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#43
shore dives in Pensacola
crazyred - 9/22/2014 6:51 AM
Category: Travel
Replies: 3

Headed to Pensacola over Columbus Day weekend. Will be diving with two new divers, one is only 15. I’m looking for the best shore dives for a novice. We don’t want to hire a guide nor do we want to charter. Just looking to keep it simple. Suggestions?
#5828
Agojo - 9/22/2014 8:05 AM
Ft. Pickens is the best available. Fifty foot max depth, vis anywhere from a few feet to 40 feet. Use "Entrance, Pensacola Bay, FL" buoy on Seatow app on smartphone to get high and low tide times and plan to enter the water 1-2 hours prior to those times. Best is if on high tide but have done it many times on low tide and had as little as 5-10 vis and as much as 40 foot vis on low tide.

Plan on 30 minute drive (15-30mph speed limits) from park entrance ($8/car) to the end of the road where the dive site is. Continue on entrance road until you are at stop sign looking at fishing pier just to the left. Turn left, drive 100yds and you will see wood steps over the rock retaining wall. Over the steps walk to where the water is closest to you and enter at that point. Rays (Brazilian electric and manta), frogfish, octopus, scorpion fish, batfish, toilets and more 15-50’. Follow the concrete blocks (5-15’ apart) as they lead from one object to another. If you’re in the sand and at 50’ go south. Take a dive flag!
#43
Subscribed
crazyred - 9/26/2014 2:49 PM
Thanks for the info, Ft Pickens sounds good, I think we will try that.