Freedive South Florida !
Posted By Paul Kotik on 20 March 2006
Here's the thing: many true Floridian locals consider these conditions too cold for swimming, diving or boating ! We're busy all winter hosting the millions of tourists who flee the frigid North American and European climes, but many of us are slightly bemused by the sight of their pale bodies sunning in what seems to us rather chilly weather.
Yes, we're spoiled.
The summer, you see, is very, very hot and humid in these parts. Believe it or not, those who can afford it have taken to installing cooling systems for their swimming pools, which otherwise, in summer, are so warm the water is almost indistinguishable from the humid air.
Winter is drier, cooler and windier, so freedivers visiting in this season should come equipped with serious thermal protection for water and dry land. I personally am happy in winter with my 3mm Picasso hooded fullsuit, but some of my friends like a little more. To/from the dive site, I'm generally covered from head to toe. Sweats, windbreakers, that sort of thing. Be prepared. It isn't like Finland or anything, but it isn't equatorially hot, either.
Ah, yes: to/from the dive site. There are places in this world where freedivers get to the dive site in automobiles. Kona and Cayman come quickly to mind, as do certain Red Sea spots. It is a lovely thing when serious depth is just a short swim from shore. South Florida, though, is not like that.
You need a boat. If you're really a tough guy, like some locals, a kayak will work, but let's get real: you need a boat.
There are a few spots along the coast where a swim of a few hundred meters gets you to some interesting reef in 30 -70 feet / 10 -20m of water, but all shore entries quickly acquaint one with another feature of our locale: current.
On, yes, the currents. Variable, to be sure, but often quite strong. The shore diver desirous of returning to his/her parked car at session's end is likely either to face a strenuous workout, or, if lazy, can carry taxi fare in a dry box. My preferred mode in these parts is to motor out to the upcurrent sector of the area I want to dive, and then drift. This means, of course, that somebody has to stay with the boat. Sometimes a non-diver is happy to do this duty, lazing and enjoying a day on the water, but when there's none available a political settlement amongst the divers must be reached.
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