Juno Beach bound in April 2015

[Basking Ridge Diver]

We will be RV camping in Juno Beach area for about a week in April (school break) - I have seen several areas to dive from various threads and I have a couple questions.

We are coming from NJ - what can we expect from a water temperature perspective, currents and wind? Is it hit or miss in April?
Is there a benefit to trying several charters or stick with a couple charters?

Beach diving it looks like -
Blue Heron Bridge as well as a night dive as appropriate - Force-E
The Breakers

Boat diving it looks like - in no particular order.
The Scuba Club
Walkers Dive Charters
Ocean Quest Scuba
Sea Pup
Narcosis Dive Charters
Little Deeper Charters
Jupiter Dive Center
Sl8tr with Kyalami

Am I missing anything else?
I am assuming we will do a 2 or 3 tank dive in the morning and would like to do some shore diving either in the afternoon or take a day and do both BHB and the breakers?
I will have my son with me he will be 15 at that time - OW certified - he has his own PDC and has practiced deploying SMBs. He has dove NJ waters to 80 feet, has been night diving and in 6 inch viz without any serious judgement issues that I have seen.

Thanks in advance.

 

[kelemvor]

Pura Vida Divers is right inside Phil Foster park (blue heron bridge). Their location might make a blue heron + boat dive in the same day easier.

The thing you need to know about blue heron bridge is that it is a tide dependent dive. Force E links the NOAA tide table on their website. Plan your dive around low or (preferably) high tide. Otherwise the current will be dragging muck into the water and it becomes a low vis crummy dive with strong currents.

That said, I've gone with Narcosis, Little Deeper, and Jupiter Dive center. They're all good operations. Nothing in my mind sets one apart from the other.

 

[Johnoly]

... what can we expect from a water temperature perspective, currents and wind? Is it hit or miss in April?

Temps in the beginning to mid April will be about 73-74. Usually the last week of April we'll get a warmup suddenly of 5 degrees in one week as the gulf stream heats up.

Gotta say though that April is a tough month with lots of wind and if the forecast gives you something even marginal to dive, JUMP ON IT!! It's rare we get a whole week during April that it's perfect.

Many times around April 15-20th we see both pilot whales and leatherback turtles moving through the WPB waters so keep your eyes open and stay in touch with the captains who hear about it.

 

[sportxlh]

You've pretty much listed many of the dive boats in the area: I'm partial to Jupiter Dive Center but have been out with most of the ones you've listed except Sl8er and Sea Pup. All the others are good and many folks have posted positive reviews on the other two I've missed out on. Another good operator is Jim Abernathy's Scuba Adventure.

During the week, most operators only have morning trips. Scuba Club has a few afternoon trips and I've been out with Walkers on a Friday afternoon. On the weekends, most run AM and PM boats. Like Johnoly said, marine conditions can be 'iffy' in April so lots of trips get cancelled.

I've never never seen folks beach dive at the Breakers but have heard it is possible. SB'er Dumpster Diver recently posted that from the shore the area is better for snorkeling. I've dove the Breakers deep from a dive boat and it is spectacular. If you want really good beach diving, drive 60 minutes south to Lauderdale by the Sea. Gold Coast Scuba in LBTS can assist you with rentals and advice.

You asked about currents: the Gulf Stream generally pushes our near shore current north. That's why virtually all the diving in northern Palm Beach County is drift diving.

Jupiter and West Palm Beach diving is similar but a bit different. jupiter has big marine life encounters and WPB has prettier reefs, though you can also see sharks, turtles, goliath grouper in WPB too. You might enjoy trying both which would necessitate two separate dive operators.

 

[Chugwhump]

The Breakers "Shallow" shore dive still appears on various web sites as a shore dive.
It was obliterated some years ago during a Palm Beach renourishment some years ago.
Don't bother
The same goes for "Bath and Tennis" shallow.
It's shattered the last I heard some years ago.
Blue Heron as the guys said, and Bathtub Reef in Stuart as well as the SEAL Museum's "Pepper Park" in Fort Pierce are a possibility, but sketchy that time of year as to clarity and calm enough water.
Consider a jaunt down to Broward County's "LBTS", (Lauderdale by the Sea) for a premier shore dive.
If I was you, and knew what I do as far a local knowledge goes,
For boat dives I would dive Pompano/Boca Raton.
Boynton/Delray/Lantana.
Palm Beach/Riviera Beach.
And Jupiter.

You are most welcome to contact me a little closer to your journey here for some company or local advice on weather and such.

Chug
Dive slut.
Will go down with just about anyone.