shallow dives in SE Florida or Keys

[FullThrottle]

It turns out that everything is a dire threat to the coral reefs which have persisted for eons through ice ages and warm periods, with disease organisms present the whole time...

Cold Water Bleaching Event (oh my!)
First Florida Cold-water Bleaching Event in 30 Years

 

[ranchonodinero]

So, to get us back on topic... Kinda same boat here-haven't been wet in almost 2 years, but have advanced open water certs and round 150 dives and we own our own equipment but will be renting this trip. Amoray? The operator at the State park? Islamarada dive center? I like the shallower dives-seems like I read one of them was only 25 feet?

Thanks!

 

[Barnaby'sDad]

There are plenty of shallow (~30’) dive opportunities in the upper keys (Key Largo, Islamorada, etc.).

Check out Rainbow Reef out of Key Largo. A good chunk of their dives are on beginner (or divers that haven’t been in the water in a while) friendly/shallow reef dives.

 

[FullThrottle]

So, to get us back on topic... Kinda same boat here-haven't been wet in almost 2 years, but have advanced open water certs and round 150 dives and we own our own equipment but will be renting this trip. Amoray? The operator at the State park? Islamarada dive center? I like the shallower dives-seems like I read one of them was only 25 feet?

Thanks!

Probably the best reef in the Keys is Looe Key, which has been a protected sanctuary since 1981, before the other SPAs were established. I generally see more and bigger stuff there than at most other keys reefs, including Pennekamp reefs. You can't hardly dive there without seeing Caribbean reef sharks and/or big jewfish. There are dive operations and boat rentals in the BPK area that you could use.

 

[archman]

I recommend that people genuinely interested in coral reef health investigate more thoroughly what the professional experts are reporting, rather than relying on personal observations.

 

[DeepSeaExplorer]

If I were on my way to the Keys, I would skip the Blue Heron Bridge. It’s an ok spot if it’s to rough to go out on a boat, but that’s it.

 

[DennisS]

I started diving the keys in the early 70's the change to the reefs has been catastrophic in one generation. I apologize for not giving credit for the photo but I forgot where I got it.

 

[deeper thoughts]

The coral has taken some hits and hopefully will improve as time goes by. The fish life so far is the best i have ever seen here.
I have been diving here since 92 and on some reefs have hundreds of dives
Please check my threads to see examples of the abundant fish life and reef conditions where we dive frequently

 

[Trigger-F]

There's a lot of acropora thickets at 15 feet depth off Pompano Beach right before the Drop off. Two years ago Irma broke most of them but now I counted more than 100 thickets in 1 dive(some 3 feet across, so they are growing rapidly). I know further down by LBS(close to the Copenhagen shipwreck) there's a large field with A. Cerviconis but not sure what condition they've been after Irma. Nonetheless, it is encouraging to see these acros growing back (thank god for the gulf stream). I also spotted an A.Palmata / Elkhorn at the Drop Off growing and looking healthy (see footage at 7:57).


The acros at Carysfort reef off Key Largo were affected mainly by diseases/pathogens around 1986-1988. Sewage outfall pipes discharging partially treated effluent or 'raw' sewage at 90-100F depth (there's 4 left in South FL), as well as old septic tanks that leak (i.e. Broward cty still has 56K septic tanks), are the main reason INMO for this stony coral decline. Now scientists are changing their tune that 'high nitrogen levels' is the primary factor for stony coral death. To understand better, high nitrogen levels are found in 'manure' (you get the idea).

South Florida dumps partially treated human waste offshore, but it's cleaning up its act

 

[FullThrottle]

I recommend that people genuinely interested in coral reef health investigate more thoroughly what the professional experts are reporting, rather than relying on personal observations.

Who you gonna trust? The experts or your own lying eyes?