Night beach diving

[MrChen]

Out of curiosity, I dropped the image into a Google search. It's related to this video:
I've done many night dives off the beaches of SE Florida, and I haven't been eaten by a Tiger shark. I don't recall any articles related to divers being attacked on any beach night dives either (sans spearfishing).

We also have Whites and Bulls. There was an article about a Spinner shark attacking a surfer recently.

The odds of being attacked or even killed are so slim that I'm likely to crash on the way to the dive site. I suggest you go night diving if you want to go night diving.

In the United States, even considering only people who go to beaches, a person's chance of getting attacked by a shark is 1 in 11.5 million, and a person's chance of getting killed by a shark is less than 1 in 264.1 million.

Shark attack - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[MidOH]

W

That's every beach in Florida. I'm just trying to understand, why the call out regarding night diving at Pompano? Or are you just saying night diving at any beach in Florida is a concern?

Im concerned about all night diving. Its painfully obvious that nearly all shark attacks are mistaken identity, or people being dumb.

My night dives will be a sparingly amount of my time spent diving.

 

[VsubT]

OP: We’ve done a bunch of night shore dives off LBTS. A chem light zip tied to the flag works well for a surface light. Not just for boats, also to regroup in case of bad visibility. Boat traffic near shore is significantly reduced at night, but you’ll see more shore fishing. Asking the fishermen where they’re casting and letting them know you’ll avoid their lines will generally be appreciated.

We’ve seen lots more life on the first and second reefs, since the night shift critters all come out of their hiding spots and the transient hunters come to find them. A second reef spot that’s pretty dead looking in daylight will often have urchins, crabs, eels, shrimp, lobsters, and other critters at night.

Recommend taking conditions down a couple of notches to keep things manageable though. If you’re normally good with 2-3’ surf, dial it back to 1-2’. Same for visibility, if it’s worse than expected maybe call the dive and have a cold beverage instead. You’ll be happier than getting knocked down in the dark and chasing a fin by flashlight while the flag line wraps up your buddy…or so I’ve heard.

My night dives will be a sparingly amount of my time spent diving.

MidOH: That’s too bad, since there’s a lot of really cool stuff to see at night.


Lance

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

I

It’s not a zoo for night dives. I’ve never seen the first row of parking along the beach completely full let alone the other rows. Just an FYI if you ever decide to give it a go.

A "sponsored" night dive I did at the bridge (pre covid by a few years) there were busses of divers. What a ****show! After that, I chose to pick and choose my night dives up there. Late afternoon high tides that turn to dark work wonders.

I've done a fair amount of night dives off the beach. Haven't been eaten by a tiger shark yet. Just about anywhere in Broward County that you can get a parking spot, you can dive at night. Dive sites that you are familiar with to start. Add a chem stick to your flag, be clear on underwater flashlight communications. Pack the beer on ice for afterwards.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

A "sponsored" night dive I did at the bridge (pre covid by a few years) there were busses of divers. What a ****show! After that, I chose to pick and choose my night dives up there. Late afternoon high tides that turn to dark work wonders.

Wow. I’ve only done 5-6 night dives at BHB but thankfully I’ve never encountered busses of divers!!

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Wow. I’ve only done 5-6 night dives at BHB but thankfully I’ve never encountered busses of divers!!

It was stupid crazy. I like quiet on my dives. I know where to go at the bridge even on busy days to avoid divers. That night, there was no escape. All those lights looking like aliens trying to land... I still get anxeity just thinking of it. shudder...

 

[davel518]

OP: We’ve done a bunch of night shore dives off LBTS. A chem light zip tied to the flag works well for a surface light. Not just for boats, also to regroup in case of bad visibility. Boat traffic near shore is significantly reduced at night, but you’ll see more shore fishing. Asking the fishermen where they’re casting and letting them know you’ll avoid their lines will generally be appreciated.

We’ve seen lots more life on the first and second reefs, since the night shift critters all come out of their hiding spots and the transient hunters come to find them. A second reef spot that’s pretty dead looking in daylight will often have urchins, crabs, eels, shrimp, lobsters, and other critters at night.

Recommend taking conditions down a couple of notches to keep things manageable though. If you’re normally good with 2-3’ surf, dial it back to 1-2’. Same for visibility, if it’s worse than expected maybe call the dive and have a cold beverage instead. You’ll be happier than getting knocked down in the dark and chasing a fin by flashlight while the flag line wraps up your buddy…or so I’ve heard.




MidOH: That’s too bad, since there’s a lot of really cool stuff to see at night.


Lance

Thank you! Exactly what I was looking for - and my hope exactly, that near shore reefs would be great at night. And beaches not so busy that you have to park behind 7-11 and walk a mile in gear.

 

[Knockneed Man]

Funny, I’ve done well over a hundred night dives, and I’ve done probably close to a hundred dives with tigers. Some of those have even been intentional night dives with tigers. I feel pretty comfortable (but on point) with them when under the water. I do however have a bit of a spooky thought though, when I think back to living on Maui when I was in my early 20’s. My buddy’s dad had a house on the beach, that had a nearby lava peninsula that stuck out that had great diving just behind it, including a couple swim throughs. We used to go night diving out there for lobsters all the time, at least two or three times a week, and I’m talking about 11pm style night diving, not that twilight bs. The problem was, once you left the beach and got beyond the breakers, it was at least a solid 15 minute surface kick on your back. The kick between the beach and when we’d actually submerge was pretty nerve racking, as this particular area was and still is where many of the tiger attacks that have taken place happened. Even though I’ve had a lot of tiger interaction in the 30 years since then, it’s almost more scary to me now thinking about that long dark kick way off shore. God looks out for babies and fools.

 

[happy-diver]

Some time we have a tiger shadow us just outside the light zone
and with all the inconsiderates with their million billion lumens of torches and cameras
the shark may think that the sun must have fallen into the ocean

 

[MrChen]

Wow. I’ve only done 5-6 night dives at BHB but thankfully I’ve never encountered busses of divers!!

Pura Vida does a guided group dive often. They usually go east, so do yourself a favor and go west They are like a roaming underwater tornado of silt.