First time at LBTS! How to read weather/tide reports?

[RickI]

The names and rough delineations for the three reef systems off the greater Ft. Lauderdale area were worked out long ago. Perhaps in the 1950s, I became well familiar with them in the early 1970s. If you take a close look at the Pompano dropoff, you will see that there are quite a few ledges or dropoffs, ranging east to west, which one do they mean then? Also, the east facing ledge of the inner second reef runs more or less continuously from Hillsboro Inlet to south of Port Everglades. It is nothing unique to Pompano in short. The delineation between the three reefs is fuzzy at times as well. Still, as I understand, we had two barrier reefs off here with deep lagoons inside of each which later infilled with sand. That is the second and third reefs. The fore reef zones had elkhorn ramparts not unlike the Florida Keys reef tract before they were largely killed off in the 1980's. Sea levels rose over time, waters cooled, killing off our old prolific elkhorn ramparts 10,000 BP and before. You can see the characteristic elkhorn facies in some of the outfall reef cuts and in holes in the ledges at times. The first reef is Anastasia formation, has worm rock sections along with calcareous algae and some reef building corals. The first reef vanishes when it goes inland beneath the coastal ridge at the north jetty of Hillsboro Inlet. If you follow along the various reefs on Google Earth images, using the sand filled lagoons to help delineate you will see how the three reef system applies to a good sized section of coast, with some fuzzy areas of course.

---------- Post added October 8th, 2014 at 09:52 PM ----------

Regarding swimming out, I grew up doing just that and routinely covering many miles of reef usually free diving. I had kayaks and paddleboards put ultimately preferred just swimming instead. Lugging a tank around I might opt for a kayak however for the outer second reef. In the earlier days there were fewer boats making this somewhat safer than today. Still, you should stay close to your comfort zone, dive with buddies that you know and trust and work up to more challenging things gradually. I always found buddies who were more experienced than myself when I was starting out, usually commercial and scientific divers helping my development under reasonable circumstances. Well, sort of reasonable some of the time anyway. I think beach diving makes a very competent diver but you need to move into it responsibly. I used to go out to the outer second reef and range along the coast all the time from the beach but wouldn't go beyond that. The current often picks up substantially beyond that point, coastwise shipping traffic is moving around with long stopping distances, it is deeper, visibility may be less making boat diving out there the choice for me for safety and convenience.

 

[DeepSeaExplorer]

I go out to the second reef routinely, almost every dive there really. I was just out there two weeks ago. The only reason I wasn't out there last weekend while you were there is that my doubles are getting serviced, so I did a single tank dive on the Jacks instead. I've been doing this for over 10 years. Over the years, I've had a few buds that would go with me, one switched to kayak diving, others don't like to swim that much anymore. For me, it's great exercise and diving.

Now days, I only stay on the first reef if my wife goes, or I'm testing gear, short on time, etc. My favorite dive is to go in at Datura, swim out to the second reef, submerge, head North past the pier until the reef starts to fade, and then head East out to the Hall-of-Fame buoys, 2 & 1/2 reef (30ft). There use to be some type of biological monitoring station that marked the turn point from the 2nd reef, but it was removed a year or two ago. Sometimes I also just go straight out to the 2 & 1/2 reef (40ft) from Datura, and about once a year I go out to 3rd reef (70ft), usually in August.

I have been caught in currents before, but it's rare. One time, I got to the second reef off Atlantic Ave and the current was so strong the balls were going under. I drifted down the second reef for over a mile, hit the wreck of the Copenhagen, then turned in-shore towards the Sea Watch restaurant. I thought I was going to have to hail a cab to get back to my parking spot, but when I got back in-shore I was able to swim back. Another time, I got so far South that I eventually took off all my gear and waded back in the surf towing it behind me. I got a bad sunburn. I carried a tube of sun block taped to my dive flag for a year after that incident. So far that's the worst thing that ever happened to me in hundreds of dives - sunburn. The coolest thing that ever happened to me was the time I was coming back from the 3rd reef and decided to swim underwater and burn the rest of my air. While I was in mid-water at about 40ft frog kicking as fast as I can swim a big manta ray came up to me, banked and swam two full circles around me as I was swimming, then continued on. I figured he was admiring my style... :cool2:

 

[Trigger-F]

I usually swim out to the second reef(Drop Off), or that ledge that runs North to South. It's a good exercise. I never stay around the first reef system anymore. This is the most inexpensive diving in the area and the sea life is pretty good.

Next time I'll try to swim past the markers and drop close to the next reef(I tried getting to that while underwater on Sunday but chickened out). There were a few patch reefs at around 30-35 feet and then the desert(sand). I sure hope though the current isn't too much like you say to get caught in it. Any idea how far away is the 2nd from the 3rd reef?

