Divemasters will tell you thats a sign youve ventured too close to their topside harem, but its often a temptation thats impossible to resist. You can see why this is known by many as the best scuba diving in Florida. These 5 shallow shipwrecks have become homes for numerous sea animals as well as destinations for divers drawn to history. The famous 8.5ft (2.6m), 4000-pound bronze sculpture of Jesus Christ stands in 25ft (7m) of water and makes for great photo ops. This morning PADI Instructor Mike enjoyed teaching Peak Performance Buoyancy Specialty with one student and Advanced Open Water Diver with another diver. Spearing Florida Keys fish can be relatively easy or very challenging, depending on what youre going after. Because of how recently these ships were scuttled, they tend to be in pretty good condition making the biggest draw of these wrecks are the wrecks themselves. The structure of the 220-year-old HMS Endymion is long gone, but cannons, ballast stones and a trio of 12-foot anchors remain. Diving In Similan Islands Khao Lak Area, The Best Starboard Paddle Boards: A Brand Guide, The Best iRocker Paddle Boards: A Brand Guide, Blackfin Paddle Boards: The Best Paddle boards from Blackfin, The Best All-inclusive Resorts in the World, All-Inclusive Resorts in Turks and Caicos, How To Choose a Kayak Paddle? MV FeBrina (walindi.com), out of Walindi Resort, includes the Witu islands and Dickys on its signature itineraries, visiting that region April through June and September through November. Benwood Wreck- Ultimate Diving Guide 2022. If you check out the Spiegel Grove, be prepared to be met with large schools of jacks, silent stalking barracuda, the occasional bull shark, and as always large hulking goliath grouper. Look for brightly colored corals clinging to the bulk of the wreck, but make sure to keep an eye on your depth and never penetrate the lower portions of the wreck, regardless of your experience. The sanctuary is home to a rotating cast of turtles who float lazily along the pilings munching jellyfish, and stingrays nestled in the shallow, sandy waters. Make It Happen CoCo Views (cocoviewresort.com) high-season rate (January through June) for a seven-night stay in an oceanfront room runs $1,349, which includes meals and four boat dives a day. In addition to the more obvious shrimpfish that bob up and down among the grasses, youll find a bounty of pipefish, ghost pipefish, seahorses, razorfish, anemonefish, eels and crazy crustaceans of great variety, to name just a few. The hypnotic show becomes more apparent as we descend to a shallow dive site just 22 feet deep in Biscayne National Park. The dive begins at a shallow entrance home to a variety of hard and soft corals bursting with scores of reef denizens from cuttlefish to bumphead parrotfish to pygmy seahorses. Other sites such as Devils Den, Blue Grotto, Troy, Manatee Springs, and Alexander Springs also hold the worlds high regard. In this guide, weve collected our 20 favorite dive sites from across the Sunshine State and compiled them here. Scuba Diving may receive financial compensation for products purchased through this site. And while all the elements combine to create a surreal scene, if you time your dive correctly, youll get an added bonus as the seascape is lit by intense shafts of light squeezing through the congestion above. Dive into the earth to experience an exhilarating adventure. WebOn June 10, 1993 the 100th anniversary of the ships launching, USS Massachusetts was officially dedicated as one of Floridas Underwater Archaeological Preserves. The Benwood is shallow wreck dive that is popular with novice divers. If the season is right, you can even bag a couple spiny lobster on your way back to shore. Reef fish of all varieties are common here, make sure to check inside of barrel sponges for slow-moving boxfish hiding from the current. Its one of the most productive sources of freshwater in the world. That's is how we pay ourselves. But thats only one reason why Hog Heaven, off Palm Beach, is a divers favorite while scuba diving in Florida. 1 Bahamas Life on the Bahia Mar. Within Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary lies a trail of historic shipwrecks, scattered along the coral reefs and buried in the sandy shallows a few miles off shore. Key largo has over 100 dives sites. What are the best Dive sites in Florida for beginners? All of the dive sites we visit are accessed by boat. The Amesbury was built for military combat and is better known in Key West as Alexander's Wreck. Some of the wrecks are in as little as 25 ft of water. The ships range in size from small tugboats, to coal freighters, to the truly massive USS Orinsky aircraft carrier that has its own section later in the guide. Enjoy a shore divers paradise in the best way at Bonaire's #1 dive resort! If you find a good deal on DIVEIN, you click to the retailer, and you buy the product, we get a commission of the sale. Sea fans, sponges and soft corals reach almost to the surface. WebIn the Florida Keys, much reef diving is shallow, easy diving. Disclosure: We are reader supported, and earn. The overall feel of the area is a little more laid back than southern