Alabama

Shelby County

Divers will travel far and wide to find the best diving. But those who live in the United States have plenty of great diving on their doorstep as well, with plentiful access to the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. From warm-water reefs to temperate seas, here are some of the top places to scuba dive in the United States.

United States

Snorkeling, Scuba all levels and training.  Many "dive sites"  Full dive shop, coffee shop, Changing rooms, showers, etc.

20 minutes South of Birmingham.
Address is 100 Industrial Park Drive, Pelham, Alabama 35124

Blue Water is also known as Blue Water Scuba Park, Alabama Blue Water Adventures.

Pelham

Blue Water

I was certified here, and as far as it goes it was a pretty good setup.  There was a small dive shop for small things that may have been forgotten, and they did refill tanks.  There was also an area for kids or non-divers to sit and watch the action from above.  In the water, there is several wrecked vehicles (one, a 65 Mustang was supposedly Janis Joplin's, don't know how true that was!) , boats, a school bus, 2 fire trucks and several other odd attractions.  And a few fish too!  Visibility varies, as more people come and go the water gets murkier, but it had pretty good visibility.  Web address is http://divealabama.com/

I-65 to exit 246, Pelham…  Take a right at the light, follow signs for 31S. Turn Left at Pelham   Parkway (still following 31 S). Turn Right on Industrial Park Drive, you will see the huge dive sign.  Park is on left past sign.

Blue Water Adventure



  Easy access to water on north end of quarry. Decks make for easy entry and exit. There is an upper deck for sunning/relaxing between dives right at the north entry and also provides shade for divers getting ready. There are ladders and steps for entry and exit. 

Dive land park



Lime Quarry Rd, Madison, AL 35758. This site is owned by the city of Madison, it is currently not in Operation.

Madison Aquatic & Recreation Park is also known as Rock divers.

Madison Aquatic & Recreation Park

This flooded quarry is privately owned and just opened June 3/06 for diving business.  Facilities are still under development with the owners currently operating out of trailers.  A variety of services are available but call ahead to give them time to source what you need.    The water is warm for the first 20 feet, then drops quickly to 45F.  Visibility starts as poor (10-30') at the surface and goes quickly to very poor (<6').  A few submerged platforms and a nice wooden entry point with stairs are already in place (June 10/06).  On the far side of the quarry is an antique crane/shovel resting in 40' of cold cold water.  You might bump into it before seeing it.    Dark 130+ foot depths are good for intermediate and advanced training, but might scare beginners silly.  The shallows (above the 20' thermocline) offer poor to average vis and warm water.  Dive Haven is 2 hours closer to Atlanta than any other option for blowing bubbles.  The owners intend to sink some attractions including a plane, a boat, and a truck.  As brush is bring cleared the vis is slowly improving too.

Dive Haven GA (http://www.divehavega.com) is a short trip north of Atlanta, located in White GA.  Take exit 293 off I-75 and head east three miles.  Turn left immediately after the tracks then left again at the T intersection.  Dive Haven is 1/4 mile down on the right hand side.

Dive Haven

There is another shore dive location in the Atlanta area that a lot of instructors use for rescue diving and other train. IE are also done there as well. It is in Lake Lanier called West Bank. There is parking near by and a bath house. This cove is closed to boat traffic. A lot of dive master have used this site for mapping projects.

West Bank, Lake Lanier



VORTEX Springs in Ponce De Leon FL.  It is a natural spring and mostly around 70 degrees.  It boasts Gin Clear vis!  There is a cavern there and some swim throughs.

Vortex Springs

WARNING!! Water is rather chilly. Wet suit recommended! ;D But rather nice, anyway.

Its easy! Just pay park admission, park, and walk up the path to the springs, surrounded by concrete.

Ponce De Leon Springs is also known as De Leon springs.

Ponce De Leon Springs

Once a commercial dive operation site, Morrison Springs is now a Walton County recreation park.  Bought by the State of Florida in 2004, it is now a no fee area.  The dive area is an about 250 foot wide spring basin surrounded by a grove of cypress and other trees.  Entry is sand gently sloped entry into the water.   Water levels vary, but at approximately 18 to 25 feet, there is a training platform resting on the bottom of the basin.    In the center of the basin, there is a funnel shaped entrance to the cavern area.   A large tree trunk rests across this opening.   Down the funnel is a small cavern room at about 35 feet and a large cavern room at about 50 feet.  Depths can reach about 90 feet in the large cavern room.  Water temps stay constant at about 65-68 degrees all year due to the spring.   Facilities include bench areas, a bath house and restrooms, a covered picnic pavilion, a freshwater wash-down shower and some large floodlights.  The area is also a popular launch place for local fishermen, who will launch boats in the same area as the divers.   For this reason, a dive flag should be towed with the diver while in the dive basin.  Caution should be noted anytime you surface as boaters don't always follow dive flag rules.  As of October 2005, the county is meeting and planning upgrades to the facilities and also a separate boat launch area to separate divers and boaters.   While this won't keep all boaters out of the basin, it will create a much safer dive environment.  Nearest Dive Shop and Air Fills: Vortex Springs - http://www.vortexspring.com/ 10 miles away.  Other sites that have information or pictures or maps. <br>http://www.dep.state.fl.us/springs/locator/Morrison.htm <br>http://underwaterflorida.homestead.com/morrison.html <br>http://www.floridacaves.com/morrison.htm <br>http://tfn.net/Springs/Morrison.htm

Location: South of Ponce de Leon, Florida GPS coordinates N30.6578 W85.9056  Directions: Morrison Spring is south of the town of Ponce de Leon, Florida.  Take I-10 and exit at Hwy 81 in Ponce de Leon. Go south on Florida Hwy 81. Turn left (east) on County Road 181. (look for a pavilion/shed in field with a Blue roof)   Take CR-181 and turn  right onto Morrison Springs Road. You will soon come to a fork in the road. Keep left and proceed to the spring.  The road will dead end in the springs parking lot.  Google Maps location: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=N30.6578+W85.9056&spn=0.048180,0.095645&t=h&iwloc=A&hl=en

Morrison Springs



3.5 miles northeast of Vernon; Washington County, FL

Cypress Spring

Great spring to fall dive.  Summer water temperatures get into 80's, summer thermocline 25'.  Two training platforms, dock or walk in entry.  Lots of fresh water fish.  Air on site, not mixing EANx last time I was there.  Equipment rentals.  Winter diving on request.  Beats driving to Alabama from Atlanta for diving.

East Northeast from Athens, Tennessee; just north to Englewood. Address is 116 County Road 420 - Athens, TN 37303.


Blue Water

Snorkeling and Scuba Diving at Blue Water