I want to do a lot of diving around here during what's left of this summer, some of it scuba.
But I am in need of some suggestions for where to dive. I am looking for advice for two very different kinds of places, and neither will be easy pickin's. Here's the dill:
The first is by way little boat: where would you recomend I scuba dive in a 13 foot boat leaving out of the St. Marks? Or Lanark? Is that a crazy proposition? At this point, I am not looking to spearfish, not this month, out of this little Whaler; but I just want to get under. I do NOT want to go out far, as I figure that I probably ought to do this with 3 on board, my dive buddy and me and a "bubble watcher" to man the boat, and, well, it is a 13'er! . I guees I could just go out on the flats and stick a flag up and have at it! Sound good? Or at least OK?
Now for a totally different, sort of, request. Have any of you done any shore diving, scuba, around here? I have recently enjoyed jetty diving over at the St. Andrews State Park. But what about the Wakulla, Franklin County area? Are there some moderately interesting or doable shore dives?
So, that's the scenario: Looking for saltwater diving around here with only a 13 foot boat and, for the purpose of this question, I am not looking to charter.
Any advice will be appreciated! Thanks!
Seeking local scuba diving locations.
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Wil
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As to by boat: In good weather, you could put in at Lanark or Carrabelle and run to the One More Time. It's a beautiful dive, especially when there's an incoming tide to clear up the vis. And if you decide to try your hand at spearing, there are plenty of sheepshead on it that are polespear friendly. There are mangroves on it too, but they're usually hanging out inside the ship's hold. There's also a big jewfish on it (sorry, goliath grouper). He's pretty innocuous though, just likes to hang out inside the ship normally.
There's an OAR reef about 500 feet from there as well (the published number is supposedly 1/4 mile, but we've swam from the OMT to the OAR reef, and it was definately no more than 500-600 feet.). There are some good grouper on that spot.
Another "good weather only" strategy would be to put in over at Mashes Sands, since the first part of your run out would be protected by the shoals. Once you cross the shoals, you're only a few miles from some good natural bottom. There's good stuff all around Marker 24. And if things get rough past the shoal, it's pretty just for snorkeling on the shoals.
For days where you couldn't run out far, the shallow water rock piles are fun (as Tom, Sonny, and I just found out). You don't even need your scuba gear for them. You can put in at St. Marks for that. Just an FYI, though, if you do decide to try spearing, and you want to go out of the lighthouse, remember these three things:
1) It needs to be outside the stake line, at least 400 yards from shore. Within 400 yards of shore you are still in the refuge.
2) While travelling within the refuge, whether by car or by boat, your spearguns must be inoperable. For regular spear guns this means bands completely off the gun, shaft unloaded from the gun. Polespears are technically illegal in the refuge because they can't be "fully unloaded", as I was told by a park ranger. I just take the bands off them anyway, since it could be argued that it is inoperable. (How many fish are just going to let you "stab them"?) I never saw the part about the polespear in any official regulation, anyway. It was just word of mouth.
3) All firearms are illegal in the refuge, and powerheads count as firearms. I am not sure if this applies to the type of powerhead that does not use a firing pin, though, since they technically aren't firearms.
All in all, if the weather permits, definately hit up the One More Time. It's a great dive. And it's less than 40 fsw, so you'll get tons of bottom time and 150+ minutes no-stop time.
As to beach diving, beats me. No clue. Hopefully someone else around here can answer that.
There's an OAR reef about 500 feet from there as well (the published number is supposedly 1/4 mile, but we've swam from the OMT to the OAR reef, and it was definately no more than 500-600 feet.). There are some good grouper on that spot.
Another "good weather only" strategy would be to put in over at Mashes Sands, since the first part of your run out would be protected by the shoals. Once you cross the shoals, you're only a few miles from some good natural bottom. There's good stuff all around Marker 24. And if things get rough past the shoal, it's pretty just for snorkeling on the shoals.
For days where you couldn't run out far, the shallow water rock piles are fun (as Tom, Sonny, and I just found out). You don't even need your scuba gear for them. You can put in at St. Marks for that. Just an FYI, though, if you do decide to try spearing, and you want to go out of the lighthouse, remember these three things:
1) It needs to be outside the stake line, at least 400 yards from shore. Within 400 yards of shore you are still in the refuge.
2) While travelling within the refuge, whether by car or by boat, your spearguns must be inoperable. For regular spear guns this means bands completely off the gun, shaft unloaded from the gun. Polespears are technically illegal in the refuge because they can't be "fully unloaded", as I was told by a park ranger. I just take the bands off them anyway, since it could be argued that it is inoperable. (How many fish are just going to let you "stab them"?) I never saw the part about the polespear in any official regulation, anyway. It was just word of mouth.
3) All firearms are illegal in the refuge, and powerheads count as firearms. I am not sure if this applies to the type of powerhead that does not use a firing pin, though, since they technically aren't firearms.
All in all, if the weather permits, definately hit up the One More Time. It's a great dive. And it's less than 40 fsw, so you'll get tons of bottom time and 150+ minutes no-stop time.
