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We understand that you
may not be completely comfortable or confident as a new diver, or that you may
not know other divers to go diving with. That is why we have a variety of
activities to offer you so you will gain in confidence and meet other people,
who may end up being your new dive friends and dive buddies.
For the same-day dive
trips, we have free dives off of Venice Beach searching for the valued Megalodon
shark tooth, inexpensive spring dives with a picnic afterwards to socialize, as
well as numerous half-day boat charters in our local Gulf of Mexico on natural
ledges or sunken shipwrecks. If you want a short weekend get-away, join us to
the Florida Keys or East Coast. Now, if more adventurous travels are more your
speed, try flying with us to some of the different islands of the Caribbean,
like Bahamas or Cayman Brac, or the chance of a lifetime dream trip on an
Aggressor Live-Aboard to the Galapagos Islands!
Whatever your schedule
or budget allows, we have a dive trip for you.
Keep scrolling down for just an example of the most popular venues that we
visit.
Commonly visited dive venues:
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Blue Grotto
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Crystal River- Manatee Madness!
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Devil’s Den
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Disney’s DiveQuest (Epcot Center)
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Florida Keys
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Forty Fathom Grotto
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Gulf of Mexico
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Hudson Grotto
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Jupiter
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Paradise Springs
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Rainbow River
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Weeki Wachee
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Exotic International Get-Aways
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Look
down into the crystal blue water of the surface pool, and see why Blue Grotto is
known for its exceptional visibility year-round.
The dive begins at
mouth of the cavern, which is 80ft. wide by 20ft. high, and down one of the two
guidelines into the main area to view a variety of fish, fossils in the
limestone walls, and even a friendly turtle. Stop along the way to check out the
air bell that has made this grotto famous. It is located 30ft. down, at the
ceiling of the cavern, and is supplied with compressed air from the surface.
The air bell is a unique place to stop and talk to your dive buddy. Just beside
the bell, a bank of powerful underwater lights hangs from the limestone ceiling
to light up the upper portion of the spring so divers have a perfect, clear view
of what’s around them. After admiring the view, you and your dive buddy can
descend to 60 ft. where “peace rock” is and the cavern starts. This limestone
rock was marked many years ago with the 1960's symbol of peace and is a great
photo opportunity. Further beyond this is the start of a permanent yellow guide
line that brings you safely around a crescent shaped cavern with a max depth of
100 ft. As you ascend out of the cavern, look around and watch your bubbles run
up the side of the limestone wall like an upside down waterfall. The last part
of your dive can be a very controlled safety stop on one of the large platforms
near the exit.
F.Y.I.’s
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Open-Water certification is needed for
the main area (60’) and a Deep certification
is needed for the deeper cavern
(100’)
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100’ maximum depth
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Lights are recommended in the 60’ main
cavern, and required in the 100’ lower loop cavern.
Tank lights or glow sticks
are also recommended
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72 degree water year-round
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Restrooms, hot showers, concessions
and picnic area
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Approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes
from Tampa
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Qualifies for DEEP, NIGHT / LIMITED
VISIBILITY, NITROX, PHOTOGRAPHY,
CAVERN, and NAVIGATION Specialties!
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You begin your
experience with an informative Manatee awareness video and briefing to educate
you about the West Indian Manatee, including the conservation act to protect
them. After boarding a large pontoon shuttle-boat, you will be given a
fantastic tour of Crystal River, along with a lesson on how to interact with the
Manatee in preparation for the upcoming encounter. Now, it’s your time to
snorkeling with the curious and playful manatees in the 72 degree Crystal River
Florida springs. These wonderful, gentle mammals come up to the surface for a
friendly petting and even an occasional belly rub. After enjoying the incredible
experience with the manatees, the scuba divers on the tour can enjoy the
optional dive at Kings Spring. This is a 30 foot deep open water area that
leads up to the entrance of a cavern. Turn your head around to see the schools
of 5-6 foot long tarpon, and then dive around the basin and check out the small
manatee statue that sits on a plaque which has an inscription about the
interaction of humans and manatees and nature. An abundance of snapper
congregate outside the entrance of the King Spring cavern, where the qualified
divers proceed on the adventure with the dive leader into an open cavern that
has fish, crabs, fossils and a maximum depth of 50 feet.
This is truly a
memorable experience for the whole family. Snorkelers and divers both will
enjoy this tour!
F.Y.I.’s
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No SCUBA certification needed for the
snorkeling experience!
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Any age can enjoy this trip! Families
are welcome.
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Open-Water certification is needed for
the SCUBA experience in the man Kings Spring basin (30’)
and in the cavern
(50’).
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Lights are required in the cavern and
tank lights or glow sticks are also recommended.
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72 degree water year-round.
