Blue Heron Bridge featured in Alert Diver

[Pipehorse]

Got the issue; haven't read the article yet. The excessive visitation the sites gets raises an interesting question: how difficult would it be to somewhat duplicate it, even on a smaller scale?

I'm not talking about making a new major bridge. I've dove BHB once, and St. Croix's Frederiksted Pier once. Both are famous, and have something big in common...pilings, columns, whatever you want to call them. That's what things grow on. I saw a number of things at BHB that weren't directly on pilings, but the structure draws in animals seeking shelter, prey, etc...

So let's say a city wanted a similar dive area. Pick a somewhat sheltered region right off shore, and put in something functionally similar to the pilings. Might not have to be multiple giant concrete cylinders; just as a bicycle frame works with hollow pipes, perhaps the project would work with something cheaper. I don't know what materials would work best.

So far, when I hear 'artificial reef,' I think of deliberately sunken wrecks (which are very expensive and sunken in much deeper water) or clusters of discarded tires (which didn't work and made a mess, plus hermit crabs are prone to die in them).

I'm not saying a city could completely recreate the BHB experience for divers (and let's be clear, they'd include fishermen; maybe there could be different sections), but how much is feasible?

Interesting idea. There are some unique geographical points of reference that you would not necessary find in other areas, so it would be hard to recreate. The eastern most point of Florida is located on the north jetty of the inlet just south and east of Phil Foster Park, just a little less than a mile away as the crow (or Pelican if you like) files. The constantly changing tide, large tidal prism, and proximity to Gulf Stream results in a large advection of species that would be difficult to duplicate anywhere. Also the continental shelf along the trailing edge continents is usually very wide, not the case just east of that inlet. Continental shelf only has a width of 5-8 miles off that inlet, so in addition to the Gulf Stream there is exceedingly deep water (far greater than the 200 meter depth of continental shelf) not far away. I am not sure exactly how, but the mix of saltwater and brackish water also has an affect on what species show up there. Just north of the bridge is the terminus to Lake Worth Lagoon, there is a ton of mangroves just a few miles away, since the mangroves are a nursey for all manner of species, I am sure this helps with species count at BHB as well.

If you check the Blue Heron Bridge project on inaturalist.org, https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/the-blue-heron-bridge-project it has 628 species for 5300 observations. If you check REEF.org top stats page, Top Stats | Reef Environmental Education Foundation, there are been 454 species of fish observed at BHB for approximately 2500 surveys reported from there. We can make a comparison to say a pier located in the ocean not to far away. At Lauderdale By The Sea, the Anglin fishing pier is approximately 830 feet long. Only 1/3 of the pier is allowed to be used for fishing because it in bad need of repair and the owner cannot afford it. Lauderdale by the Sea (Commercial Pier Reefs/Datura Avenue) is also on the same REEF top stats page it has 363 species observed for approximately 1500 surveys. The area surrounding the pier and under the pier does not yield the same amount of species as BHB. I have done well over 1.000 surveys at each site, they are just not the same.

I think its a good idea. I think areas could be created that attracted a lot of species, but I also think BHB is truly unique in its draw of species because of the reasons outlined above, and others we don't entirely understand.

 

[Pipehorse]

i've always wanted to go. but i don't want 5,000 other divers surrounding me at all times

Don't let that stop you, it isn't that bad, the weekends are a zoo. But an early morning tide like 0800 on a Tuesday has very little divers in the water. There are plenty of times I am in the water at BHB for three hours and don't encounter another diver.

 

[kaylee_ann]

Don't let that stop you, it isn't that bad, the weekends are a zoo. But an early morning tide like 0800 on a Tuesday has very little divers in the water. There are plenty of times I am in the water at BHB for three hours and don't encounter another diver.

oh okay that's awesome. i'll add it to my bucket list

 

[Divin'Papaw]

The trick that I use is to hire a guide who goes early and parks with all the equipment early and then I park near the dive shop and walk there with my stuff.

It's a good approach for the occasional visit but not a viable option for locals. One of the draws is a free dive. What some locals do is park one car at the park well before high tide and then get a ride back home. They then get a ride to their car by a buddy who then parks on either end of the bridge and walks over. Works well for couples or buddy teams, but many of us typically dive it solo.

For me, these days I either hit it during the week or very early on weekends. Or a night dive when all the beach goers are gone.

 

[Belzelbub]

So far, when I hear 'artificial reef,' I think of deliberately sunken wrecks (which are very expensive and sunken in much deeper water) or clusters of discarded tires (which didn't work and made a mess, plus hermit crabs are prone to die in them).

The county where I live has a fairly extensive artificial reef program that's been going on many years. Some are indeed wrecks, others incorporate a variety of other materials. Thankfully, tires have not been used. Sometimes it's old concrete pipe sections, old bridge pilings, and sometimes they are made of specifically constructed reef domes or tetrahedrons, or even statues.

These are generally in a bit deeper water. The ones popular with divers start out at 25-30'. There are a few closer, but these are generally not used by divers as they are in the surf zone and visibility is quite poor.

 

[Rick Brant]

I grew up in south Florida in the 70s and we knew then that the areas near bridges were great for diving (snorkeling). We would jump off the bridges for a while and then generally ended up snorkeling around the area. I have not been to BHB but it sounds like it is an extra-juicy version of the usual bridge.

 

[atagirl]

How crowded are we talking? I have not been in a few years but was going to test out some equipment this week. A midday tide on a Thursday and Friday? Is that still possible? How far in advance would I need to turn up?
I use to dive it quite a bit even went for an afternoon dive on Easter and found a space maybe 9 years ago though.

 

[tekkydiver]

A reasonable fee or annual parking pass would go far to reduce crowding. In fact there should be one, as the boaters have to pay a fee to park there

 

[Pipehorse]

How crowded are we talking? I have not been in a few years but was going to test out some equipment this week. A midday tide on a Thursday and Friday? Is that still possible? How far in advance would I need to turn up?
I use to dive it quite a bit even went for an afternoon dive on Easter and found a space maybe 9 years ago though.

Check out the thread Blue Heron Bridge Trolls,Blue Heron Bridge Trolls III . I usually do a report every day I go (3 to 4 times a week), and I report the parking condition as well.

During weekdays it can get pretty crowded (the early morning tides are least crowded), but rarely does it happen that you can't find a parking spot, it might not be optimal, but you can still get one, if you get there two hours before high tide on a weekday you can get good parking, the closer you get to about an hour before high tide the more crowded it gets. But if you get there early, because of the way tidal exchange works the area in front of the beach with the snorkel trail can be done on three hours of either side of high tide. So you can snorkel the trail before diving the east or west end. Or you could dive the snorkel trail and wait for the tide to get closer to an hour and move to the east or west off the trail. On the weekends it gets a little ridiculous. Not only are the divers there, but lots of recreational beach goers, paddleboarders, snorkelers, people having picnics, people just spending a day at the beach. So if the high tide was 1200 on a Saturday I would not get there any later then 0830.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

A reasonable fee or annual parking pass would go far to reduce crowding. In fact there should be one, as the boaters have to pay a fee to park there

If it would reduce crowds, I have no issue paying for an annual parking pass.