Question BHB nighttime access?

[Craine]

HI all! I had a (potentially dumb) question as a non-local (FL gulf coast) diver. I’m headed over to BHB on Wednesday/Thursday next week (11/16-17) for the mid-afternoon high tides. I do photography and want the bright afternoon light. I am hoping to also get a late night/super early morning dive in as well for the nighttime creatures.

@schuylerclark mentioned that overnight diving might be possible so long as you stay off of Phil Foster Park land.

We opted not to dive at night since the night high tides were in the small hours from 2-4 AM, though I understand the access from the hotel makes that possible as long as you don't set foot on land in the park.

The PBC page on Phil Foster Park notes that diving is sunrise to sunset, but I’m not sure if that’s the water or the park itself.

Diving is permitted from sunrise to sunset outside of the guarded swimming area.

Does anyone local have a good take on whether nighttime diving is permitted, so long as you don’t touch the land?

 

[tursiops]

The Park is definitely closed, and I note that Palm Beach county claims jurisdiction over the water at the east end, over to your hotel. Have you asked Pura Vida or Force-e about diving from the hotel in the middle of the night?
In any case, you will want to time your dive very carefully; if you are over close to the park and stay a bit long, the currents might be tough for getting back to your hotel.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

You can sign up at Pura Vida for a night dive.. you'd have to check they're schedule.. it's more like a dusk dive, I think out by a certain time? 9? Maybe 10?

It's free.. I did it. They never asked for any cards or solo cards, I was by myself. It was pretty great.. 1 manatee and eels were my highlights.

 

[Craine]

Yeah, I’ve done night dives through Pura Vida before, but they (nor Force-E) are doing night dives the evening I’ll be there because of the tides. They typically only do a night dive on the evenings where a high tide is around 730-9p, where the night in question will be more like 2:30a.

I am not staying in that hotel myself (that was another member in another thread), instead I’m going to be “camping“ in my truck near by. I’m mostly trying to figure out if it’s worth and/or possible to find a way into the water in the dead of night, so I can get those sweet, sweet nocturnal activity photo ops, without facing the flashlight of a sheriff on my exit.

 

[schuylerclark]

I have no idea about the legality of nighttime access from the hotel, but it was done by others the nights we were there. My assumption is that a navigable waterway is open to the public at all times of the day, but perhaps there are areas where that’s not true?

 

[VsubT]

I’ve heard that folks sometimes use boats to access the BHB area during high tides that are well after park hours. Sounds similar to what you’re asking. Have fun!

Lance

 

[tekkydiver]

I’ve heard that folks sometimes use boats to access the BHB area during high tides that are well after park hours. Sounds similar to what you’re asking. Have fun!

Lance

When tides are favorable, collectors go out on private boats at night