As to beach diving, beats me. No clue. Hopefully someone else around here can answer that.
shore diving
THere are really no shore dives around the Tallahassee/Wakulla area. It just doesnt get deep enough or clear enough in a reasonable distance. you best bet would probably be to go to St. George Island when the water is clear, but if you are gonna drive that far, you might as well go the PC and dive the jetties. All of the shore water around Pancea and St Marks is shallow and murky most of the time. You are always better going form boat. If you have a light enough boat or canoe, you can go to sheppard springs. You have to get there from the ocean, but paddle up to the spring head. There is a pretty neat cavern there that gets deep fast. be prepared to lift your canoe over logs!.......
Thanks so much, both of you.
As for Shepard Springs, I have read a bit about that because I have fished the mouth of the creek. There is a good story, searchable on the net, about a kayak club exploring that from the mouth on up. I also understand that the Spring is accessible by land, by mountain bike.
But this is all good news to me, in the sense that I have, thanks to you, learned some basic and important information about diving this area that I love.
Now I will go about doing it! That promises to be an adventure for this newbie!
I may start out inshore free diving with sling, and fishing gear on board, out of my 13 ft. Whaler. THAT will be interesting.
As for Shepard Springs, I have read a bit about that because I have fished the mouth of the creek. There is a good story, searchable on the net, about a kayak club exploring that from the mouth on up. I also understand that the Spring is accessible by land, by mountain bike.
But this is all good news to me, in the sense that I have, thanks to you, learned some basic and important information about diving this area that I love.
Now I will go about doing it! That promises to be an adventure for this newbie!
I may start out inshore free diving with sling, and fishing gear on board, out of my 13 ft. Whaler. THAT will be interesting.
Although I am currently in a canoe, I've never heard of "shepard springs" and I've lived here since the mid 60's. Aparently I've missed something, or maybe I call it something else. Could you describe how I would find "shepard springs" ?
BTW I am shopping for a real boat.... wifee feels I am endangering myself fishing from a canoe in the Gulf.
Thanks-
BTW I am shopping for a real boat.... wifee feels I am endangering myself fishing from a canoe in the Gulf.
Thanks-
I found the following on how to get there by land. I cannot vouch for it's accuracy, but I am glad to help!how I would find "shepard springs" ?
Full Directions
From Tallahassee, take Woodville Highway (State Road 363) south to U.S. Highway 98 and turn right (west). Continue a short distance and cross the bridge over the Wakulla River. Continue 1.3 miles to Wakulla Beach Road, on your left (south). Go down this white dirt road almost exactly one mile to the Florida Tail on both sides of the road. Pull over to the right and park. The trail going west from here is like a grass-covered dirt road, with a gate to block vehicular traffic. Yellow rectangles painted on trees mark the trail.
The trail goes straight through a canopy of hardwoods, pines, and sabal palms. Cross a few wooden bridges and pass a deer stand on the right before coming to another road heading south, that dead-ends into the one you are on. This point is 1.7 miles from Wakulla Beach Road. Straight ahead is a brown sign in the middle of the path that says "No vehicles past this point." Go just past the sign and look left for a smaller trail that forks off at an angle towards the southwest. On each side of the trail, a tree is painted with a red rectangle. A small sign on a post identifies the Florida Trail and says that Wakulla Beach Road is 1.7 miles in the other direction.
This path becomes narrow and winds under a dense canopy of hardwoods, towering pines, and sabal palms, following the red paint marks ("blazes") on the trees. Bamboo-like plants grow in profusion. Here and there, narrow boardwalks are built over wet areas. Eventually, you will cross another grassy dirt road. This road dead-ends into the woods a short distance south. If you take it north, you run into the wide section of the Florida Trail that you were on before you took the narrow path. If it is getting dark, you might want to take this route back, just stay to the right whenever you come to a fork.
Cross the road and follow the trail marked with red paint on the trees on the other side. Almost immediately, you will come upon a fork in the trail and see a tree marked with both blue and red paint. Take the blue (left, south) fork to the spring.
Hmm. I would try the rocky areas east of the Lighthouse, namely "Black Rock", Gray Mare, etc. that are marked on the chart. Go slow, and use a lookout on the bow so you won't bump your boat. They are all in 3-8' of water.
Might also consider the springs in Spring Creek. Put in at the boat ramp to the left of the end of the road, just past Spring Creek resturant. They look cool on the surface and on the bottom machine.
There is also an artificial reef just inside of Dog Island Reef in about 18' of water. The number is on Tom's list.
EJ
Might also consider the springs in Spring Creek. Put in at the boat ramp to the left of the end of the road, just past Spring Creek resturant. They look cool on the surface and on the bottom machine.
There is also an artificial reef just inside of Dog Island Reef in about 18' of water. The number is on Tom's list.
EJ
Thanks EJ! I am still watching this thread and am glad to get a notice it is alive again. I like your ideas! Spring Creek is especially novel! I bet that would be very interesting, just to see some of the places where the water comes out. I have fished Gray Mare, but it is an interesting idea to dive some of those rocky places surprisely south of there, [those prop busters that dbplug showed me]. It would be quite an adventure to gear up and go under, out of the 13-er! That would be a good example of makin' do! 