Shore diving in the keys

[astrl]

Are there any good shore dives in the keys? My "Underwater Florida" book doesn't really specify any of the sites as "beach".

Also, has anyone been to Pickles Reef? It was on the fla-keys website and mentioned it was a good macro photography site, but it isn't mentioned in the book either.

Thanks!

 

[mike_s]

I haven't been there "exactly" but have been extremely close to it. Pickles Reef lines in the same line/chain as Molasses Reef and French Reef and is located to the "bottom" of these two in the chain.

I'd say it's an easy 3 to 5 miles to shore from Pickles Reef, so not a shore dive. If it's like Molasses reef, then it's a pretty good dive.

There isn't much shore diving from what everyone has told me. But a few people did it in Pennekamp in the lagoons. The water was pretty murky though and there were "warning" signs up for the sewage content. So we didn't dive it.


Also check out this book. We liked it. It has some dive info, but mostly an all around general guide.

Insiders' Guide to the Florida Keys and Key West
http://www.booksamillion.com/ncom/books?id=3118126892769&isbn=0762734515

enjoy.

-Mike

 

[cudachaser]

Hey ... we are neighbors!!!

I'm Cocoa Beach!

Yes, I've dove Pickles many times, nice reef but nothing spectacular...Keys Beach diving is almost non existant...I have dove beach dove under the start of the 7 mile bridge...currents are really tricky...gotta learn them. One place that I guess you could qualify as a beach dive is Jules Verne Lagoon in Key Largo...they charge like $25 but it makes for a good one time dive.

Have you ever dove the beaches south of us below Sebastian Inlet...some supe diving in the mostly the summer months.

Joe

 

[Big Mike]

Beach diving in the KEYS is virtually non-existant. The reef is 5 or 6 miles off shore.

Beaches don't exist (like Daytona, Ft. Laud. etc) in the Keys. Only small man made ones.

At Pennekamp Park they have a small beach and they set up a small recreation of a Spanish Galleon wreck in about 6 to 10 feet. It has a few cannon replicas. There can be some fish seen around there. If you go out a few feet further it drops of to about 25'. Viz is usually 5 or 6 feet. Not very good. You can run into small schools of tarpon there. Occassionally some small barracuda & smaller reef fish. I have dove here several time, but usually just while waiting to catch the boat out from the park or if WIND is TOO HIGH & boats aren't going out. A last resort dive.

Mike

 

[zboss]

I'd say it's an easy 3 to 5 miles to shore from Pickles Reef, so not a shore dive. If it's like Molasses reef, then it's a pretty good dive.

for the swimming portion of OW!

 

[astrl]

Thanks everyone! I guess I will be signing up with a dive operation then. The book mentioned that Pickles Reef was a good macro photo spot, so that's why I was interested.

Cudachaser: Hidey ho neighbor! :happywave I saw the Sebastian Inlet spots in the book and I am looking forward to trying them out this summer. I thought someone had previously mentioned that these sites were damaged during the 2004 hurricanes.

Mike_S: Thanks for the book suggestion. I'll take a look at it.

 

[cudachaser]

Yeah my favorite spot, Turtle mound is still closed....All the spots got major damage from the hurricanes...Pepper Park in Ft Pierce is open..

Joe