# free diving



## Bump_N_Twitch (Mar 4, 2011)

i was out at ft pickens pier and saw some scuba divers walking up to the parking lot as i was going out to fish and it really got me thinking. i think it would be pretty cool to get into diving but im a college kid and dont have the funds to gear up with all the wetsuit, tanks and everything thats neededd for full on scuba diving. whats yals opinions on just free diving? just a mask and flippers? is there any cool places to go around here? im new to all this and would love to hear some opinions :thumbup:


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## yakfisher (Mar 10, 2011)

snorkeling is your best bet for cheap fun although they re are much better places than p-cola ya could get decent fins, booties , mask an snorkel for around 250.00 the best places to go is wrecks and by piers (dangerous though)


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## Bump_N_Twitch (Mar 4, 2011)

well im around the pcola/destin area. ive been snorkeling before in port st joe but it was shallow and we were scallopin so not much for just swimmin around haha. id like to go around a wreck or something like that


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## Pierce07 (Nov 13, 2007)

Me and OnGrade are getting into free diving more and more. Don't let it fool you it's expensive also. You won't spend near as much as you would for SCUBA but you're still looking at 300 just for mask, decent freediving fins, and a decent snorkel. I'd also recommend a reel for your speargun or float and line. Just depends what you plan on targeting.


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## OnGrade (Aug 7, 2009)

Also be aware that there arent very many places you can just slip in off the beach and shoot stuff. You can not hunt near any fishing pier, bridge, national park, or public beach. Pretty much the closest place to go is Alabama Point in Orange Beach. Youll need an AL fishing license and a spearfishing tag. Good luck with it. Learn the basics before you bring a gun anyway and learn the rules, where you can go, what you need, what you can and cant shoot...


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## Bump_N_Twitch (Mar 4, 2011)

what about the destin jetties? thats technically not really a pier haha. i was just gonna go out and look around at whats out there before i start doin anything else.


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## OnGrade (Aug 7, 2009)

I would not bring a gun if I were you. Like I said before, public beach, but its your call. Also, before you get in the water id go watch what the water is doing. If you havent been there before itll be hard to understand but it easily can have a 5+ kt current and youll want to catch it on an incoming tide. Also, have a plan for if you get swept out or in. A 5kt wind isnt much, but with water being more dense than air, it would be like standing in a 50kt wind. Just be careful, the water should be clear, and if you bring a gun, get ready to have the FWC give you a boat ride. Make sure you have a flag. Good luck.


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## bigrick (Sep 29, 2010)

You'd get a ticket before you even hit the water anywhere in destin if you try to bring a gun and x2 on everything said above but I will add that the most important thing is to check the tides, this will determine where it's safe to go and what the clearity and currents will generally be doing. You might be able to to some deeper docks in the bay and be legal. The last part of the incoming tide is going to be the best time to go when the bay is full of seawater and you can see good.


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