Visiting Destin next week, any good reef shops?

[raynist]

Will be there from Saturday of this week until Friday of next week. Will mostly be in the Destin/Ft Walton Beach area, but will also be in Panama City one day.

Are there any good shops I should visit?

Thanks
Ray Nist

[TheGriffin]

Welcome to the area Ray! If your interested we are having our club meeting this weekend (Saturday) at the Gulfarium in FWB. We will be getting a behind the scenes tour of the equipment and tanks. It will be from 9:00 am to 12:00. If your interested and can steal yourself away from the family and beach come join us. Take a look at the top thread for details. There are also several posts in that thread on decent reef stores in our area.

Griffin :strooper:

[raynist]

Thanks for the invite, I would love to attend, however I will not be getting to the area until about 6pm Saturday. I am stopping in Atlanta Saturday morning to visit the Georgia aquarium.

Thanks!
Ray Nist

[TheGriffin]

I have heard good thinngs about the Georgia Aquarium. A bit expensive and usually big crowds but great displays. They say the behind the scenes tour for that is pretty good also. Have fun!

[SueQ]

I went the other week when I was there. Yes, a bit pricey but I'd pay it again to be able to sit in front of those tanks!!

[IslandCrow]

Yeah, the Georgia Aquarium is awesome! I even did the behind the scenes tour, which was a lot of fun. I'm not entirely sure it was worth $50, but why not.

Anyway, believe it or not, Destin/Ft. Walton aren't very good places to find a reef shop. There are a couple on the southwest side of Ft. Walton off the Mary Esther cutoff. The first is Petland (415G Mary Esther Cut-Off) and practically across the street, there's Fish Biz (550 Mary Esther Cut-Off). Both are pretty mediocre. If you're heading out towards Pensacola, there are a couple there that are much better.

[60Cubed]

i am so glad i live in p'cola for that reason. my friend moved to atlanta, said corals are crazy priced. i went to birmingham, al, ricordia-$100.00 polyp! that's crazy to me. then i new i had it good!!!!!!!

lance

[Mr James]

The two stores in FWB aren't anything to holler about. So with that, spend your money at McGuires at the foot of the Destin Bridge. Oh man!! Micro-brew, HUGE frickin burgers as well as an awesome menu and a great crowd. Lots of good places to eat down there, but sadly, no fish stores.

[SueQ]

Bring your snorkelling gear! Destin and Navarre are great places to snorkel as you can usually see a ton of cool stuff!

[raynist]

I have my snorkel gear. Where in particular is a good and SAFE place?

Thanks!!!

--Ray

[SueQ]

In FWB/Destin. I don't know exact places. I think my friend said they go to the beach and look for any rock jetty and snorkel that. Just stay away from people fishing. My little bro and I went snorkelling right off the beach in Navarre (just west of FWB) last June and had a blast! You'll be hard pressed to see corals, but the fish are pretty cool!

Edit- Just don't be in the water near dawn or dusk! Sharks only eat tourist here:eek:

[Mr James]

I hear about folks snorkeling below the Destin Bridge (the Jetties or something like that??). But I wouldn't do it alone as the current is very sttrong there. Also, if you are the least bit concerned about sharks (I still have northern blood in me), I would imagine the inlet (to the bay) is the best place to find sharks looking for easy prey, aka, lots of fish. If I were to snorkel, I would go out on one of the many boats for hire around here, until I am comfortable with the waters.

[raynist]

Thanks!

I am actually staying at the Sandestin Bay club.

I am VERY concerned about seeing a shark!!

--Ray

[Gixxer2202]

Me and my wife drive to destin all the time to dive the jetties, it can be hit or miss as far as visibility and current. The biggest thing is timing the tide so that you don't hit a current that pulls you through the pass! We usually see lots of fish, dolphins and other cool critters and every once and awhile a octo. Don't worry about the sharks if you aren't swimming around with gashes or a bloody fish. Although it does seem like the sharks like the foreign blood. HAVE FUN!

[raynist]

The water seems kind of cloudy today as there are lots of waves. Hopefully the water calms down tomorrow and I will head to the jetties.

Are we better off snorkeling when the tide is coming in??

How far out on the jetties do you need to go to see some cool stuff?

Do any corals grow this far north in the gulf?

Thanks
Ray Nist

[Gixxer2202]

raynist I find it to be best vis when tide is coming in that way all the stuff from the bay is not floating by. The vis also is much different from one day to another depending on the winds and storms. The east jeddy is the one that we dive and usually see people pay money to be chartered out right next to us to snorkel. :) Never seen any cool corals.

[raynist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8219673#post8219673 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Gixxer2202
raynist I find it to be best vis when tide is coming in that way all the stuff from the bay is not floating by. The vis also is much different from one day to another depending on the winds and storms. The east jeddy is the one that we dive and usually see people pay money to be chartered out right next to us to snorkel. :) Never seen any cool corals.


Thanks.

WHere is the east jetty in relation to sandestin? I am staying at the Sandestin Resort and Beach Club.

Can you walk out on the jetty and then snorkel?

Thanks
Ray Nist

[raynist]

Also, does it matter what side of the jetty you snorkel on?

I am hoping to go there tomorrow.

Thanks
Ray Nist

[Mr James]

Has anyone heard from Ray today?? I hope he didn't take our advice seriously and dive the jetties. Just kidding Ray!!

[Gixxer2202]

Ray I am not sure exactly where Sandestin is in location but I think it is past destin. I think you have to travel west. You will see the jeddies when you cross over the bridge. I am usually coming from the west and cross over the bridge and you have to take a left at the first main left a couple miles down the road. follow it staying right until you see lots of cars parked on the right along the road. the beach access has a small sign and entrance on the left. Walk the beach to the jeddies and jump in. start with the inside of the one that is shooting toward the center of the pass and work your way around it and up the inside of the long jeddie. Good luck.