Destin Jetties

[Nemrod]

It is about a mile to mile and and half offshore. Easily within range of a kayak diver. Like I said, it is common to see kayak fisherman on the Louise, kayaks are entirely capable of such feats. I would equip my yak for the task--as mine is. It has two inflatable bags inside the hull to prevent it from sinking since yaks have no built in bouyancy. They are very seaworthy as evidenced by their ability to handle surf. Why Panhandle divers make so little use of them is a mystery to me. For another example, my side scan paints numerous structures straight out from the Fort Walton fishing pier from several hundred yards to about two miles. Some are rubble, fish trees and such and a few are small bits of natural bottom. Again, easily in range of an experinced yak diver. Same with the Navarre pier though much closer is a good yak dive as are the rubbles when exposed beside the Fort Walton pier. The so loved and favored Bridge Rubble is also in range. Obviously a group of yaks to provide company on longer expeditions would add to the comfort factor. I figure sooner or later you guys will tire of 85 dollar charters to the Bridge Rubble and become bored with the jetty and buy yourself some yaks--or a boat--lol. BTW, yaks are fairly cheap, easy to store and use no gasoline.

N

 

[mike_s]

How far is the tug from shore? it seems several miles out on a kayak is a bit much. But I guess everyones comfort level is different.

I've seen people out with kayaks on the Miss Louise about half the times I've been down there. a lot of the time though it's fishermen and not divers in kayaks.

one guy had a sweet setup on his kayak with a mounted GPS and depth finder. pretty nice.

 

[wjefferis]

At that distance with a decently equiped kayak I guess it doesn't sound that bad. I thought it was like 5 miles out or something.

 

[bobsea43]

Thanx for all the great input. Sounds like I will get some good yak time in and some good diving. We are still not sure when we will be there, probably right after 4 Jul weekend and how long we will stay - depends on how long wife will handle the heat! After that we head for the mountains!!

 

[mike_s]

At that distance with a decently equiped kayak I guess it does sound that bad. I thought it was like 5 miles out or something.

Nope... using the GPS coordinates that are 'verified' by Nemrod above, look at this Google Maps pic and you'll see it's not far off the beach

30 22.295N, 086 25.311W - Google Maps



According to Coordinate Distance Calculator the distance offshore from the
Crystal Pier Pilings is .7 miles. so not a far paddle in good conditions.

 

[wjefferis]

The charter boats there charge you 85 bucks to dive that!!!!! what a rip-off. They could at least go out a bit further than that . I may just have to look into buying a kayak .

A question to Nemrod or any other Kayak diver. Do you place a pole with a flag on it so that boats can see you far enough away so that they dont run you over. Also to you have a dive flag up while you are down for the same reason?

 

[mike_s]

The charter boats have to pay the same overhead and dock fees no matter where they take you. Destin boats just have a tendency of going to the same close sites again and again. (But so do some of the PCB boats also).

This is actually a good beginner ocean dive as it's only about 60' to the sand.

If you owned your own small powerboat (like Capt Nemrod), this is a good inshore dive site also. Close to the beach so that the water is pretty calm on onshore wind days, and close to East Pass. (just be weary of running the pass during incoming/outgoing tides if the current is bad and causing waves. if your boat isn't equipped for it, we could have a new dive site at the jetties )


Florida law states you have to have up a dive flag when you have divers in the area. That would include shore diving or kayak diving.

It would also help keeping a low profile kayak from being run over by boats going up the beach.


BTW... The Beach Patrol (part of the fire department) does patrols up and down that stretch of beach pretty consistantly. They busted another SB'er and I for diving there w/o a flag a couple years back. They didn't write us a ticket, but they sat there for 20+ minutes waiting for us to get out of the water to talk to us.

 

[Nemrod]

mike S is right on. Yes, you have to have a dive flag on your yak. You can put the flag on the yak in which case it must be the 24 inch size or you can put it on a bouy and let it hang behind once anchored or if you tether your yak. In that case it can be the typical smaller 12 inch size.

Yes, you can put a dune buggy flag on your yak but if you team paddle in bright yellow/green etc yaks they are quite visible unless the boater is near blind or the weather is really bad.

