diveshop to find out where they go. www.scubaboard.com and http://forum.scubatoys.com/ are great resources to find other divers.

[jdbmga]

Make a long weekend and go down to the Freshwater springs in Florida. You can also check with your local diveshop to find out where they go. www.scubaboard.com and http://forum.scubatoys.com/ are great resources to find other divers.

 

Where are the Freshwater Springs in Florida? If you are referring to Ginnie Springs, that's where we went for one of our training days, so I don't care to go there. We also went to Blue Grotto. I wasn't impressed with either place.

[islandwoman]

I would second the fresh water springs in Florida, except for one thing. Your goal is to work on your buoyancy. You'll need a different amount of weight in fresh water than in salt. I think with most cruises you'll be diving in salt water.

 

The dive ops I've been with on the east coast of Florida won't give you much time to fool around with your buoyancy. They expect everyone to jump off the boat and begin their dive, sometimes in rough water with strong currents. So I can't recommend any of those.

 

One place you might consider is Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Florida. You can dive on your own right from the beach. There's a reef about half-way out the fishing pier in fairly shallow water. Once you have your confidence, if you're a strong swimmer, you can swim out about 50 yards beyond the end of the pier and find another reef. There's a dive shop one block off the beach where you can rent gear, get information, and ask about special regulations that apply to diving in Florida and near the pier. You might consider taking a buoyancy control course with them. http://deepbluedivers.net/ I believe that they conduct their training in the ocean.

 

One other thing. Your gear will effect your buoyancy. It's much easier to train with and use your own gear than rental.

[gmcrow]

ScubaTyme in Pompano, FL would be a good choice. Let them know that you are newly certified and they will offer any assistance you need. Try to go on a weekday when the boat won't be filled and you'll get tbetter individual attention. Some of the wrecks are shallow enough to help you get bottom time and the second dive is usually on shallow ledge type reefs. http://www.cruisedivers.blogspot.com

[Dive Master]

Where are the Freshwater Springs in Florida? If you are referring to Ginnie Springs, that's where we went for one of our training days, so I don't care to go there. We also went to Blue Grotto. I wasn't impressed with either place.

 

 

I hate to disappoint or discourage a new diver, but in my eight years of diving (close to 400 dives) I have not found any easier diving or better visability than the Florida springs.I got certified at Ginnie and Devil's Den and I still enjoy the springs. I spent Superbowl weekend diving Ginnie and Blue Grotto and had a great time.Nothing like having Ginnie Carvern by yourself for an hour or more! While Blue Grotto was crowded with students, I had the deep cavern to myself for 30 minutes or more--about all I could do without going into deco.

 

Lake Jocassee, SC (my home away from home) gets plenty of Atlanta divers through the summer months.Many local dive shops do their training dives there. Jocassee offers anything from 20 foot dives for beginners to deep,deep technical dives (300 plus feet).Jocassee cant match the Florida Springs for warmth or visability in my opinion, but a dive to the Mt. Carmel Church Cemetery (138 feet under Jocassee) is a must do dive.Dark, narced,cold, and swimming through the headstones--nothing like a "Jocassee High"!

 

Sorry you did not like the springs---maybe the ocean is your thing.I love the North Carolina wrecks and walls in Cayman, Cozumel, and Grand Turk--but I like anything underwater.

[jdbmga]

I hate to disappoint or discourage a new diver, but in my eight years of diving (close to 400 dives) I have not found any easier diving or better visability than the Florida springs.I got certified at Ginnie and Devil's Den and I still enjoy the springs. I spent Superbowl weekend diving Ginnie and Blue Grotto and had a great time.Nothing like having Ginnie Carvern by yourself for an hour or more! While Blue Grotto was crowded with students, I had the deep cavern to myself for 30 minutes or more--about all I could do without going into deco.

 

Lake Jocassee, SC (my home away from home) gets plenty of Atlanta divers through the summer months.Many local dive shops do their training dives there. Jocassee offers anything from 20 foot dives for beginners to deep,deep technical dives (300 plus feet).Jocassee cant match the Florida Springs for warmth or visability in my opinion, but a dive to the Mt. Carmel Church Cemetery (138 feet under Jocassee) is a must do dive.Dark, narced,cold, and swimming through the headstones--nothing like a "Jocassee High"!

 

Sorry you did not like the springs---maybe the ocean is your thing.I love the North Carolina wrecks and walls in Cayman, Cozumel, and Grand Turk--but I like anything underwater.

 

I thought Ginnie Springs was pretty but it was over run with college kids tubing and canoeing, etc. We were also not allowed in the cavern. At both places we pretty much just did the check out dives and didn't get to enjoy diving.

