Free-dive Destin, Fl

One of the draws to Destin, Fl is the clear water. With the continental shelf swinging in close to dry land the place is perfect for fishing, scuba diving, and my favorite, Free-diving.  The water where anything to see is relatively deep so this sport is not for the entry level free diver. Most of the natural bottom or artificial reefs that have any fish on them are in eighty feet of water or deeper. In other places in Florida, like Key West, one could easily find reef to snorkel on to see an large range of fish. Here in Destin only a few places exist where that can be done. The jetties, out on Crab Island, and something we call the intake grate. For more info check out Destin Snorkel.

Don’t be discouraged. If you are a scuba diver or are ready to take it to the next level you can take a level one free-dive class offered by Benthic Ocean Sports right here in Destin. It is a two day class that takes place both on the water and in the classroom. You will learn the dynamics of correct breathing, how to weight yourself safely, and the science behind this sport. After the classroom the group will head to the pool to practice static breathing where most everyone will get to a three minute breath hold. Once the group gets comfortable with this the open ocean is next. Where you will get some time in the big blue diving down on a marked, weighted line to see how much depth you can get.

Once you take a safety test, which has a 100% pass rate, you are free to safely dive as you wish. Here in Destin, Fl we go for a few different species of fish.  On the bottom we target Grouper, trigger, and snapper. Out in the blue water we target wahoo, tuna, and mahi mahi. If you are already a diver give the guys at Benthic a call and see if anyone is going out so you can jump onboard and check the area out.