Question Easily accessible shore dives in South Florida

[soduh]

Look, even if you thought that I was grossly misinformed, which I am sure someone with more time could debate back and forth endlessly for pages and pages to answer someone immediately with "you're doing it wrong." and then disregarding what they asked to jerk yourself off about all your SCUBA knowledge is rude and uncalled for and why this board gets such a bad reputation.

It's not just a matter of being frugal, it's the matter of putting someone in a position where they feel they have to push past their current limits because they are worried about letting their dive partner down. I KNOW BOATS HAVE AWNINGS do you not hear how pedantic and rude you sound? Have you never had to sit at the dock in the heat of a windless marina as everyone loaded thinking "I've never sweat from this part of my body before?" Have you never had to navigate a ship deck in large seas while carrying your gear? These are all things we considered when we decided to ask the question, are there any easy shore dives?

And if the answer was "no, not really." thats ok. that's why I asked the f'ing question in the first place. We haven't been there before and thought there might be a nice spot where the entrance and exit is protected sort of like how Blue Heron Bridge is. Please don't make assumptions.

And CT-Rich, thank you so much for most of your kind reply. Don't know why you felt the need to jab at the end. Seriously why are yall like this?

 

[CT-Rich]

Look, even if you thought that I was grossly misinformed, which I am sure someone with more time could debate back and forth endlessly for pages and pages to answer someone immediately with "you're doing it wrong." and then disregarding what they asked to jerk yourself off about all your SCUBA knowledge is rude and uncalled for and why this board gets such a bad reputation.

It's not just a matter of being frugal, it's the matter of putting someone in a position where they feel they have to push past their current limits because they are worried about letting their dive partner down. I KNOW BOATS HAVE AWNINGS do you not hear how pedantic and rude you sound? Have you never had to sit at the dock in the heat of a windless marina as everyone loaded thinking "I've never sweat from this part of my body before?" Have you never had to navigate a ship deck in large seas while carrying your gear? These are all things we considered when we decided to ask the question, are there any easy shore dives?

And if the answer was "no, not really." thats ok. that's why I asked the f'ing question in the first place. We haven't been there before and thought there might be a nice spot where the entrance and exit is protected sort of like how Blue Heron Bridge is. Please don't make assumptions.

And CT-Rich, thank you so much for most of your kind reply. Don't know why you felt the need to jab at the end. Seriously why are yall like this?

I thought your getting bent out of shape was uncalled for. I had the same reaction, shore diving can be much more taxing than a boat dive. Someone gave you a thoughtful reply and you got on their case about it. You can just say thank you and ignore it. I took a little more time to explain why I thought a boat dive would be a better choice.

Ah, that's the good stuff. Just when I worry that members of Scuba Board aren't going to talk down or ignore the premise of the question to dick measure, a real true believer comes along to make sure everyone knows just how big of a hog they're carrying around.

Cool bro, thanks. I understand the premise of a shore dive. Boat dives are also usually deeper with long rides in the sun to get out to the dive site which are also factors we are considering. How about next time directly answer a question or just don't post?

This response to someone trying to be helpful was uncalled for. He took the time to reply, and you said he was doing a dick measure and then telling him to answer the way you want it or not at all.

You owe him an apology.

 

[soduh]

If someone talked to me that way at a dive shop when I asked for something concrete I would never go back there and I would tell them a few other things as well. Many more respectful ways to interact with someone. It was not a thoughtful reply, it was patronizing at best and outright insulting at worst. I don't even 100% disagree with what was said, in a lot of ways boat dives are easier, but to assume that the concept had never entered my mind and that I would need it explained to me s l o w l y is so unhelpful. PLUS ITS NOT WHAT I ASKED!

 

[CT-Rich]

If someone talked to me that way at a dive shop when I asked for something concrete I would never go back there and I would tell them a few other things as well. Many more respectful ways to interact with someone. It was not a thoughtful reply, it was patronizing at best and outright insulting at worst. I don't even 100% disagree with what was said, in a lot of ways boat dives are easier, but to assume that the concept had never entered my mind and that I would need it explained to me s l o w l y is so unhelpful. PLUS ITS NOT WHAT I ASKED!