 

I didn't enjoy Blue Grotto at at. There were hardly any fish and it was murky and cold. We also were not allowed in the cavern and I couldn't get down to peace rock b/c of my ears.

 

I was cold in both locations in a 5mm wetsuit and a beanie, but especially at Blue Grotto.

 

I think I need to stick to diving in warmer water although, DH said I would not have been as cold if I were diving vs. doing skills and waiting around for other divers to complete theirs.

[scubaran]

I thought Ginnie Springs was pretty but it was over run with college kids tubing and canoeing, etc. We were also not allowed in the cavern. At both places we pretty much just did the check out dives and didn't get to enjoy diving.

 

I didn't enjoy Blue Grotto at at. There were hardly any fish and it was murky and cold. We also were not allowed in the cavern and I couldn't get down to peace rock b/c of my ears.

 

I was cold in both locations in a 5mm wetsuit and a beanie, but especially at Blue Grotto.

 

I think I need to stick to diving in warmer water although, DH said I would not have been as cold if I were diving vs. doing skills and waiting around for other divers to complete theirs.

 

Hi,

 

I know now that you're certified that you'd like to jump in the ocean and do the Jacque Cousteau thing (I know I did), but like learning to drive, you've just gotten through the driving test. I'd suggest the springs as well, boring isn't so bad if you're still working on skills. I know one issue some new divers get into is too many variables hitting them at once while they're still learning where the rear view mirror is. The best thing is to look for a place you'll feel comfortable with. If you're working on bouyancy you don't want to worry about currents, what's that large scary fish looking at me for, I can't see my buddy due to vis issues, etc. If you find the springs boring they might be just what you're looking for. Like other's have said, once you're certified a lot of tour operators will expect you to spend a minimum amount of time on their boat, dock, etc. (They'll say, "We're not your dive instructor, jump in"). :p

 

If you still don't want to do the springs, ask your dive instructor, they should be able to make recommendations based upon what you want to do and the experience level you have.

 

Anyway, glad you've joined the ranks. In the near term, keep working on the training (I spent an hour this Sunday in the local pool doing a self-refresher with my gear (try staring at concrete and painted lines for an hour swimming back and forth:D ) since my dive instructor was there giving some lessons and I hadn't been in the water for a month (I live in upstate NY and the water's around 33 degrees right now). And I'm almost done with my master scuba diver certification). :)

 

Randall

 

P.S. Just to relate an incident that could have gone bad, this spring I was buddied up with a newly certified diver who went straight through to advanced diver with no additional open water dives. We were on the St. Lawrence river diving on a wreck in a medium current in 60 degree fresh water. Half way through the second dive the conditions worstened and he got overwhelmed. I had to save him in 30ft. of water then drag his b*tt back to the boat. He didn't expect it to happen to him and apologized a dozen times afterwards. Learn from his mistake and don't go too quick, too soon.

[Dive Master]

I thought Ginnie Springs was pretty but it was over run with college kids tubing and canoeing, etc. We were also not allowed in the cavern. At both places we pretty much just did the check out dives and didn't get to enjoy diving.

 

I didn't enjoy Blue Grotto at at. There were hardly any fish and it was murky and cold. We also were not allowed in the cavern and I couldn't get down to peace rock b/c of my ears.

 

I was cold in both locations in a 5mm wetsuit and a beanie, but especially at Blue Grotto.

 

I think I need to stick to diving in warmer water although, DH said I would not have been as cold if I were diving vs. doing skills and waiting around for other divers to complete theirs.

 

I Have been to Ginnie when it was crowded also-not near as much fun.I have seen over 40 divers in Ginnie cavern.That is why I went on a weekday and Superbowl Sunday--I pretty much had the place to myself except for a few cave divers and they were diving the Devils Springs System.I cant imagine going to Ginnie and not diving the cavern.I know open water students are supposedly not allowed in the cavern zone but I was hanging on the grate at 52 feet on my first open water dive.I had done 3 resort scuba courses before I got certified so I was a fast learner.I dont recommend any overhead enviroment until you are comfortable in the water and have some experience.As far as going solo, you need alot of experience and redundant everything (air, lights, cutting tools,reels,etc).If you screw up solo diving the cavern when no one else is around--Oh well--we all have read the horror stories--so only do this if you know the risk and have complete confidence in your gear and skills.That being said to have Ginnie Cavern or Blue Grotto all to yourself for an hour or more is a wonderful experience. Try going back on a weekday with a good buddy and I think you will have a new appreciation for the Florida springs.Always remember the line from Dive Training Magazine, "A good diver is always learning".Whenever I start to get a "big head", I just talk to the cave divers or the deep tech guys at Jocassee---then I realize that I don't know much about diving!