Florida, geographically its basically part of Georgia so you wont miss out on the southern hospitality. Then go have that glass of wine. The deeper waters are bountiful enough, but several dives can be spent just in the warm, clear shallows particularly the few feet of water bordering a field of sea grass. Two other great wrecks not to be missed are the former Coast Guard cutters Bibb and Duane. Youll see big clutches of spiny lobster sheltered under shelves, sponges holding cowfish and boxfish, and the occasional eel lurking in crevices. While the vessel was being towed to deep water to be sunk as an artificial reef, it grounded and broke up in a storm before it could be refloated. Copyright 2023 Scuba Diving. Devils Den, Blue Grotto, and Ginnie Springs all offer a relatively similar experience diving in caverns filled with water from underground aquifers. Imagine floating slowly toward a wreck through a cloud of dish sized moon jellies, and turning corners to be met with massive monochrome tarpon. Its impossible to talk about diving in Florida without mentioning Blue Heron Bridge. Shore dives are not really an option in the Florida Keys because the water is too shallow. WebKey West, Florida is such an amazing place to visit for awesome scuba diving right off the coast. Cable Crossing This dive site takes its name from the large, 17th century anchor situated among the reef. An all-day excursion, including lunch and beverages, is $250 per person. Eventually there will be 1000 statues, cast from the bodies of real people at the Miami Body Cast. With more than 20 statues since 2020, watching this dive site grow will be uplifting and beautiful as it lies in waters that attract larger fish like barracuda and rays. Income disclosure: We are reader supported, and earn affiliate commissions when you buy via links found on DIVEIN.com: If you find a good deal on our site, you click to the retailer and you buy the product, we get a commission of the sale. Chronicled by many, and detailed by David Doubilet in National Geographic in 2007, this is a true bucket-list dive. While there are options for any skill level essentially across the state, what youll see and the conditions you can expect vary widely from the Gulf to the Atlantic. Blue Heron Bridge is host to an abundance of tropical life in all stages of development. The Panhandle is also the home of the Shipwreck Trail mentioned earlier in the guide, as well as the celebrated USS Oriskany. Check out Jupiter Dive Center (jupiterdivecenter.com/) to explore the bridge as well as coral reefs, ridges, and wrecks in area. From oil rigs and bridges, to wrecks, reefs, statues and countless marine species, each days diving is sure to bring a new adventure. WebShallow Dive Pelagic Drift Dive Blue Heron Bridge Its impossible to talk about diving in Florida without mentioning Blue Heron Bridge. Call or email us! Once you hit the beach, the sun-heated lava will take away any chill. Chromatic tarpon and eagle rays dart through have also been known to hang out in the area. Meeting the Wreck. Known for its wide white sand beaches, seagrass dune habitats, and wide brackish estuaries, here the natural beauty of the Gulf of Mexico is shown in its best light. Though technically a cave, operators routinely bring open-water divers to what is considered an intermediate site. When completed, the statue park will have 88 tons of sculptors lying at 45 feet on Coral Lok plugs which foster the growth of corals. On July 10, 1917, while being towed by a tug, the City of Washington ran aground and was a total loss within minutes. This impressive ship sits 6 miles (9.6km) off the shore of Key Largo. Conditions on the Shipwreck Trail sites vary from easy dives in shallow water to deeper dives of l00 feet or more where swift currents may be encountered. During winter (Nov-Apr), hundreds ofmanateesmigrate from the Gulf of Mexico to seek warmth in the balmy 72F (22C) springs, and guided snorkel trips are the only lawful way to swim up close and personal with these playful-but-protected creatures. Kick back on South Marco Beach and immerse yourself in the warmth of the shallow waters. A halocline, caused by the mixing of salt and fresh water, produces an eerie underwater effect complemented by the ethereal dancing of light on the ceiling as divers surface into the cavernous air pocket. Crews were unable to lift her off the ocean floor and decided to leave here where she now rests. We see big nurse sharks, reef sharks, eagle rays, turtles, goliath groupers, barracudas and uncountable varieties of colourful fish here. Even more impressive than the springs, are the rivers. Its relatively shallow and very easy to access and with the exception of tidal restrictions diving here is as easy as parking the car. Go Now Tufi Dive Resort, tufidive.com, Critter Corner, St. Vincent Barracuda Reef is a great place for checking out lobsters, eels, and crabs. The gorgeous location and variety of activities makes Ginnie Springs one of the top visited freshwater dive sites in Florida. And the easy-to-access openings to the barge house schools of snappers, grunts and camera-ready angelfish. The reef lives in waters as shallow