The East Pass can be "treacherous" to the neophyte captain especially on an outgoing tide with significant rollers, 4 foot or more, these will pile up into standing waves of impressive size with breaking tops on the bars I had to punch through a few just the other day. The little BW Outrage can handle it but with that said, be careful there, it would be easy to get broached and capsized. It would be entirely possible to get out and not be able to get back in. (we are talking small trailer boats here--not yaks)

I always watch the other boats, especially those who look local, when they go out, I go out, when they head in I head in, if they stay near, I stay near--etc. You gotta know your limits.

N

 

[mike_s]

Here's the rules for Florida Dive Flags.

from the State Website FWC Divers Down Flag Law

327.331 Divers; definitions; divers-down flag required; obstruction to navigation of certain waters; penalty.--

(1) As used in this section: (a) "Diver" means any person who is wholly or partially submerged in the waters of the state and is equipped with a face mask and snorkel or underwater breathing apparatus.

(b) "Underwater breathing apparatus" means any apparatus, whether self-contained or connected to a distant source of air or other gas, whereby a person wholly or partially submerged in water is enabled to obtain or reuse air or any other gas or gases for breathing without returning to the surface of the water.

(c) "Divers-down flag" means a flag that meets the following specifications:

1. The flag must be square or rectangular. If rectangular, the length must not be less than the height, or more than 25 percent longer than the height. The flag must have a wire or other stiffener to hold it fully unfurled and extended in the absence of a wind or breeze.

2. The flag must be red with a white diagonal stripe that begins at the top staff-side of the flag and extends diagonally to the lower opposite corner. The width of the stripe must be 25 percent of the height of the flag.

3. The minimum size for any divers-down flag displayed on a buoy or float towed by the diver is 12 inches by 12 inches. The minimum size for any divers-down flag displayed from a vessel or structure is 20 inches by 24 inches.

4. Any divers-down flag displayed from a vessel must be displayed from the highest point of the vessel or such other location which provides that the visibility of the divers-down flag is not obstructed in any direction.

(2) All divers must prominently display a divers-down flag in the area in which the diving occurs, other than when diving in an area customarily used for swimming only.

(3) No diver or group of divers shall display one or more divers-down flags on a river, inlet, or navigation channel, except in case of emergency, in a manner which shall unreasonably constitute a navigational hazard.

(4) Divers shall make reasonable efforts to stay within 100 feet of the divers-down flag on rivers, inlets, and navigation channels. Any person operating a vessel on a river, inlet, or navigation channel must make a reasonable effort to maintain a distance of at least 100 feet from any divers-down flag.

(5) Divers must make reasonable efforts to stay within 300 feet of the divers-down flag on all waters other than rivers, inlets, and navigation channels. Any person operating a vessel on waters other than a river, inlet, or navigation channel must make a reasonable effort to maintain a distance of at least 300 feet from any divers-down flag.

(6) Any vessel other than a law enforcement or rescue vessel that approaches within 100 feet of a divers-down flag on a river, inlet, or navigation channel, or within 300 feet of a divers-down flag on waters other than a river, inlet, or navigation channel, must proceed no faster than is necessary to maintain headway and steerageway.

(7) The divers-down flag must be lowered once all divers are aboard or ashore. No person may operate any vessel displaying a divers-down flag unless the vessel has one or more divers in the water.

1(8) Any willful violation of this section shall be a misdemeanor of the second degree punishable as provided by s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

History.--ss. 1, 2, 3, ch. 74-344; s. 64, ch. 74-383; s. 1, ch. 77-174; s. 1, ch. 86-35; ss. 7, 8, ch. 2000-362.

1Note.--Section 8, ch. 2000-362, amended subsection (8), effective October 1, 2001, to read:

(8) Except as provided in s. 327.33, any violation of this section shall be a noncriminal infraction punishable as provided in s. 327.73.

Note.--Former s. 861.065.​

 

[Raider]

What about diving under the Hwy 98 bridge? I heard if you go in on the West side of the bridge at the public parking area south of the Hwy that there is decent diving there around the bridge pileings. What is the best time to dive it (tides)? I was thinking about doing this dive monday.