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Approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes
from Tampa.
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Qualifies for PHOTOGRAPHY, NITROX,
BOAT, NIGHT / LIMITED VISIBILITY,
CAVERN, and NAVIGATION Specialties
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Devil's Den is one of
the most unique dive sites that you will experience. It is listed as Florida's
only underground prehistoric spring. To enter, divers walk down a short set of
stairs into an air cavern that is below the earth’s surface! Upon reaching the dock
system at the bottom, the echoes of water drops echo through the air. This,
along with steam that rises through the natural skylight ceiling on cool days,
give your senses a feeling and reason how this dive site got its name.
This system is a 50
foot depth spring with many swim throughs, air pockets, and prehistoric fossils
to excite even the most adventurous of divers. Like most of the Florida
springs, the water is a constant 72 degrees. The geology and history alone will
amaze you. Hot showers, picnic areas, and plenty of relaxation make this a fun
dive spot.
F.Y.I.’s-
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Only basic Open-Water certification is
needed
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50’ maximum depth
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72 degree water year-round
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Lights are recommended
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Hot showers and picnic area
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Approximately 2 hours, 15 minutes from
Tampa
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Qualifies for NIGHT / LIMITED
VISIBILITY, NITROX,
PHOTOGRAPHY and NAVIGATION Specialties!
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Epcot DiveQuest is a unique
scuba diving experience inside the 5.7-million-gallon saltwater tank at the
Seas with Nemo and Friends pavilion at Disney’s Epcot Center theme park.
Scuba-certified guests can swim with over 6,000 sea creatures representing over
60 species—including sea turtles, angelfish, dolphins, eagle rays and sharks.
The experience lasts 3 hours
and you will spend 40 minutes underwater in the massive Caribbean Coral Reef
aquarium- which is the second largest saltwater tank in the world! In addition
to the dive, you get a behind-the-scenes tour of the backstage infrastructure
required to filter and maintain this man-made ocean. Another attraction to this
dive is the fact that you are “on stage” and can interact with all of the Disney
guests on the dry-side of the glass of the pavilion, the Coral Reef restaurant,
and the conference/reception area. Finally, you don’t have to lift a finger,
because all dive gear is included- you just show up with a certification card
and swimsuit!
With its clear water and
lack of currents, Epcot DiveQuest is an experience that both diving enthusiasts
and Disney fans will never forget.
F.Y.I.’s-
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Only basic Open-Water certification is
needed
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25’ maximum depth
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78-80 degree water temperature
year-round
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Hot showers, refreshments
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Optional DVD available
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Approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes
from Tampa
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Qualifies for NAVIGATION
Specialties!
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If you want to escape
for a quick, inexpensive weekend and dive some of Florida’s prime locations,
join us on a trip to Jupiter or West Palm Beach. You will have the opportunity
to be in nature’s aquarium with such diverse marine life. Imagine drifting
along and being in the same home as dozens of huge loggerhead turtles, countless
spotted and green moray eels, graceful rays, and thousands of colorful tropical
fish! You may even catch a glimpse of a nurse, lemon, or spinner shark, if
you’re lucky.
Drift-style diving is
what this East Coast is all about. It’s a lazy, almost effortless way to enjoy
the show that is playing underwater. You just giant stride in, ease your way to
the bottom, and glide along the huge reef systems. This is a Florida favorite
among most of the diving community.
Trips there will vary
between one, two, and three days of diving, and include one or two nights in a
clean, comfortable, reputable hotel. We usually coordinate a group dinner
one of the evenings so everyone can relax, and enjoy friendships, and meet new
dive buddies!
F.Y.I.’s-
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Only basic Open-Water certification is
needed
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45’-100’ depth range
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Water temp is in the mid-80’s in
summer, and low 70’s in the winter
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Lights are recommended
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Approximately 3-4 hour drive from
Tampa
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Qualifies for BOAT, WAVES, TIDES &
CURRENTS, DEEP,NITROX, PHOTOGRAPHY,
NIGHT / LIMITED VISIBILITY and NAVIGATION,
and WRECK Specialties
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If venturing outside a
driving distance, cell-coverage, or even the continental United States is on
your travel list, then join Mac’s on an exotic international get-away! We have
the knowledge, experience, and desire to take you “outside the box” of the
ordinary SCUBA vacation.
In Mac’s travels, we
have had the opportunity to have led divers like you to the many islands and
countries of the Caribbean, Central America, South America, and the South
Pacific.
Such dream locations include:
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Bahamas-
including The Abaco’s, Bimini, Chub Cay, The Exumas, Freeport, Nassau, and San
Salvador
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Bonaire,
Netherlands Antilles (Dutch Caribbean)
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Cayman Islands-
including Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman
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Costa Rica
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Cozumel,
Mexico
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Ecuador-
Galapagos Islands
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Fiji,
South Pacific
If you want to
experience different cultures, see new countries, and create life-long
memories for your logbook, look for our featured international trips
each year and
live your dream!
