Was just wondering if anyone out there is familiar with the Pompano Beach area and could hook me up with any nice,easy beach or bridge dives. I am taking my brand new scuba wife(new to scuba, not being a wife) on an afternoon 2 tank boat dive next Sunday but would like to do something shore based in the morning. I have 50+ dives but they are all deeper spearing trips and this is really my first trip just to go look at pretty fishies.
Pompano Beach
- Thread starter Brad B
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AquaDog
Guest
There is beach diving in Pompano. Go all the way to the east end of Atlantic Blvd. then go south for two blocks and there a beach parking area (metered of course) and an entrance onto the beach that allows for diving.
50 to 75 yards out and you'll find a small reef line that runs parellel to the shore. Viz can be 40-50 feet on a good and substantially less of a bad one.
Don't forget to bring a dive flag.
Btw, what dive op are you going out with?
50 to 75 yards out and you'll find a small reef line that runs parellel to the shore. Viz can be 40-50 feet on a good and substantially less of a bad one.
Don't forget to bring a dive flag.
Btw, what dive op are you going out with?
Thanks for the replies. We will be on the Aqua View or Safari on Sunday afternoon. I will be tagging along as this is my wifes OW check out dives. Since we have to drive all the way down from Maitland I wanted to at least do something in the morning. I may also drive back up to West Palm and dive the Blue Heron Bridge. I know you are familiar with that Wendy, can you tell me where to find out about the tides? The link on Wades Page is down. I had heard of Lauderdale by the Sea. Is there a reef there also. If you were gonna do one shore dive in that area what would it be.
Tide schedule for Blue Heronn Bridge is: High tides is at 8:36am on Saturday the 14th and at 9:28am on Sunday morning the 15th. You would want to enter the water 1/2 hour before high tide, exit 1/2 hour after.
There are 3 reef lines offshore of Ft. Lauderdale. I don't shore dive much, so maybe someone local down there can recommend a place.
There are 3 reef lines offshore of Ft. Lauderdale. I don't shore dive much, so maybe someone local down there can recommend a place.
Thanks Wendy. Based on that info I think it will have to be a Saturday PM beach dive, a Sunday AM Blue Heron dive and then off to the boat in the PM. If any of you S Fla guys can give me any further details on the beach dives, no detailis too small for someone who has never been there,please post.Any contacts for vis on the beach would be great. Weather is looking good so far, 10 kts SEand 1-3'.Hope it holds.
Former FLL Now MSP Diver
Contributor
OK - everyone knows that beach dives are not a personal favorite of mine, but here's a list from Deerfield Beach to Lauderdale by the Sea - all with 20-30 minutes from SFDH docks at the Sands Marina.
North Deerfield Ledges - enter from the beach access beside the "Welcome to the City of Boca Raton". Rock formations about 150ft straight out from the access, and larger ledges NW from the access starting at 200ft going to 450ft interspersed with grass and seafans. I've been told this is a great night dive site. This is north of the Deerfield Pier and north of the public beach. I have not done this site.
Deerfield Ledges - south of the Deerfield Pier between the two public beaches. You need to enter the water in front of the Cove Beach Club condo building. Head straight out and will hit three sets of rocky reef lines, the first starting about 75ft out to the third at 125ft from shore. The current usually goes south to north, so be careful you don't drift into the pier. Lifeguards will shoo you away if you happen to venture onto the public beach coming or going. A Shower is available south of the condos on the street. Plenty of street parking early or late, or a bit of a hike to the public lot north of the condos closer to the pier. Not bad, I prefer the site below.
Trespasser's Ledge - site of the ill-fated Why I Don't Like Beach Dives story.
Just south of the above site at the far south end of the public beach. Park behind the Embassy Suites hotel and walk down to the beach via the most southerly access stairs. There's also a shower here for when you're finished. Walk south 50 feet past the rocks to get off the public beach and set up camp in front of the condo building. Head straight out across the sand about 200ft until you hit the first reef line and numerous ledges. As above you'll drift north if you're not careful and encounter the zealous lifeguards. Despite the story a nice dive when it's calm.
Nolan's Ledge - about 1/2 mile north of the Pompano Pier and Atlantic Ave. Enter the beach between the condos at 520 Ocean Townhouses and the Silver Thatch Ocean Club. It's a long 600 yd swim out to the reef line in 15ft of water. All parking, showers and restrooms half mile south at the pier. I have never dove this site.
Pompano Dropoff - about 1/2 mile south of the Pompano Pier. The reefline is nto as far out, but still a 350 yd swim out. Enter the beach from SE 2nd Ave. Showers, restrooms and places to eat and drink after you dive. Being lazy, it's still too far out for me and I have not dove this site.
Palm Avenue Reef - popular site just south of Commercial Ave. Enter the beach off Palm Ave. Lots to see close in and further out. The first reef line starts 100ft out and is 200ft wide. The second reef line is 100ft beyond that. Lots of seafans, coral and sponges on both, and good ledges on the back of the first reef and on the second one. A few small brave lobsters with deep holes manage to survive on this oft visited reef year round. Only thing I don't like about this site is there's no showers to rinse off.
Vista Park - just south of Oakland Park Blvd. Limited parking and enter straight to the beach. First reef line is 150ft out to a very wide reef. Lots of coral, sponges and fish. I have never dove it, but have heard people swear by this site. There are showers.
The Blue Heron Bridge is a nice dive. You'll enjoy it.
There are other sites further out both north and south. Hope this helps and that it's a calm day when you go out.
