Diving Deerfield Beach is fine as long as you dive all the way down to the South End of the beach past the Last Life Guard Station. The life guards will not let you dive from the main beach area. We beach dive there and thats also where Dixie Divers does a lot of their training dives for new divers. Be prepared to drop quarters in the meters. You can if lucky get a spot on the street right at the end of the beach or there is also the beach parking lot. If you have to use the parking lot, I would say drop off your buddy and all the gear and then go park the car and walk back over. Saves the old back from packing the gear so far. Same thing goes for snorkeling, the life guards will not let you snorkel off the main beach if they see your flag, they will tell you you can't. So you just go to then South end of the beach by the rocks. This is a short stretch of beach there that is considered private but they can't and don't deny access to it. Be aware of your location to the pier, you can't dive or snorkel underneath it.
The reef is about 50 yards out and starts in about 10 to 12 feet and then moves on out to the 2nd & 3rd reefs ending in about 30 feet of water. Do to boat traffic it's not advisable to go past the 3rd reef. There are also showers to use after your dive about half way back down by the parking lot.
Let me know what time you plan to meet and if I can I will join you. Hubby has to work so it would just be me. Even if I don't dive, I can bubble watch.
My other recommendation would be Lauderdale by the Sea. Its also has shallow diving and offers good beach access.
Happy Diving,
Zuzanne