Gulf of Mexico Diving

[ArcticDiver]

Anyone have info and/or advise on diving the Gulf of Mexico?

The two base cities are Sarasota/Tampa, Florida and Corpus Christie, Texas.

[pensacoladiver]

I dont know squat about Corpus. Tampa, I am a bit familiar with. All depends on what you are wanting to do. If you are looking to go deep, you are in for a long run out. It stays shallow for quite a ways there.

[ArcticDiver]

Depth not an issue one way or the other. My two main goals have always been to have fun and to see wildlife. Tampa is on my radar for long term stay, if I get to dive again(I think that will happen) and if there is some decent diving there.

[Dusty2]

There is diving out of the Tampa bay area but don't plan on getting a charter during the winter months. Them Florida divers are wimps. I was there in March and couldn't get the minimum number of divers to get the boat to go out. You would be best off to try north of Tampa rather than in Tampa it's self it's a heck of a run out from there just to get to open water let lone any depth at all. Tampa bay is loaded with bull sharks so no diving there. Port Richy/holiday area is good access actually near the gulf.

Corpus Christi is a good place to go out to see whale sharks if your there at the right time of the year. It is pretty far out there as well. In close though is shark ally. They get literally thousands of sharks migrating through there every year. It is one of their biggest events. Fishing for sharks! I have seen some aerial photos taken by one of my light owners and it's down right scary!

[pensacoladiver]

Now wait a minute... You call me a wimp and then say you won't dive with bullsharks.

[Dusty2]

Hey your an exception, You fit in quite nicely when you were out here and you dive year around despite the weather or water temp.

I'm talking about those fair weather types that can't dive when the water and outside temp is below 80 degrees. I almost had a hernia when that shop owner told me he couldn't find any one to go out in that cold 73 degree water!

[pensacoladiver]

Ok. Fair enough. You are right. There are plenty of those fair weather types down here. You should see their faces when I mention dry suit diving in the PNW.

[Marc]

I haven't been to Corpus in many years, but there were a couple of shops with boats and some wrecks/artificial reefs that were a fair distance off shore. If you are going to go down there I think that taking a charter to the Flower gardens out of Galveston is your best bet.
Marc

[ArcticDiver]

Well, the Corpus idea is OBE so no need pursuing that.

[defied]

I haven't been to Corpus in many years, but there were a couple of shops with boats and some wrecks/artificial reefs that were a fair distance off shore. If you are going to go down there I think that taking a charter to the Flower gardens out of Galveston is your best bet.
Marc

To add, a lot of Rig diving is some of the best ways to see life fluttering about. Some of those charters have licenses to take divers out there. Some will take you to derelicts.

D

[ArcticDiver]

Well, I survived the Florida drivers. Turn signal use and looking around before changing lanes or pulling into traffic are apparently optional.

Talked to a few locals. Sand and more sand is the mantra. The brag is that being there puts a diver close to the Atlantic coast and the Keys.