Lauderdale by the Sea shore dives

[mntlblok]

Dania beach isn't as interesting close in. It's a little further swim to get to the good stuff.

Thanks, Dennis. How much further is the good stuff, than, say, the end of the pier at the end of Commercial Blvd. ? TIA

Kevin

 

[DennisS]

There's a rubble reef with a few interesting spots about 3/4 the length of the dania pier and the first reef line is about 1 1/2 dania pier. Make sure you have a good size flag, not one of the styrofoam floaties with a hankie flag. The boats use the color change between the sand and reef as a navigation highway.

 

[mntlblok]

There's a rubble reef with a few interesting spots about 3/4 the length of the dania pier and the first reef line is about 1 1/2 dania pier. Make sure you have a good size flag, not one of the styrofoam floaties with a hankie flag. The boats use the color change between the sand and reef as a navigation highway.

Thanks, Dennis. Think I'll stick to Lake Worth.

Kevin

 

[mntlblok]

If you scroll back through the posts, you'll find plenty of shore dives here, including the Copenhagen (though it's one of the longer surface swims).

Speaking of surface swims; ran across this interesting video about trying to travel in a straight line. I feel slightly less stupid now. A Mystery: Why Can't We Walk Straight? : Krulwich Wonders? : NPR . I typically swim out on my back with my BCD blown up and with my camera resting on my belly. The sunshine can be a little aggravating and it can become a bit boring, so I sometimes just try to relax, close my eyes and take it easy. It's *amazing* how quickly I find myself going sideways, or even back towards the beach! It also reminded me that on my last dive at LBTS, which turned into a night dive, the stars made wonderful navigational aids on the way back in. It would have been tremendously relaxing if I could have gotten the bull sharks off my mind.

 

[bilsant]

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/florida-conch-divers/382229-looking-mr-buckethead.html

For those LBTS divers who haven't seen this, please PM me if you see a nurse shark affectionately known as "Buckethead."

Thanks

 

[bilsant]

Here's a post from the GCS board. I've edited it a bit. I don't know anyone who's tried this, but it looks like fun and seems like a solution for some of the parking crunch that happens sometimes at LBTS:

"I had an interesting conversation the other day with a former commissioner for LBTS. He told me that LBTS was having funding concerns about running the free tram around town, the Pelican Hopper, because ridership was down and the County transit system matching funds were based on usage. When asked if divers could ride the shuttle, he opined that if we didn't make a mess, we'd be welcome.

 Town of Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, FL USA  | Pelican Hopper

The route goes past GCS over to AIA at Palm, and then runs all the way to the north end of town along AIA. Here's a link to the map and schedule:

http://www.lauderdalebythesea-fl.gov/Town_Docs/2009hopper_lbts.pdf

We could ride the shuttle over to Datura from the shop, dive, and afterwards have one person stay with the gear while everyone else rides back to the shop and then returns to pick up their stuff. Or how about the next time there's a stiff north current we park at Washintonia Ave, ride the shuttle to Datura with our gear, and do an offshore drift dive back to the cars. If we want to go further, the shuttle runs up past the Sea Watch....Copenhagen drift dive, anyone?"

Just putting this out there for anyone interested. If this works out, then anyone staying along the route could beach dive without even owning a car.

 

[mntlblok]

http://www.lauderdalebythesea-fl.gov/town/hopper.htm
We could ride the shuttle over to Datura from the shop, dive, and afterwards have one person stay with the gear while everyone else rides back to the shop and then returns to pick up their stuff. Or how about the next time there's a stiff north current we park at Washintonia Ave, ride the shuttle to Datura with our gear, and do an offshore drift dive back to the cars.

Just putting this out there for anyone interested. If this works out, then anyone staying along the route could beach dive without even owning a car.

Brilliant! Had no idea such a conveyance existed. I see that it's an hour round trip on weekdays, 45 minutes on Saturdays, and a half hour on Sundays. With poor timing, I could see a *lot* of waiting. I don't wait very well. But, if the timing worked out, it could be right handy. I see that it stops at the Publix parking lot. . .

Kevin

 

[bilsant]

My dive buddy just sent me a picture of a Goliath Grouper taken yesterday evening about 100 yards from Anglin's Pier at LBTS and about 400 yards from shore. We were in about 15 feet of water.

I've never heard of one there, but I believe you can see just about anything in that area if you wait long enough.

If you look to the right, you'll see the back end of about a 6 foot nurse shark sticking out from under an overhang.


All I could think was that some kid on the pier with a spinning rod and a bobber may be in for a very exciting experience.

 

[mntlblok]

Windjammer Beach Resort - Live HD Web Cam Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, Florida

Water looks perfect there today. Wish I was there. . .

Kevin

 

[TheOnlyRae]

Diving LBS was fabulous today! Didn't see Goliath, but did see a big nurse shark and lots of critters. Buddy bagged a bug, which I think must be a difficult task with all the beach divers here. Good day. (Missed ya Bill!)