This is not a dive shop. He isn't selling charters. Someone read what you WROTE and interpreted it. They WROTE a response which you Interpreted. It wasn't a conversation like in a shop. He doesn't know you from Adam and I have no idea about the writing or reading skills of either person, much less their diving skills or knowledge. It's not like ignoring the posts you don't find helpful is a big ask... When I read his answer, I didn't find it particularly anything, other than an alternative suggestion. Accept responses in spirit with which they are offered.... and assume there were good intentions behind it.

 

[Bladebreaker65]

From what Jenny said I would dive from the hotel. Sounds like a great time to me. Then if you get time get her to guide you at BHB

 

[ShallowSeasGallery]

We are staying at Plunge Beach Resort. Do you know if we would be able to access the reef there or if there is an easier entry/exit point?

LBTS resident and bridge regular here. The Plunge resort is about as far as you can get a hotel in LBTS from the pier and Datura ave while still being in town limits. I would *not* plan on attempting that location by walking. But it is a very nice and trendy hotel with a good coffee shop.

The good news is that the reef line runs the entire length of the county, and if you swim east from any beach entry point, you will hit similar reef structure to what you'll find at any other point, so I would still dive from your hotel. In fact some of the most intact coral in the area is just south of that hotel (far, far away from where most of the other divers go.)

If you have mobility issues, you may find a "closer" point from which to carry your gear by parking at any of the beach entrances. There are guides in the area that will help you carry your gear to and from the water if you're inclined to use them.

 

[chrisjur]

Local here. Your resort is not in an optimal area for entry and is far from the typical entry point. Surf and current can get pretty rough and the swim out to the first reef line is about a field++ from the shore (425 feet). It is not suitable for someone who gets winded easily. That’s my personal opinion from doing 100+ dives in the area over the past 18 months.

I would suggest taking a boat dive, but you seem to not like that idea, so I’ll stop here.

 

[Cthippo]

"Their boat, their rules" is a good enough reason to shore dive.

 

[Cthippo]

Yeah those pesky rules. Good enough reason to never go anywhere that prohibits you from doing whatever you want.

Thats why I dive local!

 

[ChetM]

Hey gang, my wife and dive buddy has recently been going through some medical issues and thus gets winded very easily. We are going to south florida, staying in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, in two weeks and she says that she would really love to be able to do a dive while we are down there. Can anyone recommend a spot where we won't have to battle waves and long walks too hard to get in the water? Any spots closer to shore than others?

(I already know about BHB and suspect that is likely the best option but maybe there is something closer to where we are staying?)

Based on the date you’ve probably already had your visit… but for future readers, the answer is shocking; aside from the Blue Heron Bridge (BHB) there are no easy access shore dive sites worth diving in Florida.

They all have long walks through the sand with all your gear, usually a pretty steep hill at the surf line, and then you battle surf to get your gear on… unless you want the public humiliation of gearing up on shore and crab crawling in.

I have thousands of dives all around the world. My favorites are Pacific Islands (one of my favorites is Guam) parking 15-20 feet from the shore, protected bays with little surf for easy gear up, 100 foot depths 30-50 feet from shore, National Geographic quality reefs…

Florida has amazing beaches and sun, sunbathing, not diving.

I’ve tried all types of beach carts but have not found one that can easily be dragged through 150-200 feet of soft sand with about 300-500 pounds of scuba gear for our group… and is safe from theft while we’re underwater.

After 50 years of diving it is overwhelming to me to carry it individually to the water through the long sandy beach.

Lately I tip a boat dive master an extra $20 to lift my gear onto the boat at the end of a dive rather than struggle up the sea ladder.
It seems nobody here uses the Newton dive boats with a water level open transom. They almost all have 3-4 foot sideboards.
And it seems they love drift dives.

I understand your predicament. There answer is none… until they make it legal to drive on the sand while loading and unloading scuba gear.