DS Diving Service
Jacksonville, Florida
History & Legacy For over 70 years, the Ponce family has owned and operated the Conch House Marina Resort, one of St. Augustine's most storied waterfront properties. The Ponce family, one of the oldest families in the United States, has called St. Augustine home for more than 400 years and built a hospitality legacy stretching back over 150 years, beginning with Ponces Sweet Shop and later the Old Dutch Tavern on Anastasia Boulevard. In 1946, Jimmy and Jackie Ponce purchased the present-day property, once a Coast Guard gunnery station, and opened it as a four-room hotel called Ponces By The Sea. Today, under continued family ownership, the Conch House carries that history forward as a full-service marina resort in the heart of historic St. Augustine.
Marina & Dockage The Conch House Marina is a 200 wet slip marina located on the scenic Salt Run channel just off the Intracoastal Waterway, roughly 3,000 feet from the inlet. Designated a Florida Clean Marina, the property offers daily, monthly, and annual slip rentals for vessels of all sizes, backed by 30, 50, and 100 amp electrical service, a fuel dock with gas and diesel, a pump-out system, and 24-hour security with locked gates and video surveillance. For boats that call the marina home for extended stays, DS Diving's underwater hull cleaning keeps hulls and running gear free of marine growth without ever leaving the slip.
Resort Amenities Beyond dockage, the Conch House Marina Resort offers guests a swimming pool, ship's store, laundry and shower facilities, and a 17-unit on-site motel for boaters who want to extend their stay on land. The resort's award-winning seafood restaurant and cocktail lounge round out the experience, giving boaters, guests, and locals alike a true waterfront destination rather than just a place to dock.
Fishing Charters The Conch House Marina is home to Conch House Sportfishing Charters, offering half and full day sportfishing trips offshore, inshore, and in the Gulfstream. Experienced, professional captains guide guests after Marlin, Sailfish, Wahoo, and Dolphin fish in the offshore waters off St. Augustine, Florida. Charter fleets that run frequently benefit from regular running gear maintenance, and DS Diving's underwater prop pulling service can pull and reinstall a damaged propeller while the boat stays in the water, keeping charters on schedule.
Fishing Tournaments The Conch House Marina Resort hosts a lineup of annual fishing tournaments that draw anglers from across the region, including the Conch House Wahoo Challenge, Mahi Madness Tournament, Billfish Invitational, and Sailfish Cup. These tournaments have become a staple of the St. Augustine sportfishing calendar, adding to the marina's reputation as a hub for serious anglers and weekend fishing enthusiasts alike. Anglers who lose gear or equipment overboard during a tournament can also call on DS Diving's search and recovery divers, who handle everything from small item recovery to cargo and equipment recovery.
