Shore dive and snorkel in Delray/Boca Area

[fun2chase]

Does anyone know of a good spot to dive while the kids snorkel from the shore in the Delray Beach/Boca Raton area? The family wants a day on Friday to swim/snorkel/dive. Red Reef said no diving; just snorkel. Any suggestions to satisfy all nearby?

Thanks,
-stacy

 

[Tom Winters]

Shore dives here do not seem worth the effort - it's all sand out to the first ledge.

 

[ScubaMarine]

A little further south and you can get to a couple great reefs. One of Commercial blvd, take Commercial from 95 straight to the beach. Get in a hundred yards or so south of the pier. Or Hollywood beach, a little farther and harder to find but good just as well. It directly behind the hollywood bandshell on Johnson st. Maybe 200 yds off shore.

 

[Scubakevdm]

The Delray Wreck is pretty handy, just off the beach about 1/4 mile south of Atlantic Ave. Nothing spectacular, but there's usually some cool stuff around.
Also, there's a ledge about 300' off the beach starting at the northern border of Gulfstream Beach, which is about 1 mile south of the shop on A1A. It's not very colorful, but it's there. I've seen sea turtles, nurse sharks stingrays etc. there.
There is a very cool wreck called the Loftus from the turn of the century (not the recent one) but it involves either a 3/4 mile walk each way along the beach, or purchasing some very expensive real estate.

 

[fun2chase]

Kevin, could you picture me walking more than a few hundred feet with my doubles??? Looks like southfloridadiving.com has a glass bottom boat going out today at 1:30 if the weather holds. They were cool & will allow me to dive while the kids snorkel. That seems better than the beach options. We will be going at 1:30 if the boat goes 1-800-771-3483.

 

[fun2chase]

Got thumbed due to weather. Hope to go out tomorrow morning on the 9am boat.

 

[Trisha]

Hey, fun2chase, how was the boat dive? We dropped by South Florida Diving Headquarters the last time we were in town, but no one was going out (too windy, then rainy the next day.) We are headed back to Lauderdale-by-the-Sea at the end of the month and would like your views (especially on the snorkeling-only kids part.)
Thanks!

 

[fun2chase]

Hiya! We ended up calling the dives/snorkel due to weather. If anyone goes out on the glass bottom boats from southfloridadiving.com, let us know!

 

[Trisha]

Rats! That's the difference between ocean diving and lake divng -- it's great when you can get it. But you can't count on it.
During spring break we spent three days at LBTS at El Mar Drive and Datura Avenue doing shore dives, and only got our scuba gear wet twice! We got in a late afternoon dive Tuesday, the wind was up and out of the wrong direction on Wednesday (when we investigated boat diving), and my husband and I did an early morning dive Thursday in spite of the clouds, then were washed out the rest of the day.
We are headed back in a couple of weeks and hope that by taking an apartment near the beach we can get more opportunities -- when they are available.