OT: Whats a good beach in Central Florida?

[NeveSSL]

Hi all!

Well... my wife and I have decided to take a trip to Florida. Its kind of two fold as I'll be going down for the first half to get my diving certifications (Open Water, Open Water II, and Advanced Open Water! WOOHOO!!) with my teachers and some classmates in some of the springs down there (Rainbow River, Devils Den, Blue Grotto, and Ginnie Springs). Since we're going to be so close, I figured my wife and I could go after that and spend a couple of days on the beach since we haven't had a vacation in two years... actually since our honeymoon!

What suggestions do you guys have? Where do you find to be the best value? To be able to do a bit of sight seeing would be nice, but I'm all about a simple beach, too. I'm thinking a lot of our time will be spent on the beach just chilling, so points of interest aren't absolutely necessary.

Thanks much!

Brandon

 

[waynesworld]

Brandon just take 98 up to Manatee springs state park check that park and river out then follow 98 to any of the beaches from St George to Destin are great.

http://www.floridastateparks.org/manateesprings/default.cfm

 

[NeveSSL]

Awesome, Wayne.... thanks. I'll check those out.

Brandon

 

[fishdoc11]

Have fun

 

[NeveSSL]

Will do!

Where did you do your cert dives, Chris? Did you take one of the trips or did you go to the quarry?

Brandon

 

[fishdoc11]

I got my Advanced cert on the same trip you are getting yours on.....it's a blast

I got my Silver Star Advanced cert on a bunch of quarry dives, a few dives at Vortec springs and a couple of dives off Panama City (mainly for Nitrox certification).

Please tell Mike, Jerri and Bev I said Hi

Chris

 

[NeveSSL]

Awesome, man. I can't wait to do this trip!

I'll tell them you said hi. I don't see Mike too much, and Jerri has unfortunately been sick, but I see Bev all the time... in fact, most of the time!

I've been thinking about Nitrox lately... but all in due time. Right now I need to focus on this class... today we did Ditch and Don and switching BCs while buddy breathing... wore me OUT! I would imagine you remember the exercise!

Hey... which organization is your c-card through? I thought we were doing NAUI and YSCUBA... but it seems as though the ones we're getting may be through PADI?

Brandon

 

[waynesworld]

We need to have a dive trip some time all this talk makes me want to dust off my gear and get wet again. Joy still needs to get Cert though.

 

[NeveSSL]

That would be awesome, Wayne! I'll be certified after May 4th in Advanced Open Water if all goes well.

Start workin' on Joy and get her excited about it and we'll do it! Maybe we can talk Norman into it, too!

Brandon

 

[fallinapart]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12174184#post12174184 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NeveSSL
That would be awesome, Wayne! I'll be certified after May 4th in Advanced Open Water if all goes well.

Start workin' on Joy and get her excited about it and we'll do it! Maybe we can talk Norman into it, too!

Brandon

Good Luck with that I only dive in a big metal tube....(submarine) but I can pilot the boat

Norman

 

[NeveSSL]

 

[fishdoc11]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12171756#post12171756 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NeveSSL
Awesome, man. I can't wait to do this trip!

I'll tell them you said hi. I don't see Mike too much, and Jerri has unfortunately been sick, but I see Bev all the time... in fact, most of the time!

I've been thinking about Nitrox lately... but all in due time. Right now I need to focus on this class... today we did Ditch and Don and switching BCs while buddy breathing... wore me OUT! I would imagine you remember the exercise!

Hey... which organization is your c-card through? I thought we were doing NAUI and YSCUBA... but it seems as though the ones we're getting may be through PADI?

Brandon

Mine is YMCA. You should have a choice between YMCA and NAUI.
I know Mike was a PADI instructor back in the 70's but I don't have a clue why they would switch back.


Chris

 

[NeveSSL]

Yeah, they've not switched back. I think I just got confused for a moment.

If I'm not mistaken, I don't think they're terribly fond of PADI. But no big deal.

Thanks!

Brandon