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Best Freediving spots in US

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Lyoshka

Lyoshka

Member
Nov 29, 2015
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hey folks :) Ok, here is the reason for this thread - want to figure out great freediving spots in hopes of making of those a place we move to :) Went to the Red Sea with my mom last November for a "nice beach vacation". Never even heard of freediving before. The Red Sea took my heart and my soul and now I'm taking Level 1 FII class in a month. Always loved water and told my husband that when we retire, I want to live by the sea/ocean. After Red Sea, my perspective on a LOT of things has changed..and now i ask myself, "Why when we retire? why not now?" My husband is in IP Telephony and can work from home, so we literally can move anywhere :)

We are actually in the process of putting the house on the market to move closer to a charter school our babies attend in the area...but the thought has crossed my mind to just find a place by ocean and move there now, instead of two big moves. So, we will either move by the school now and move to whatever place by the ocean we decide on within 3-5 years, or *may* just decide to stay put for a year or two and just move to the ocean from here :)

I figured that I should start with a list of the best freediving spots in the continental US. Then will narrow it down by work/school/etc etc, and make a short list of possible places to move to :)

so.... give me your suggestions on amazing freediving places to visit or move to!
 
....and if this isn't the best place for this thread, feel free to move it where it belongs ;)
 
Depends on what kind of diving you are interested in. For a spearo willing to travel offshore, Wilmington should be great. If you are not a spearo, consider Central Florida, say Orlando. There are an abundance of springs to dive in, some quite deep, all very clear, some are truly spectacular,no boat required. Water is 68-72 degrees. If you like salt water, Palm Beach to Miami to the Keys is a good area. You need a boat, but not much of one.
 
cdavis said:
Depends on what kind of diving you are interested in. For a spearo willing to travel offshore, Wilmington should be great. If you are not a spearo, consider Central Florida, say Orlando. There are an abundance of springs to dive in, some quite deep, all very clear, some are truly spectacular,no boat required. Water is 68-72 degrees. If you like salt water, Palm Beach to Miami to the Keys is a good area. You need a boat, but not much of one.
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Hi there... thanks for your reply. Well, right now I'm a total newb. Taking my Level I freediving class in early july and one of the guys there promised to teach me the basics of spearfishing.

The reason we are very hesitant about FL is the heat. I'm sure there are beautiful places to swim and dive, but we don't like the oppressive summer heat and really like the idea of being outdoors most of the year. Also want to grow veggies and such, which I'm guessing is going to be impossible in FL heat. So while freediving and spearfishing are HUGELY important to me, I also have to consider what we want as a family. NC seems to have still a very warm climate, but milder than FL. We like the idea of having so many beautiful things in our backyard-ocean, mountains, etc (well, not really backyard...).

now.... since I've never been to NC and we are discussing possibly moving there this august, if our house here sells fast enough... can you tell me more about freediving and spearfishing possibilities around Wilmington? I'm gathering I'd need a boat for hunt, are the charters plenty? Is it easy to get a group together to go out? Is there a freediving/spearfishing community in Wilmington that I could be a part of? What should I expect?
 
I'm not the guy to describe NC diving. I know there is some excellent stuff offshore, mostly deep, but that's it. The offshore stuff will take a lot of boat, 50 grand is about the minimum investment you would need. Charters I don't know about, other than they will probably be pricy.

On climate, you are right to be concerned with Florida heat, it can be bad. Coastal NC is just as hot as Florida in the worst of summer, but the heat doesn't last near as long, reasonable winters, nice fall and spring. Seasonal growing pattern is different in Florida. Veggies don't grow in Florida in summer, do real well in winter.
 
cdavis said:
I'm not the guy to describe NC diving. I know there is some excellent stuff offshore, mostly deep, but that's it. The offshore stuff will take a lot of boat, 50 grand is about the minimum investment you would need. Charters I don't know about, other than they will probably be pricy.

