Ft. Lauderdale By the Sea First Time Questions

[scubamarty]

Pretty sure the Pompano Beach pier cam is the closest underwater camera to LBTS for visibility checks. Take a look and you'll see more of what folks are talking about for current conditions, vis is almost non-existent right now.

Lance

That Pier cam is awesome!

 

[scubamarty]

That Pier cam is awesome!

I'm on the Gulf side and vis like that is fine. I'm used to feeling my way around. Is there a safe and convenient place to park over there to get a 12:01 am start on mini season? I'm talking anywhere from Pompano down to Lauderdale by the sea. I have stayed there in the past in motels that had Muscovy ducks using the what was once a pool for guests. It was literally like out of a coming of age comedy movie. I just want to literally pull into a parking lot. Pay the fee, don my gear and walk into the water.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Public parking would be your best bet. GOod luck

 

[scubamarty]

Public parking would be your best bet. GOod luck

Thank you for the info!

 

[scubamarty]

Thank you for the info!

Well I did park at El Prado Park and shore dived early Wednesday morning. Was back out of the ocean just before daylight. Had lots of fun. Caught 1 keeper and missed an opportunity at a procession of 6 more that walked right up on me form the sand toward my dive light while I was looking toward the beach from the shore side edge of the second reef. My lobster net was tangled in my dive flag line and i was not able to untangle it. They walked right up the side and over my right arm as i tried to free my net. I was disappointed, however, I experienced something that many divers may never get to see. Forever grateful to have been at the right spot at the right time. I am starting to really enjoy the less crowded conditions that early am diving has to offer. I managed to stay out there 4 hours on a steel 120. Lots of fun. The next day, I switched to Pompano and went in from the Ebb Tide Resort hotel in Pompano. Such a hidden gem of a place! More missed opportunities as i am a little rusty on my task loading. Taking too much stuff with me. I will definitely work on going with less and keeping my stuff closer to me and less loose. The current going North really kicked in on the 2nd reef after I got out there around 9:00pm Wednesday. I saw many fish trying to swim south that were actually moving North from the current. It also got quite turbid, so I new I was going to expend a lot of energy getting back to shore. I had a shot at a lone lobster on the way back. I was struggling a little keeping my position and tickled him out and instead of going in my net, he shot northward and hit me in the mask with some considerable force. I thought my glass was going to break. Turned around and he was gone. The turbidity made it difficult to have any decent vis distance. I m going again beginning of regular season. It was great to be back in action after many years of physical lower back problems that a surgery has finally remedied. Also been dealing with property damage from Ian still, believe it or not. I think many people still don't realize how many people have not recovered from all the hurricanes that have pummeled the West coast of Florida over the last decade.

 

[tarponchik]

Well I did park at El Prado Park and shore dived early Wednesday morning. Was back out of the ocean just before daylight. Had lots of fun. Caught 1 keeper and missed an opportunity at a procession of 6 more that walked right up on me form the sand toward my dive light while I was looking toward the beach from the shore side edge of the second reef. My lobster net was tangled in my dive flag line and i was not able to untangle it. They walked right up the side and over my right arm as i tried to free my net. I was disappointed, however, I experienced something that many divers may never get to see. Forever grateful to have been at the right spot at the right time. I am starting to really enjoy the less crowded conditions that early am diving has to offer. I managed to stay out there 4 hours on a steel 120. Lots of fun. The next day, I switched to Pompano and went in from the Ebb Tide Resort hotel in Pompano. Such a hidden gem of a place! More missed opportunities as i am a little rusty on my task loading. Taking too much stuff with me. I will definitely work on going with less and keeping my stuff closer to me and less loose. The current going North really kicked in on the 2nd reef after I got out there around 9:00pm Wednesday. I saw many fish trying to swim south that were actually moving North from the current. It also got quite turbid, so I new I was going to expend a lot of energy getting back to shore. I had a shot at a lone lobster on the way back. I was struggling a little keeping my position and tickled him out and instead of going in my net, he shot northward and hit me in the mask with some considerable force. I thought my glass was going to break. Turned around and he was gone. The turbidity made it difficult to have any decent vis distance. I m going again beginning of regular season. It was great to be back in action after many years of physical lower back problems that a surgery has finally remedied. Also been dealing with property damage from Ian still, believe it or not. I think many people still don't realize how many people have not recovered from all the hurricanes that have pummeled the West coast of Florida over the last decade.

Where in Pompano did you park?

 

[scubamarty]

Where in Pompano did you park?

I got a room at the Ebb Tide Resort. Its an older small hotel with free parking for guests and direct access to beach. I highly recommend this. It takes so much work out of shore diving. There is plenty of public pay parking at the beach also, however the signs show that area is closed at night. I prefer night diving so the hotel was a great option. 312 Briny Ave, Pompano Beach, FL 33062 its on the beach side of the road.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Sounds like you had some good dives and have some opportunities for improvement. And staying on the beach.. Win!!!