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Escape, relax, de-stress. What else can
be said? When you turn on U.S. 1, as you approach Key Biscayne, roll down
your windows, open the sunroof, put the top down, and feel the Florida Keys!
The 110 miles of the Florida escape is broken
down into 5 sections- Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, Big Pine and the Lower
Keys, and finally, Key West.
Key Largo
has had a long history of marine conservation. beginning in 1960 with the
creation of the nation's first undersea preserve, John Pennekamp Coral Reef
State Park, and then with the designation of the Key Largo National Marine
Sanctuary in 1975, Key Largo has been protected from spearfishing and coral
collection for four decades. Among the many dozens of dive sites are the more
popular wrecks of the Bibb and Duane, Spiegel Grove,
Benwood, the Molasses reefs, and the bronze statue of “Christ of the Abyss.”
Islamorada,
long recognized as the "Sport Fishing Capital of the World," is now an icon
among sport divers for much the same reason, a massive population of tropical
marine life. This area boasts the wreck of the Eagle, and the colorful
reef sites of Davis, Alligator, Conch Wall, Pickles, and Crocker Wall.
As seen from the air,
Marathon and the Middle Keys appear as emerald isles set amid a sea of
turquoise. Marathon's reefs offer great variety in coral formations and fish
life. The icon of this Key is Sombrero Reef with its postcard famous 140-foot
lighted tower. The Coffin’s Patch and Delta Shoals reefs, the wreck of the
Thunderbolt, and the numerous lobster-collecting areas, make Marathon a very
popular destination.
The Lower Keys
are the least developed of the Florida Keys and in many ways the most natural.
It is here that the last remaining herd of Key Deer is found. Yet for the
visiting snorkeler and diver, a visit to the Lower Keys wouldn't be complete
without an excursion to the Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary. Named for the
HMS Looe which ran aground here in 1744, Looe Key Reef is just 5.3 sq.
nautical miles, yet within this small area is a tremendous variety of both coral
structure and marine life.
Key West,
the southern-most key is known for its restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and quaint
shops on famous Duval Street, the sunset shows in the Mallory Square, and the
many cultural shows and parades. The largest and most pristine reefs are
located several miles off shore and are best visited with the help of
professional dive and snorkel charter services. The Dry Tortugas, which is
a cluster of seven islands located 70-miles west of Key West, is the home of
Fort Jefferson, one of the largest coastal forts ever built.
F.Y.I.’s-
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Only basic Open-Water certification is
needed
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Depth ranges from 20’-130’ depth
(deeper is available with technical diving)
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Water temperature ranges from upper
80-degrees in the summer to lower 60-degrees in the winter
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Lights are recommended for day dives,
and required for night dives.
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Non-diving activities vary, depending
on location
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Approximately 5 hours to Key Largo,
and 7 hours to Key West, from Tampa.
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Qualifies for BOAT, WRECK, DEEP,
NAVIGATION, NIGHT / LIMITED VISIBILITY,
PHOTOGRAPHY, SPEARFISHING (depending on
location), and NITROX Specialties!
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Mac’s has professional
relationships with several dive charter boats in the Tampa Bay area. If you
want to sneak away for only a morning or afternoon (half-day), you can enjoy a
two-tank dive trip, and be back in 4-5 hours, whereas if that is simply not
enough, we also run whole-day charters where you will have a chance of
descending 5-6 times in one day.
Our local Gulf waters
are so close, and have so much to offer. For example, you can log a dive on an
endless limestone “live rock” ledge system or a number of shipwrecks that are
fully intact or just the remains of history. Whichever you choose, you will be
amazed by the myriad of life below the surface. You will visit extensive
microcosms of reef systems, swim with dozens of fish species, spot a Southern
Ray, Loggerhead turtle, huge Goliath Grouper, and more! Several counties have a
fantastic artificial reef program that plans, builds, and sinks structures that
are designed to attract marine life for the enjoyment of both divers and
fisherman. For example, there are groups of de-commissioned U.S. Army military
tanks, the historic wreck of the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Blackthorn, the
ever-popular Sheridan tug, the three steel barges of the Veteran’s Reef,
or the Rube Allyn, which is a huge layout of concrete structure and pieces of
the demolished Clearwater Pass Bridge.
This is just a small taste of what is
available in our “backyard.”
F.Y.I.’s
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Only Open Water certification needed!
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Water temperature ranges from upper
80-degrees in the summer to mid 50-degrees in the winter.
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The boat locations depend on the
charter used. They range from Clearwater Beach City Marina
to Port Hudson in
New Port Richey.