On climate, you are right to be concerned with Florida heat, it can be bad. Coastal NC is just as hot as Florida in the worst of summer, but the heat doesn't last near as long, reasonable winters, nice fall and spring. Seasonal growing pattern is different in Florida. Veggies don't grow in Florida in summer, do real well in winter.
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thanks for your reply. Definitely not buying a boat.. have contacted a couple of people to see how it all works on a local level. According to the forums, jetties are decent for both freediving and spearfishing, and the large fish-have to go out. Hopefully, there is a freediving/spearo community in Wilmington. trying to figure that out currently....
 
Southern CA? Water can be cold, but surface temps are great year round, and the heat is dry. There's a strong spearing/diving community, too. Lots of options if you have a boat that can get out to the islands.
 
Given where you have been diving, I don't think jetty diving (I've done a bunch) will satisfy. Ok if its the first time, but, it won't hold you after the Red Sea.
 
How's Kona vibe? Is there a secret Kona freediving group somewhere? Months ago I was on Maui, I thought it was going to be epic, but it didn't seem people were keen to line dive training. The water was nice, clear and deep though.
 
Florida is probably going to have your most variety of choices in regards to freediving. The large abundance of springs are in Central and Northern Florida and just sheer number of them is remarkable, not to mention their stunning clarity and constant annual temperatures. Places like Ginnie Springs and Silver Glen Springs are some of the clearest water I've ever seen in my life and make for amazing cave freediving. They hang around generally the same area of the state along with dozens of other great springs to freedive. There's also great freediving in the Keys and areas offshore on the Gulf and Atlantic side of Florida so you can enjoy some salty freediving as well.

I have a hard time believing anywhere will have more diversity of choices than Florida in the continental United States when it comes to freediving.

Best of Luck with your choice and I'm sure you'll find somewhere to enjoy freediving regardless of where you choose.
 
cdavis said:
Given where you have been diving, I don't think jetty diving (I've done a bunch) will satisfy. Ok if its the first time, but, it won't hold you after the Red Sea.
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To be honest, I think nothing would compare after the Red Sea. My only saving grace is that I didn't even know what freediving was when I was there and I spent most of my time snorkeling by the reefs by the hotel and only started doing some shallow dives toward the end of our week there. If i went back now, I'd want to go explore all the best diving sites and I know those would be a million times more breathtaking than hotel reefs :)
 
roehm said:
Florida is probably going to have your most variety of choices in regards to freediving. The large abundance of springs are in Central and Northern Florida and just sheer number of them is remarkable, not to mention their stunning clarity and constant annual temperatures. Places like Ginnie Springs and Silver Glen Springs are some of the clearest water I've ever seen in my life and make for amazing cave freediving. They hang around generally the same area of the state along with dozens of other great springs to freedive. There's also great freediving in the Keys and areas offshore on the Gulf and Atlantic side of Florida so you can enjoy some salty freediving as well.

I have a hard time believing anywhere will have more diversity of choices than Florida in the continental United States when it comes to freediving.

Best of Luck with your choice and I'm sure you'll find somewhere to enjoy freediving regardless of where you choose.
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thank you for the info! I think we have settled on Wilmington, NC. I know the freediving from shore would be better in FL, but we feel FL is kind of hot for us and NC would suit our family's outdoor tendencies better :) I have connected with an FII instructor in Wilmington (Joe Sheridan) and he said there is a free divers' community in Wilmington, so I am sure it will be fun to dive and hunt.
 
roehm said:
That's sounds good, enjoy your time in NC!
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thank you!! your description of Florida freediving spots makes me want to go take a few trips there, once we get settled in.... those underwater caves sound amazing!
 
Hi everyone, I was hoping to reopen this thread.

In the next two years I want to go back to the US. I am based in Beijing and I have done some training in Thailand a few times. I'm eager to become an instructor and possibly start teaching freediving part time when I return to the states.

I'd like to make use of the community and see what everyone thinks of these two questions:

Where in the States could offer these conditions for freediving?
  1. freediving can be done year-round
  2. dive sites are accessible without a boat
  3. there is reasonable depth
  4. there is not already a lot of extreme competition with other freedive shops

What are the top freediving locations in the States besides the following?
  • Freshwater springs close to Orlando, FLorida
  • Wilmington North Carolina
  • Lake Tahoe
Thanks a lot for the help!
 
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