OK so whats the best beach viz in FL

[OceanObsessed]

Lauderdale by the Sea has several ledge systems. It is a freedivers paradise... there is reef everywhere with lots of lobsters and nice clear water. True, there are alot of low relief ledges (2-4 feet) but there are also many 15 foot ledges (and I'm not talking about the 3rd reef) if you know where to go. Check out the seaward most buoy system just North of the Pier to see what I mean. Also North of the Pier (off SeaWatch restaurant) the second reef has a consistent 10-15 foot relief that continues North into Pompano. Just South of the Pier the reef is even more dense but the ledges are not as pronounced as they are North of the pier but as an added bonus there are nice coral heads in the sand out near the second reef. These heads can have big hogfish/grouper and are sometimes packed with lobsters when they cannot be found on the main ledge system. It really helps to know where you are going in LBTS because there is sooo much reef that if you do not know where to go then you can easily spend time on the low relief ledges.

I have been diving Broward county since the mid 70's and I dove the Dania area alot back in the early 80's. Although there are nice reefs in Dania, it is too close to Port Everglades for my liking. At low tide the dirty tidal plume comes out of the port and ruins visibility for the shallow reefs in Dania. And then there is the boat traffic being so close to a major port.

LBTS if far enough from the inlet where we very rarely get any tidal plume from the inlet. We have consistent clear water in LBTS and it has the best lobstering around. When I was shopping for a condo/townhome on the beach I targeted Lauderdale by the Sea strictly because of its unmatched the reef systems.

As an added bonus it is also the coolest beachside town in South Florida!

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Interesting nobody has mentioned Pompano. I think it is very comparable to LBTS. I have been diving Broward county for a little over 13 years, never have seen 10' relief on the yellow brick road, maybe 10", and the rock pile seems to have flattened out over the years. Maybe that is where there is the 10' relief, even if man made. Vis is hit or miss, and its a good swim out. Thanks to the renourishment projects, the reefs closer to shore are now under sand. Wanna know how to attract a hurricane? Renourish a beach!!
LBTS is close to shore and an easy dive.
Dania Erojacks is probably the longest walk/swim.
The reef at the end of the jacks is beautiful.
The reefs north of Sunrise are interesting.
Who's ready for a dive??

 

[vr24]

I have dove LBTS several times and never seen huge ledge systems like that. So you know what, if your all telling me that reefs like that exist at LBTS, I'm willing to give it another shot.

Lets setup a dive there one day.

Also, Johnson (yellow brick road) has tons of 4-5 foot ledges, thats basically the entire ledge systems both north and south of the road and rock pile.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

We're diving LBTS tomorrow morning, from Hibiscus Street. 8:00 show, 8:30 go

 

[vr24]

I have to work the morning shift, or believe me, I'd freakin be there. We dove twice already this week, a bit wavy, but stil 15-20' vis. We did dania and fort lauderdale.

 

[OceanObsessed]

By the way, the big ledges that I mentioned are roughly 1/3 of a mile offshore. Although it can be done they are a very long swim on a beach dive. I hit these spots in my kayak.