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Qualifies for BOAT, WRECK, DEEP,
LIMITED VISIBILITY / NIGHT, WAVES, TIDES & CURRENTS, PHOTOGRAPHY, SPEARFISHING,
and NAVIGATION Specialties!
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Hudson Grotto is a
limestone-walled, hour-glass shaped sink located just off of U.S. 19 in Hudson,
Florida and owned by Scuba West. This site is primarily used for open water and
specialty training dives and is great for getting back in the water or getting
comfortable with a new piece of equipment. The bottom is dome shaped, with the
center around 105 feet, and the edges averaging around 100'-110' feet with the
deepest spot being about 155'. There are three platforms under the end of the
dock, each placed consecutively deeper than the other, like three steps, at 20
feet, 45 feet, and 60 feet. There is also a smaller platform located around 104
ft. in the center of the grotto and is marked on the surface by a blue barrel.
If you have advanced training and experience, and feel adventurous, you can
navigate off of this platform by lines, to find two boats, an old VW van, and
other interesting objects that sit on the bottom. The most unique feature of
this venue is that the tannic, nutrient-rich water is fresh from the surface
down to around 90 feet, and then switches to salt-water!
F.Y.I.’s-
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Only basic Open-Water certification is
needed, and Limited Visibility / Night is recommended above 60 feet, and Deep
specialty training is recommended beyond 80 feet.
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Depth ranges from 20’-130’ depth
(deeper is available with technical diving)
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The
temperature ranges depending on the season, and depth. The top-third varies
from upper 80-degrees
in the summer to upper 50-degrees in the winter, the
middle-third fluctuates from 70-degrees down
to mid-50’s and the bottom
temperature stays around 72-degrees all year round.
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Lights are recommended for all dives,
and required for depths deeper than 40 feet. For deeper dives, a back-up light
is recommended, as well as a tank light.
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Approximately 40 minutes from Tampa.
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Qualifies for NAVIGATION, NIGHT /
LIMITED VISIBILITY, DEEP, PHOTOGRAPHY, and NITROX Specialties!
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Surprising to most,
Rainbow River is not a river at all! It is actually the third largest open
water spring system in the state. As the Florida aquifer flows up through the
layers of limestone, it surfaces and forms “springs”, which fill this “river”.
This first magnitude spring produces an average of 500 million gallons of pure
crystalline water every day at a year-round temperature of 72 degrees. In
addition to the springs located at the headwaters, there are many smaller
springs that discharge from numerous blow-hole caves, rock crevices vents, and
sand boils along the entire length of the river. With amazing visibility, you
will swim with a variety of turtles, huge bass families, schools of gar, and
maybe even the elusive river otter. This makes quite the fantastic drift dive!
F.Y.I.’s
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Chartered shuttle boat or kayak to
take you up river is needed
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Only basic Open-Water certification is
needed
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22’ maximum depth
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Dive Flag and Float is required by law
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72 degree water year-round
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Restrooms, concessions and picnic area
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Approximately 2 hours from Tampa
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Qualifies for WAVES, TIDES &
CURRENTS, BOAT, and NAVIGATION Specialties
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Weeki Wachee Springs
is one of Florida’s oldest and most unique roadside attractions
well known for it's swimming mermaid
shows, underwater theatre, summer water park, and as of 1999, SCUBA diving.
This newly renovated state park is truly a breath of fresh air (or NITROX), pun
intended. The main head springs, which is the start of the Weeki Wachee river
system, is a first-magnitude flow spring putting out over 170 million gallons of
99% pure, 74-degree water every day. This makes it one of the clearest and
cleanest dive locations that you will ever experience! The spring pool is about
150 feet wide and 250 feet long which you can enter by either a ramp from the
observation deck, or by a beach access. Once underwater, as you can glide
around the main basin, check out the “mermaid castle” (props for the underwater
show), practice your skills on the large platform at 17 feet, and follow the
many turtles, fish, occasional river otter, or maybe even a manatee! If you
want to show off in front of friends and/or family, glide past the underwater
viewing theatre and be part of your own show. Your diving entrance fee
includes the rest of the park, including the shows, nature river boat ride, and
water slides, so bring the whole family.
F.Y.I.’s
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Only basic Open-Water certification is
needed
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Need to enter as part of a dive store
function (you cannot just show up yourself)
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45’ maximum depth
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74 degree water year-round
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Restrooms, concessions, gift shop,
underwater mermaid shows, nature boat ride,
Buccaneer Bay Water Park, and
restaurant.
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Approximately 50-minutes - 1 hour from
Tampa
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Qualifies for NAVIGATION, PERFECT
BUOYANCY, and NIGHT (during a night-dive event Specialties)
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