Diving the gulf off of Clearwater FL

[Grebex11]

I am going to Clearwater FL next month and am planning to dive somewhere out there. Can anyone recommend a good company to use/a good place to dive? I know they have a shipwreck and an artificial reef down there. What would you guys recommend?

*Don't tell me it's a waste of money to dive the gulf because I am doing it regardless. I am just looking for recommendations. Thanks!

 

[steelcity]

Call Capt TJ Shea
fishanddivetampa.com

I work on the boat with TJ and really do believe the operation is top notch. Diving the Gulf is awesome. We have some of the best fishing/spearfishing/and sight seeing stuff around. We have ledges, wrecks, and artificials all over. Please give us a shout. Be sure to bring a wetsuit with you next month as the temp is slowly starting to drop.

 

[Adam P]

I was just coming in to say the gulf sucks

steelcity: any pics from any of your sites? every time ive been down the visibility is crap but i guess that depends on the location. im down to go anytime as its local

 

[steelcity]

We went out yesterday to find some new spots. Vis was just about top to bottom vertically and horizontal vis was outstanding in the early morning. It dropped down to about 30' later on as the wind picked up. We actually someone take video yesterday so I'm waiting on him to edit and assemble. Stuck around 45'.

Vis varies based on location, rain, wind and wind direction, depth, and time of year. It's been pretty damn good throughout summer and moving into the fall. Winter is usually good but it can get a little nippy.

 

[dancerscap]

I live on the Gulf just above Clearwater and my experience has been that this summer the vis was better than usual. I believe that was because of the increased rain. Seems that in dry seasons algae blossom drops vis, rain knocks down the algae and increases vis. A good squall clears vis a lot after a day or two.

 

[Grebex11]

Yeah I dont mind the cold. I dive here in Illinois. Water was 62 on my last dive. Just wore a 5mm.

 

[Scott-CapeCoral]

I was just coming in to say the gulf sucks

steelcity: any pics from any of your sites? every time ive been down the visibility is crap but i guess that depends on the location. im down to go anytime as its local

Jumping in the water from the beach isn't "Diving the gulf" . Get offshore a couple miles and it's clear as can be. We have some of the best game fish here in the gulf.

 

[jdhuyvetter]

Go down to Venice and dive for sharks teeth and other fossils (or do one dive of each)

 

[dafunkyman]

If you go to the right place it should be very fun. Even if you dont see much, I think that just being under the water diving is really fun. Go to the Keyes, great places there. There is a place called John Pennekamp Park. There is this beach like area with a deep dive shipwreck, or you can be close to the surface and see really cool fish. I remember seeing parrotfish and watching them eat corals. Not reef safe but really fun to watch and hear. Then I continued on over the shipwreck where it was kinda dark so visibility was a liitle bad but not too much. Bad thing was that a 3-4 barracuda swum right in front of me. Scary, especially for a younger one like me. Overall it is really fun. Check em out. http://www.pennekamppark.com/