Marc
North Deerfield Ledges - enter from the beach access beside the "Welcome to the City of Boca Raton". Rock formations about 150ft straight out from the access, and larger ledges NW from the access starting at 200ft going to 450ft interspersed with grass and seafans. I've been told this is a great night dive site. This is north of the Deerfield Pier and north of the public beach. I have not done this site.
Deerfield Ledges - south of the Deerfield Pier between the two public beaches. You need to enter the water in front of the Cove Beach Club condo building. Head straight out and will hit three sets of rocky reef lines, the first starting about 75ft out to the third at 125ft from shore. The current usually goes south to north, so be careful you don't drift into the pier. Lifeguards will shoo you away if you happen to venture onto the public beach coming or going. A Shower is available south of the condos on the street. Plenty of street parking early or late, or a bit of a hike to the public lot north of the condos closer to the pier. Not bad, I prefer the site below.
Trespasser's Ledge - site of the ill-fated Why I Don't Like Beach Dives story.
Just south of the above site at the far south end of the public beach. Park behind the Embassy Suites hotel and walk down to the beach via the most southerly access stairs. There's also a shower here for when you're finished. Walk south 50 feet past the rocks to get off the public beach and set up camp in front of the condo building. Head straight out across the sand about 200ft until you hit the first reef line and numerous ledges. As above you'll drift north if you're not careful and encounter the zealous lifeguards. Despite the story a nice dive when it's calm.Nolan's Ledge - about 1/2 mile north of the Pompano Pier and Atlantic Ave. Enter the beach between the condos at 520 Ocean Townhouses and the Silver Thatch Ocean Club. It's a long 600 yd swim out to the reef line in 15ft of water. All parking, showers and restrooms half mile south at the pier. I have never dove this site.
Pompano Dropoff - about 1/2 mile south of the Pompano Pier. The reefline is nto as far out, but still a 350 yd swim out. Enter the beach from SE 2nd Ave. Showers, restrooms and places to eat and drink after you dive. Being lazy, it's still too far out for me and I have not dove this site.
Palm Avenue Reef - popular site just south of Commercial Ave. Enter the beach off Palm Ave. Lots to see close in and further out. The first reef line starts 100ft out and is 200ft wide. The second reef line is 100ft beyond that. Lots of seafans, coral and sponges on both, and good ledges on the back of the first reef and on the second one. A few small brave lobsters with deep holes manage to survive on this oft visited reef year round. Only thing I don't like about this site is there's no showers to rinse off.
Vista Park - just south of Oakland Park Blvd. Limited parking and enter straight to the beach. First reef line is 150ft out to a very wide reef. Lots of coral, sponges and fish. I have never dove it, but have heard people swear by this site. There are showers.
The Blue Heron Bridge is a nice dive. You'll enjoy it.
There are other sites further out both north and south. Hope this helps and that it's a calm day when you go out.
Marc
Thanks a bunch Marc, that was exactly the type of info I was looking for. I had read your post about beach diving and was not that interested in it but its the only option until my wife gets her card on Sunday PM. Plus, now that there are two of us diving we may have to do some to keep costs down and still get in the water.
Everyone says Commercial pier is the best shore dive. There's a huge parking lot just north of the pier (across from police station). Walk to beach, go in water,swim east, see rubbbly reef
at end of pier, ignore 'til you come back (this is not the "real" reef)
and continue east, see sand and continue east, see reef and turn right (south), swim against current, see balls of brain coral, seafans, sponges, nurse shark, stingrays, and turtles, turn around and drift back to where you started, turn west, swim to beach, walk to car etc.. Note: the easiest way to make sure you're
on the "real" reef, is to do a surface check in front of the end of the pier. If you are a safe distance from the pier (50 yards?) and you still see sand, go east 'til you get to reef. Best viz in A.M.. 7 A.M to 10A.M sea often flat. If you don't want to swim that far, go to south side of the pier and swim east reef starts about 3/4 the length of the pier (sometimes there's more fish here), look around, say "what the F" swim out to "real" reef, see aforementioned stuff, drift north, see parking lot, go west, swim to beach, walk to car, etc.
at end of pier, ignore 'til you come back (this is not the "real" reef)
and continue east, see sand and continue east, see reef and turn right (south), swim against current, see balls of brain coral, seafans, sponges, nurse shark, stingrays, and turtles, turn around and drift back to where you started, turn west, swim to beach, walk to car etc.. Note: the easiest way to make sure you're
on the "real" reef, is to do a surface check in front of the end of the pier. If you are a safe distance from the pier (50 yards?) and you still see sand, go east 'til you get to reef. Best viz in A.M.. 7 A.M to 10A.M sea often flat. If you don't want to swim that far, go to south side of the pier and swim east reef starts about 3/4 the length of the pier (sometimes there's more fish here), look around, say "what the F" swim out to "real" reef, see aforementioned stuff, drift north, see parking lot, go west, swim to beach, walk to car, etc.
AquaDog
Guest
South Florida Diving Headquarters. The AquaView is their big 45 foot catamaran and the Safari is the smaller boat that takes advanced & tech divers out to the deeper dives.
I've been diving with them since I discovered them 5 years ago and they're one of mt favorite dive ops on the east coast.
They are a great bunch of people and I'm sure you'll have a good time with them.
Look forward to seeing a dive report (and pics) when you get back.
I've been diving with them since I discovered them 5 years ago and they're one of mt favorite dive ops on the east coast.
They are a great bunch of people and I'm sure you'll have a good time with them.
Look forward to seeing a dive report (and pics) when you get back.
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