What is diving southeastern Florida like?

[Lee Taylor]

Great link and reference Debbie. I like it (and will use it) and I am sure others will also. Love their photos. Good looking website!

 

[The Chairman]

Why pass up Miami?

It's been years since I dove Miami: at least 10. It seems that the Gulf Stream was miles off shore there, making for long boat rides and a deep dive to enjoy it. Also, I have made some great friends in Key Largo. Slate at Atlantis Dive Center and Chris at Silent World are simply awesome. Some other great dives to consider in the Keys: Carysfort Reef and the Banana Reef. Not often done and Silent World is the only op to ever take me out there. Both are pristine which is a rare commodity in Florida.

Now, if you have a few days, and really want to see Florida reefs like they used to be: Catch a ride with Wookie on the MV Spree out to the Dry Tortugas. It's on my "to dive" list and from what I've heard, it's the least impacted reef on this planet. Dive it now before we figure out a way to destroy it!

 

[Jupiter31]

Pete, Miami has some great diving - especially wrecks - also one of the best, most professional operators, RJ Diving, right out of Miami Beach Marina.
(One of the best sites in S. FL, IMO too - called "The Cascades" its a reef system that if you do it right and have a little luck, you finish the dive on the wreck called the "Orion")

While I think Palm Beach county is tops in the state, and the Keys (especially the upper Keys) are world class, I've often felt Miami does not get mentioned as much as it should. Maybe due to the fact many frequent posters live in Broward or PB, and are just not as familiar with Miami diving - I don't know? Its worth diving.

RJ's boat is fast; the sites overall are no further than many in Boynton, West Palm, Jupiter or Ft Lauderdale.

 

[diveprof]

Thanks for the recommendation DiveProf. I looked at the Narcosis website. Looks like a good outfit to me. Nice boat! The stern looks extremely heavy in the photo. May be hauling some unnecessary water. (I looked again, I think its my imagination) Will put them on the list. (long time ago I used the Scuba Club and Abernathy's)

Here is the link in case others want to have a look:

West Palm Beach Dive Trips with Narcosis Dive Charters

I have been diving Jupiter for many years. I don't recall seeing anything that resembled a "wall" or had a title that suggested a wall. That sounds like a dive site that I have not found yet. Which dive boat goes to the "wall"? I usually use Jupiter Dive Center. If they go there, then I was not on the boat that particular day.

Which dive boat or dive shop is Capt Dan and Jim Atria with in Lauderdale? (I like wrecks, reefs, ledges, fossil beds, and drifts)

Thank you for all the references.

ps: I like taking my own flag. Makes for a MUCH better dive in my opinion because you are not constantly occupied with following the flag carrier. It also makes a controlled ascent MUCH easier.

Van (Narcosis) gives you up to an hour of bottom time. He has a very fast boat that handles seas well. The Jupiter "wall" , well I did put it in "". It is more of a miniwall 20-25' high in most places. Still, the closest I've seen to a wall in S. FL. Debby (with a "y") is a good choice for shore dive references in S. FL. (and other dive spots to south of W. Palm). Oh, the Capt. Dan and Jim Atria are wrecks as Debby said. Like her recommendation re boat.

 

[EnriqueL6]

I like you live in the middle of the eastern coast and can feel your pain with the long boat rides to get to dive sites. I grew up in Miami, so have dived in the area a lot. I still do dive there a lot since i have family down there (helps to have a free place to stay).

Haven't done much in Fort Lauderdale or West Palm Beach, but loved the few times I have gone. I mostly did shore dives though since I was younger and well money was an issue and well shore dives only cost you the air...

Miami has a lot of wreck dives and love the diving. The only things I hate about it are the dive boats. When I was younger I used them all the time and now I pretty much refuse to. I always go on my own boat, just because most dive boats pack their boats flowing with people. Most being new divers with arrogance level as if they were master super dupper scuba divers.

Key Largo is another good spot. Plenty of dive shops...you couldn't throw a rock without hitting one. Lots of good reefs and two of my favorite wreck dives (Spiegel Grove and Duane). If you are using a dive charter, there are only a few reefs and wrecks you will go to. If you go on your own private boat or rent one, then there are plenty more reefs and wrecks to go to. Most of the dive sites I find are online and usually I’m the only boat for miles when I go.

The more south in the Florida Keys you go, the worse the diving gets. I've only been to Key West (Southern most key) a few times, but didn't enjoy the diving. Mostly for the same reasons I didn't enjoy the Miami diving, to many people. Maybe if you go on a private boat that would be different. If you enjoy penetrating wrecks, there are quite a few that are easy to penetrate. A few that were prepared for wreck divers. The Keys is also a nice place to be after the diving, unless you like hectic city life….in which case, Miami is your place.

Either way, if you are into reef diving then this is hands down the only place to dive in the continental U.S. If you enjoy wrecks, there are plenty! You can find a lot of them online and go on a private boat.

On my boat I mainly go to Key Largo just because of the bouy system out there. I don't think I have ever used my anchor in Key Largo. Just about every reef and wreck you would ever go to has bouys to attach to. The best part about South Florida is that I’ve never traveled more than 10 miles to get to a dive site.

 

[EnriqueL6]

Sorry for the double post, but didn't see Jupiter's post. I have dove many times with RJ's diving and I agree he probably is the best to go on in Miami. Although I haven't been to all the dive charters in Miami. I rarely use dive charters in Miami. A lot of the dive shops in Miami use RJ to book dive charters with, so if you end up going to a dive shop you'll probably end up on RJ's boat anyways. I still recommend going straight through RJ...you get VIP treatment (i.e. pick where you lay our equipment and if you are anything like me, you like being the first one in the water).

Meet the Crew of RJ Diving Ventures - Miami Beach, Florida USA <---RJ Diving

 

[Lee Taylor]

Added to the list:

Slate at Atlantis Dive Center
Chris at Silent World / Carysfort Reef / Banana Reef
MV Spree / Dry Tortugas
RJ Diving / Miami Beach Marina / Cascades / Orion
Spiegel Grove
Duane

Precisely the type info I needed! Thank YOU

 

[DebbyDiver]

The Spree totally ROCKS, if you get to go with them, you won't be sorry!

 

[yrachmael]

Hey, guys you've helped me alot...I'm thinking of coming to the Boca area...I've been diving the Red Sea from Eilat to sharm-el-shek..which is awesome...I was hoping there was some good diving in Florida !!

 

[Jupiter31]

The Red Sea its not but its still very good!

The New Jersey wreck divers, the California divers MAYBE to the contrary, but FL offers the best in diving in the (continental) USA. IMO!