This is the first time I've posted in the Florida forum, although I have lurked here a long time. Here is the link to some uw photos I have taken in Destin over the past couple years:
http://www.pbase.com/dave_clausen/destin_florida_underwater
These were all taken while snorkeling at the Destin jetties or Crystal Pier pilings. While they certainly can't compare to SeaYoda's excellent scuba photos, they may be of interest.
As I am an avid snorkeler and travel to Destin every year, I am quite concerned over the extreme sanding-in that appears to have happened at the jetties. I was there in Nov. (didn't snorkel because all the good tides were at night that time of year), and it appeared then that the only place with rocks that you could snorkel was the outer part of the main e. jetty that extends into the Gulf. The finger jetty, where most people do their snorkeling, was completely sanded-in. You could stand on dry sand where previously there would have been 10-15 of water. I will be going to Destin in June. Do you think the snorkeling situation will have improved by then? My favorite spots to snorkel were off the end of the finger jetty and on the outside of the finger jetty. The inside of the jetty was usually murkier, had less diverse fish life, and was often crowded with novice snorkelers. I'm thinking that maybe with the strong currents that occur off the end of the finger jetty, the sand there will wash out. I read a previous post here that the dredging that was occurring in the Pass was not going to remove any sand from the finger jetty. This is a shame, because this sand around the jetty will eventually end up in the boat channel. It would also be a shame if the finger jetty were not snorkelable at all this year. This was a great place to introduce the wonders of sea to young kids in a very safe environment.
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