Trip Report Boynton and West Palm: August 12-17, 2022

[Trailboss123]

Got out yesterday (8/16/22) to a new experience for me here in Boynton. Through a local friend, we were able to go out with a friend of his on his personal boat to do some diving. Said friend is a commercial lion fish hunter who supplies a local high-end restaurant. We went up north near the Lake Worth Pier and north of it. While Nate was down hunting lion fish, we manned the boat and followed his Buoy and then picked him up. We then jumped in the water, while he did the same for us.

Surface conditions were still flat and amazing and visibility was still at its absolute complete worst. However, the dive sites were outstanding and our current on the inside reefs was perfect. Gentle north and 85 degree temps. We did 2 dives. First one at Horseshoe, which is always a standout dive site and the 2nd dive was new to me and my dive buddy. It is further north at a site called Sloane's Curve. It is one of the best Boynton dive sites I have done. Beautiful high relief once you hit the actual "curve" in the reef, with hundreds of large black sea fans hanging from the shelf. We saw a huge school of blue parrotfish all hanging out on the sand. THey might have been mating, hard to say, but I have never seen so many parrotfish all together and all looking absolutely identical in color and size. There were at least 60 of them. It was stunning.

That's it for yesterday. Today is last day here diving with a 2 tanker on Splashdown's Delta Splash boat this morning.
Let's hope for some 1/2 way decent viz!

Cheers!

 

[Redfoot]

Awesome, thanks for sharing!

Any rhyme or reason the limited visibility with the perfect topside conditions?

 

[Divin'Papaw]

It is one of the best Boynton dive sites I have done.

You've hit on a topic that I always struggle with in southeast Florida. With only a few inlets, we often refer to a site based upon the inlet that was used to get to the site or the location where the dive boat left from. Frequently those are nowhere near the actual dive site. As you mentioned, these sites are off of Lake Worth Beach moving north into Palm Beach. Sometimes these sites are also dived from the Lake Worth inlet from boats that leave from Riviera Beach or Lake Park.

Another good example is Juno Ledge which is off of, no surprise, Juno Beach. It is dived from either Lake Worth Inlet or Jupiter Inlet.

Just a nuance to share for people not familiar with the area. It can get confusing even for those of us that dive these sites all the time.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Something else that always makes me chuckle. People frequently say they dive in "West Palm Beach". I understand why people say that. The airport is in West Palm Beach and their hotel is very possibly in West Palm. But unless they are diving in Lake Worth/Intracoastal, they're not diving in West Palm Beach. West Palm does not extend to the ocean. It is, literally, West of Palm Beach. On the Atlantic side of the intracoastal you have Lake Worth Beach, Palm Beach, then on the north side of the Lake Worth Inlet you have Palm Beach Shores/Singer Island and then Juno Beach. Just fun Southeast FL trivia.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I began diving on Friday morning out of Boynton Beach with Splashdown Divers. We did a 2 tank trip on their boat Delta Splash. I really liked the boat and it is definitely much faster than the Loggerhead boat, which is now jointly owned and merged. The boats sit side by side in the marina. Either boat can be booked from the same website: Splashdown Divers – Splashdown Divers. Boynton Beach diving at its best!

I did not know this! Thanks for sharing. I've dived with Splashdown many moons ago. They were a fine operation. What is the story here? A true merger, did Splashdown buy Loggerhead? Does anyone know? I'm just curious. @Trailboss123 @scubadada

 

[Jcp2]

Something else that always makes me chuckle. People frequently say they dive in "West Palm Beach". I understand why people say that. The airport is in West Palm Beach and their hotel is very possibly in West Palm. But unless they are diving in Lake Worth/Intracoastal, they're not diving in West Palm Beach. West Palm does not extend to the ocean. It is, literally, West of Palm Beach. On the Atlantic side of the intracoastal you have Lake Worth Beach, Palm Beach, then on the north side of the Lake Worth Inlet you have Palm Beach Shores/Singer Island and then Juno Beach. Just fun Southeast FL trivia.

I guess I enjoy diving in West Singer Island.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I guess I enjoy diving in West Singer Island.

Touché!!

 

[Trailboss123]

Awesome, thanks for sharing!

Any rhyme or reason the limited visibility with the perfect topside conditions?

Nobody seems to have a reason.

 

[Trailboss123]

I did not know this! Thanks for sharing. I've dived with Splashdown many moons ago. They were a fine operation. What is the story here? A true merger, did Splashdown buy Loggerhead? Does anyone know? I'm just curious. @Trailboss123 @scubadada

Yes, Splashdown purchased Loggerhead. In addition to these 2 ops and Starfish, Scubatyme (from Pompano Beach) also now has a boat in the Boynton Marina doing charters. Their website doesn't reflect this, but it is a fact. I know there is some URL link somewhere that shows their schedule out of Boynton and even which sites they will be diving on each outing. I will try and track it down.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Yes, Splashdown purchased Loggerhead. In addition to these 2 ops and Starfish, Scubatyme (from Pompano Beach) also now has a boat in the Boynton Marina doing charters. Their website doesn't reflect this, but it is a fact. I know there is some URL link somewhere that shows their schedule out of Boynton and even which sites they will be diving on each outing. I will try and track it down.

I absolutely love diving Boynton. That was the first Palm Beach County dive site I ever hit. I should dive it more. My only problem with Boynton is that it is one of the first inlets to get blown out. Only Boca Inlet is worse. Given that I drive over from the "other" coast, I hate it when my charter in Boynton is blown out and I can't find another ride even though boats are still running in Palm Beach and Jupiter. It has happened to me before. But the diving is exceptional!