Ft Lauderdale / Pompano Beach Dive Thread

[Jollymon32]

It is easier to understand if you work west from the third reef.

There are sand patches between the reefs - sometimes very large (between 2nd and third reef), sometimes small (in this area between 1st and second), and sometimes there are sand patches within the same reef structure, this is what you see at the first reef at LBTS. I read somewhere that you can tell the second reef because of the flat limestone formation at the shallowest portion of the second reef.

The blue line is the straight line from SeaWatch restaurant to the Copenhagen.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Interesting. This is how I learned the reef lines

 

[Jollymon32]

Interesting. This is how I learned the reef lines

Sure, but for reference, look at the Copenhagen, it is located on the second reef line.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

??

 

[Catito]

some told me that what the map calls reef line 1 and 2 is all "the first reef", and that the long swim out that you mentioned is to "the second reef".

sounds like you would agree with the terms on the map though, so that's good to know.

We’ve called the red star the second reef

 

[Jollymon32]

??

In the diagram, there is a blue line from shore to the Copenhagen wreck. The Copenhagen wreck lies on the second reef. The area you called the first reef contains the wreck of the Copenhagen, as such, your diagram is wrong.

 

[VsubT]

Dived with Hydrotherapy out of Hillsboro inlet today on the Hydro Atlantic. Topside was a little bouncy at ~3' with occasional larger waves, but manageable. Captain John and mate Josh did a good job of dropping us south of the wreck, but the current wasn't as much as expected and it took about 5 minutes of north swimming to reach the bow. I stopped swimming to see if there was any push to the south (reversed current), and from watching the bottom there seemed to be a very light south current deeper than 100'. There was a noticeable thermocline - 82F at the surface and 70F at the bottom, with an abrupt change at 75-80' depth. Visibility was 40-50', which didn't help while looking for the wreck. Vis seemed to get a bit better once on the wreck itself.

Highlights included several large lionfish:

A school of mostly juvenile midnight parrotfish:

A good sized hogfish (estimate 22"+):

Watching the team on scooters do their thing:

And a decent sized goliath grouper hanging out off the starboard side (no pic). Total run time was 61 minutes with 28 of that on deco. Fun times.

Lance

 

[Johnoly]

..... 82F at the surface and 70F at the bottom, with an abrupt change at 75-80' depth. Visibility was 40-50',

Nice Picts & Thank you for the conditions !! The upwellings this year are much earlier than the usual late July occurrences.

 

[bassplayer]

Went for a dive today at Datura in LBTS to use up a leftover half tank.

There was enough of a shore break that some sort of surfing lessons were happening, not so rough as to make the entry or exit overly challenging though.

Water was cloudy near shore. temp 84, visibility probably 25 feet, rising as i went east. lots of people out snorkeling and diving, and I thought more fish than usual.

Highlight for me was that a spotted eagle ray came and did a couple of circles around me as i was coming in, right by the closest buoy to the costa del sol hotel.

(vertical video with not the best clarity, apologies)

 

[Johnoly]

Highlight for me was that a spotted eagle ray

Nice up-close video,,,Thanks for the conditions!!