Anyone who follows my reports on this forum knows that I have a strong affinity for Florida diving. I have dived all over SE Asia, the Red Sea, Channel Islands of California, the Pacific Northwest, the Socorros, the South Pacific and the entire Caribbean.
After a 2 year hiatus, I have come back to Florida, and Boynton Beach specifically, for 4 days of diving, following a business trip in the Fort Lauderdale area.
BIG WOW! I know things are fickle and you can never predict, but I had an amazing time of diving on the Scubatyme boat out of Boynton Beach Marina over the last 4 days. We had immaculate conditions. The seas were dead flat, like a lake without wind. Water temps were 85-86 degrees. Visibility was mostly a beautiful blue and 60 feet.
I have just finished up 2 weeks and 40+ dives in Bonaire a couple of weeks prior to arriving here.
Yet, the first drop last Thursday on Black Condo brought a huge smile to my face. A massive giant barracuda greeted me upon descent and after that, it was just blissful slow drift diving on the west side of the reef encountering everything you would see in the rest of the Caribbean, but in more abundance and so colurful.
I will try to not wax too poetic, but here is the bottom line:
In 4 days of diving out of Boynton, I was up close and personal with the following:
2 dolphins circling us this morning on the safety stop at Horseshoe Reef. 2 massive Spotted Eagle Rays on the safety stop circling us Friday at Cathedral. A bull shark, a lemon shark, a nurse shark, multiple goliath groupers, schooling grunts and spadefish. Too many spotted drums and high hats to remember. French Angelfish the size of hubcaps. I could go on and on, but you get the picture.
Bottom line is that Florida diving out of Boynton and West Palm is the most underrated in the broader US dive travel industry, in my humble opinion. I know it is seasonal, but the seasons bring all of their wonderful uniqueness. I meet so many dive traveling Americans all over the world who have no idea how great the diving is here and have never heard of it or considered it. Shocking!
Anyway. It has been a nice trip and I am headed back home to the Pacific Northwest tomorrow.
Special shoutout to @scubadada who knows these reefs so well and is such a great contributor to this forum. I got to dive today with Captain Alex on Scubatyme and he sends you his warmest regards, Craig!
As always, he put us on spot on the reefs and told us what to expect. Good Times!
After a 2 year hiatus, I have come back to Florida, and Boynton Beach specifically, for 4 days of diving, following a business trip in the Fort Lauderdale area.
BIG WOW! I know things are fickle and you can never predict, but I had an amazing time of diving on the Scubatyme boat out of Boynton Beach Marina over the last 4 days. We had immaculate conditions. The seas were dead flat, like a lake without wind. Water temps were 85-86 degrees. Visibility was mostly a beautiful blue and 60 feet.
I have just finished up 2 weeks and 40+ dives in Bonaire a couple of weeks prior to arriving here.
Yet, the first drop last Thursday on Black Condo brought a huge smile to my face. A massive giant barracuda greeted me upon descent and after that, it was just blissful slow drift diving on the west side of the reef encountering everything you would see in the rest of the Caribbean, but in more abundance and so colurful.
I will try to not wax too poetic, but here is the bottom line:
In 4 days of diving out of Boynton, I was up close and personal with the following:
2 dolphins circling us this morning on the safety stop at Horseshoe Reef. 2 massive Spotted Eagle Rays on the safety stop circling us Friday at Cathedral. A bull shark, a lemon shark, a nurse shark, multiple goliath groupers, schooling grunts and spadefish. Too many spotted drums and high hats to remember. French Angelfish the size of hubcaps. I could go on and on, but you get the picture.
Bottom line is that Florida diving out of Boynton and West Palm is the most underrated in the broader US dive travel industry, in my humble opinion. I know it is seasonal, but the seasons bring all of their wonderful uniqueness. I meet so many dive traveling Americans all over the world who have no idea how great the diving is here and have never heard of it or considered it. Shocking!
Anyway. It has been a nice trip and I am headed back home to the Pacific Northwest tomorrow.
Special shoutout to @scubadada who knows these reefs so well and is such a great contributor to this forum. I got to dive today with Captain Alex on Scubatyme and he sends you his warmest regards, Craig!
As always, he put us on spot on the reefs and told us what to expect. Good Times!
