fish042099
New member
My family and I are going to Disney this summer. Are there any good snorkeling sites near it? By near I don't mean really close like 20 minutes I mean like an hour or so.
Snorkeling near Disney in Florida?
- Thread starter fish042099
- Start date
vbsaltydog
Member
The water doesn't get clear enough for snorkeling until you get to Palm Beach which is a few hours from Orlando.
fish042099
New member
how bout cocoa beach? it looks clear. Especially in the 3rd picture
http://www.bestindonesiantravel.com/tour-and-travel-information/visit-cocoa-beach-florida
http://www.bestindonesiantravel.com/tour-and-travel-information/visit-cocoa-beach-florida
fish042099
New member
how bout cocoa beach? it looks clear. Especially in the 3rd picture
http://www.bestindonesiantravel.com/tour-and-travel-information/visit-cocoa-beach-florida
http://www.bestindonesiantravel.com/tour-and-travel-information/visit-cocoa-beach-florida
NO! on cocoa beach.....
viz is limited and there is little to no structure to hold marine life. I dive/spearfish alot and live 30 min north of disney. You choices are 1) Freshwater springs (72deg. very neat to see if you have not been to one before. Freshwater species only in the summer. The closest and one of the cooler ones to see is Blue Spring in Orange City FL, that is about 1 hour north of the mouse.
2) Load up the family and drive down to west Palm and take a half day charter. Do some research online and you will find one that is snorkel friendly. The viz is consistanly good (but there are bad days). It is beautiful and lots to see.
Springs or drive south. The gulf is great for diving but snorkeling is limited to just a few real nice days a year unless you are an avid freediver and can hit 50' or more.
Just remembered! If you wallet will allow there is always Discovery Cove up the road at seaworld. I have never been but I sent my parents and my kids for a christmas present. They all had an amazing day and my kids have grown up snorkeling the all over florida and the Keys.
have a geat trip and remember... There is alot of great stuff to see and do in florida outside of the mouse! cheaper too!
viz is limited and there is little to no structure to hold marine life. I dive/spearfish alot and live 30 min north of disney. You choices are 1) Freshwater springs (72deg. very neat to see if you have not been to one before. Freshwater species only in the summer. The closest and one of the cooler ones to see is Blue Spring in Orange City FL, that is about 1 hour north of the mouse.
2) Load up the family and drive down to west Palm and take a half day charter. Do some research online and you will find one that is snorkel friendly. The viz is consistanly good (but there are bad days). It is beautiful and lots to see.
Springs or drive south. The gulf is great for diving but snorkeling is limited to just a few real nice days a year unless you are an avid freediver and can hit 50' or more.
Just remembered! If you wallet will allow there is always Discovery Cove up the road at seaworld. I have never been but I sent my parents and my kids for a christmas present. They all had an amazing day and my kids have grown up snorkeling the all over florida and the Keys.
have a geat trip and remember... There is alot of great stuff to see and do in florida outside of the mouse! cheaper too!
fish042099
New member
Thanks Likefish, blue springs sound great. Thanks for the heads up about palm beach, I don't want to snorkel anywhere with murky water. 1 more quick question-can you just go to blue springs national park and snorkel or do you need to pay or something? Sorry if this question sounds stupid I just don't want to get in trouble.
Only thing you have to pay for is park entrance which i think is $5-$10 per car.
fish042099
New member
That's not too bad....
correctamundo
In Memoriam
Still debating if theres anything worth snorkeling in the florida area. 
fish042099
New member
I'm gonna do blue springs ( hopefully ill have a gopro by then)
Still debating if theres anything worth snorkeling in the florida area.
Depends on what your definition of worth snorkeling is, and where your going to be.
fish042099
New member
high visibility and lots of marine life are what most ppl want when they snorkel
I know. Most people are what us old time Northeast divers call warm water wuss divers
There is still lots of neat stuff to be seen with vis under 50 feet, and even in the shallows with only a couple of feet vis you can find lots of neat critters. Hence why ask for the personal definition of worthwhile 
fish042099
New member
Any nice spots in nj? I hear manasquan railroad bridge is good for snorkeling, even tho vis is 15 ft it's good for nj
markaren
New member
I live in the Orlando area. blue Springs is nice. DO NOT descend beyond the bottom turn without proper equipment or experience. I have snorkeled and Scuba Dived there many times.
The best time unknown to anyone but a local enthusiast....Ichetucknee River is smashing clear. You rent tubes and float gently down a sand bottom stream 6 to 15 feet deep...4 feet at wide spots. logs sometimes pass from a side, aqua life is visible, as well as dinosaur fossils.
The best time unknown to anyone but a local enthusiast....Ichetucknee River is smashing clear. You rent tubes and float gently down a sand bottom stream 6 to 15 feet deep...4 feet at wide spots. logs sometimes pass from a side, aqua life is visible, as well as dinosaur fossils.
fish042099
New member
I know. Most people are what us old time Northeast divers call warm water wuss divers
10' vis. Is good enough for me in nj
Bluetangclan
New member
Also from Orlando area, I agree 100% with him on the Ichetucknee River, easily best freshwater snorkel in the state. If its SW you want, go down to Coral Cove Park at Jupiter Beach. There is a great place by the rocks. I have spent hours there and have seen everything from Manatees, nurse sharks, huge tarpon, to sea turtles and schools of thousands of huge mullet, plus there is some coral and a variety of various tropical fish. Jupiter is slightly less far than the Ichetucknee but not enough to matter.
