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Best Places to Dive in South Florida
- Thread starter BradMM
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OP
Thanks all! Time of year, have to work around our own work requirements so summer or possibly short visit in Dec.
As for springs, I've been to one of the springs but son is major cold intolerant... like his mom.
Sounds like I need to give the Jupiter - WPB area another try.
As for springs, I've been to one of the springs but son is major cold intolerant... like his mom.
Sounds like I need to give the Jupiter - WPB area another try.
sportxlh
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I've got a little over 600 dives from Jupiter down to the Keys and over to the Dry Tortugas. Visibility will vary day to day and sometimes hour to hour. I'd say vis is usually 60 + feet in SE Florida and the Keys but many times can be 100 + feet. But then again, sometimes it will be less than 20 feet: though that doesn't happen often. When it comes to Caribbean diving, I've only dove in the Bahamas and I thought vis was generally comparable.
Most of the drift diving is from Boynton up to Jupiter since that is where the gulf stream runs closest to the shore. Usually the current is mild, but occasionally can be 2 or 3 knots or is non-existent. It's usually very manageable. You can do drift dives in Pompano or the Keys occasionally too but the current is usually pretty light.
I think you should give WPB another shot. Try Jupiter, Pompano and the Keys too. Gulf diving is fun enough but not nearly as rewarding as SE FL
Most of the drift diving is from Boynton up to Jupiter since that is where the gulf stream runs closest to the shore. Usually the current is mild, but occasionally can be 2 or 3 knots or is non-existent. It's usually very manageable. You can do drift dives in Pompano or the Keys occasionally too but the current is usually pretty light.
I think you should give WPB another shot. Try Jupiter, Pompano and the Keys too. Gulf diving is fun enough but not nearly as rewarding as SE FL
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OP
sportxlh, I definitely want to check our Blue Heron Bridge and will give the area another shot. That was why I posted this, to get feedback from the experienced divers of the area.
Living in Texas, it USED TO BE really cheap to fly down to Cozumel and stay at an all-inclusive. I've gotten four nights, all you can eat, drink and air fare for $350. Not any longer. Fuel prices messed that up. Anyway, the viz is normally 100'+. We went down there every summer for close to 20 year and I simply stopped logging dives. I was certified in 1991 but just stopped logging for years. I also did a lot of snorkeling cause you can see so much that way with just a little free diving. It wasn't until recently when I started working on advanced cert's that I started logging again.
Have been going to Bonaire more lately although have been to Belize, Caymans and some other Caribe locations.
Living in Texas, it USED TO BE really cheap to fly down to Cozumel and stay at an all-inclusive. I've gotten four nights, all you can eat, drink and air fare for $350. Not any longer. Fuel prices messed that up. Anyway, the viz is normally 100'+. We went down there every summer for close to 20 year and I simply stopped logging dives. I was certified in 1991 but just stopped logging for years. I also did a lot of snorkeling cause you can see so much that way with just a little free diving. It wasn't until recently when I started working on advanced cert's that I started logging again.
Have been going to Bonaire more lately although have been to Belize, Caymans and some other Caribe locations.
TF-Rick
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It is hard to argue with any of the above posts. Lots of great sites in Palm Beach County.
That said, Broward county (I believe) offers equally good sites, with some very interesting artificial reefs/wrecks. We tend to have less current here with beautiful visibility. Diving is pretty awesome year round here, but be aware that November thru February we can get some strong easterly winds that can kick up the seas for a week or two at a time.
That said, Broward county (I believe) offers equally good sites, with some very interesting artificial reefs/wrecks. We tend to have less current here with beautiful visibility. Diving is pretty awesome year round here, but be aware that November thru February we can get some strong easterly winds that can kick up the seas for a week or two at a time.
CajunDiva
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Nikole
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You can always walk in from the beach in ft lauderdale where the reef starts at about 100yards, and dive and there are 3 reef lines.. The first at 100 yards you cross that and hit a Sandy bottom and then you'll reach the second reef, press over that o sand then you get to the third. Or take a boat to see some wrecks.. South Florida diving headquarters does boat trips (catamaran) to the reefs and wrecks Chk their website.. There are places to see in this area if u don't want to go to the keys but key Largo is just another hour from Miami just be prepared to pay the tolls.
There's no "better", there's just "different" and even different days, different times of day, will be "better" or "worse" or "different".
You're getting a lot of good discussion on this topic. I'd like to point out that in addition to charter diving, there is only one place in the continental USA that you can make a beach dive and swim out to a living coral reef. That is Broward County, Florida. Even there you'll find divers debating over which city has the best diving! Lauderdale-by-the-Sea welcomes beach divers so much that their beach portals have special benches for gearing up. I made hundreds and hundreds of beach dives in the Hollywood area before it got all built up, making parking difficult, but there are still many people who dive there on a regular basis. Fort Lauderdale and Pompano Beach have fewer access points but some of the most exotic and exciting close-in reefs.
Gold Coast Scuba shop in Lauderdale by the Sea specializes in beach diving, they are well worth visiting.
If you charter dive in Broward County, there are at least a dozen top notch companies to choose from. My personal favorite is Sea Experience out of Bahia Mar. Catamaran, meaning it's roomy and stable, and 4-stroke engines are quiet and smoke free. Best crew in SoFla!
You're getting a lot of good discussion on this topic. I'd like to point out that in addition to charter diving, there is only one place in the continental USA that you can make a beach dive and swim out to a living coral reef. That is Broward County, Florida. Even there you'll find divers debating over which city has the best diving! Lauderdale-by-the-Sea welcomes beach divers so much that their beach portals have special benches for gearing up. I made hundreds and hundreds of beach dives in the Hollywood area before it got all built up, making parking difficult, but there are still many people who dive there on a regular basis. Fort Lauderdale and Pompano Beach have fewer access points but some of the most exotic and exciting close-in reefs.
Gold Coast Scuba shop in Lauderdale by the Sea specializes in beach diving, they are well worth visiting.
If you charter dive in Broward County, there are at least a dozen top notch companies to choose from. My personal favorite is Sea Experience out of Bahia Mar. Catamaran, meaning it's roomy and stable, and 4-stroke engines are quiet and smoke free. Best crew in SoFla!
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