 

[RickI]

I forgot, I did use to do regular solo dives out to the third reef from the beach but under special circumstances. I had some issues with repetitive low grade DCS hits from trimix scuba diving in the early 1990's. Lugging five tanks out of the water seemed to make knee and elbow niggle hits inevidable. Later on I got a minor hit with Norine Rouse and a bunch of geriatric divers on a relatively shallow dive on the Hole in the Wall on air. After which in some disgust I said, no more deco for me an indefinite period as I wanted to continue to be able to walk. I started doing scooter beach dives with a 120 cft tank around 1993 off Deerfield Beach past the nearshore beachrock ledges, out to and along the 45 ft. deep reef (the former second reef off Broward) and out to the 90 ft. contour on the outside of the third reef. There was usually prohibitive current for fin swimming in the area of the second reef and beyond but close to the bottom, the Tekna scooter with new batteries usually manged things well enough for the distance. It was very relaxing, taking off for close to an hour and half and checking out a good sized area of bottom. The third reef is substantially closer off there than the distance south of Hillsboro Inlet with the first reef still in place. My scooter battery wouldn't even make it R/T to the outer second reef down there requiring towing it on the surface for a good percentage of the distance out and back.

 

[Trigger-F]

I wouldn't even dare to get to 90 ft depth doing a shore dive, it would take forever anyhow without a scooter; plus like you said the current is prohibitive. I am mostly interested in reaching the 3rd reef to shoot some video and check if it's any better than the Drop off. What depth does the 3rd reef start at? I've only reached 35 feet doing a shore dive straight out of 8th street in Pompano Beach.

 

[RickI]

Most of the third reefs falls between 45 and 100 ft. with a west facing wall around 45 to 50 ft. in some areas and east facing wall around 90 feet in many areas. A lot of the third reef is fairly low profile with smaller sand channels through it. I try to hit the ledges myself for more life and interest. Best way out there south of Hillsboro Inlet in my opinion is by boat. Some go by kayak but for the cost, ease and added security I would go with SFDH or one of the other good operators in the area. I was out there yesterday with SFDH on the Tracy and the third reef off Pompano.

The scooter dives off Deerfield Beach were very relaxing with new batteries and in good water conditions. Also, the long beach dives provided one solution to the chronic DCS issues I had at the time but seem to have outgrown fortunately.

Scooter free diving under some thick moon jelly reefs.

Ascending over the bow of the Tracy

 

[Trigger-F]

>>Most of the third reefs falls between 45 and 100 ft. with a west facing wall around 45 to 50 ft.

That's the one I can probably get to (i usually snorkel up to the markers, then drop down). If the above wall you're referring to is more than 200 hundred yards away from the Drop Off (2nd reef), then I'd probably have to go with SFDH. Nice pictures above.

 

[RickI]

Yes, it is beyond 200 yards to the west facing ledge from the second reef off LBTS. I would guess another 1/2 mile or more beyond the second reef. I would take the boat operations out there a few times, get your own GPS coordinates while you are out there, checkout the distance, conditions, frequent current, traffic. That way you can make your own mind up on swimming out once you've been there by boat. You might even be treated to seeing some of the things that go wrong with dives out there related to current, depth, air, boats, lost divers, etc.. It strikes me as very different from diving the 1rst and 2nd reefs even after all these years.

>>Most of the third reefs falls between 45 and 100 ft. with a west facing wall around 45 to 50 ft.

That's the one I can probably get to (i usually snorkel up to the markers, then drop down). If the above wall you're referring to is more than 200 hundred yards away from the Drop Off (2nd reef), then I'd probably have to go with SFDH. Nice pictures above.

 

[Trigger-F]

Yeah, I know what you mean. I dove the reefs off Boynton Beach/Palm Beach quite a few times and know what the current can do. I sure wouldn't want to be caught in it while shore diving, that's why I'm trying to determine what's the furthest out I can go without pushing my luck.

 

[DeepSeaExplorer]

Yeah, I know what you mean. I dove the reefs off Boynton Beach/Palm Beach quite a few times and know what the current can do. I sure wouldn't want to be caught in it while shore diving, that's why I'm trying to determine what's the furthest out I can go without pushing my luck.

That's part of the reason I don't go out there very often. I usually go in August since there's usually less wind and current and the water is warmer. I'll have ~five hours in the water by the time I get back. By the time you get to the second reef, you'll have a good idea of whether the current is going to be an issue. That's usually where I make the go/no go call. The third reef is about the length of the pier beyond the second. I don't know the area of the third reef nearly as well as the second, but it is more varied. Most of it is a low reef that comes up from 70ft on the East side to 55ft on top, but I've also seen sand cliffs with a sheer drop from ~60 down to ~80ft.

I would suggest trying the Hall of Fame buoys first (2 & 1/2 reef). There's lots to see there and you can build from that. It's closer to shore and you can be back to the 2nd reef in 15 minutes if conditions change.

Disclaimer: Don't try this at home. I think someone needs hundreds of dives before venturing out to the 2nd and 3rd reefs. Despite boats being all over the place out there, don't count on anyone coming to your assistance. Boat operators aren't paying that much attention to their surroundings, unfortunately. I've been caught in thunderstorms, strong currents, heavy seas, and rain so hard I couldn't see 100ft. Many years ago, a buddy and I took a reporter for the local newspaper out and by the time we got back the waves were breaking over our heads. There's diving from the back of a boat and then there's diving without surface support - two completely different things.