as five feet and as deep as 50 feet. WebSouth Florida Diving 101 N. Riverside Dr. Suite 111 Pompano Beach, FL 33062 Phone: (800) 771-DIVE (3483) (Toll Free in U.S.) Phone: +1 (954) 783-2299 (Outside U.S.) E-mail: info@southfloridadiving.com Many in-ground pools are 10 feet deep in the diving end. Pompano has an impressive artificial reef program that has produced some spectacular dive spots! Maxing out at just over 20 feet during high tide, this site is divable only during slack tide. North America Editor Walt Stearns dives into his back catalogue to give us some global destinations to add to our diving bucket list. Florida Reef, which is in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary is a massive reserve that is home to a ton of mangroves, shipwrecks, and coral reefs. Some of the deeper sites require mooring to submerged buoys. With an estimated 10,000 visitors per year, it is by far the most popular underwater preserve in the state. This World War II-era ship was intentionally sunk off the coast of Panama City in 1993 to create an artificial reef. Solid steel girders framed in verdant corals are enough to sway even the most jaded of divers. Cruises begin at $2,849 for a seven-day itinerary. Discovering the Wonders of Mexico's Cenotes for the First Time, Apeks Announces New DSX Technical Dive Computer, How Marine Animals Are Playing a Vital Role in Saving Our Planet. Keith Tibbetts Wreck, formally known as the Russian Frigate (#356) 330-foot vessel that was sunk in September 1996 on Cayman Bracs north side. The Gulf Stream current often flows close to the shoreline bathing the coral reefs in clear, warm water. The exhibit has not reached its 1000 sculptures goal. More, The Eagle USS Kittiwake, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands 7. Phil Foster Park in Southeast Florida offers easy access shore dives, where an artificial reef stretches on for 800 feet and marine life abounds. One of the final acts that triggered the Spanish-American War was the destruction of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor. Discover Flores Underwater - Book Now for Free Nitrox with Arenui Liveaboard! Large patches of sargassum hold an untold number of macro life and the sandy shoals off its shore are a stalking ground for larger reef fish. Dive sites consist of shallow reefs, deep reefs, drift dives, and wreck dives. There are three different crystal clear dives sites at Ginnie Springs: The Ginnie Ballroom, The Devils Spring System, and Santa Fe River. Angelfish and parrotfish cruise through holes in the wreckage, and good sized sponges dot the exterior. Benwood wreck: Decent shallow wreck dive - See 303 traveler reviews, 37 candid photos, and great deals for Key Largo, FL, at Tripadvisor. Go Now MV Spree, spreeexpeditions.com, Caesarea, Israel The site, true to its name, is made up of two distinct coral ledges with a max depth of 50 feet. WebKey Largo dubs itself the Dive Capital of the World , and yes, it is home to some of the most renown dive sites in the Florida Keys. SS Yongala, Great Barrier Reef, Australia 2. If youre a seasoned wreck diver, the interior of the ship poses a technical challenge worthy of your respect. With a constant temp of 72F (22C), a 3mm wetsuit is all thats needed to explore the 50ft (15m) spring and its multiple swim-throughs and air pockets. Today, it attracts a healthy population of marine life from shimmering schools of silversides to massive grouper lurking in its shadows. As always, huge groupers love to hide in shipwrecks. With over 30 dive sites ranging from 6-90ft (2-27m), this is one of Floridas biggest and best reefs. The Trek includes Miss Patricia, an 85f (25.9m) tug, Miss Karlene, Bens Antenna reef (old radio towers), Billys Barge, limestone boulders, and more. It boasts a history rich inartifacts and fossils, and even some with connections leading to the Smithsonian Institute. It includes approximately 70 nautical square miles of adjacent Atlantic Ocean waters. WebPompano means great wreck diving at Sea Hunt Scuba. WebThe reefs are mostly shallow (25 to 40 feet), so they are ideal for beginners and all divers that want to enjoy lots of light on the reef and not worry about bottom time or air consumption. Barracuda Reef is one of the better trafficked and more easily accessible boat dives available right off of the shore. If youre lucky you might even see a pair of spotted eagle rays floating along with the tide. This site also features a 75 foot tugboat wreck that attracts larger ocean life. Spiny lobsters, moray eels, and purple urchins like to live underneath the shelves hovering above the sea floor. All manner of invertebrates make an appearance here. There are some great shallow wrecks for novice divers to enjoy at top liveaboard destinations around the world. WebThe South East Florida Reef Tract extends from Miami northward to Palm Beach. Hunter is a PADI-certified Dive Instructor with as keen an interest in words as technical prowess. The Amesbury was an escort for destroyers in World War II. Its best to leave these pieces of history where they are, for other divers to enjoy and for historians to document. Chinchorro Banks, Mexico. When you enter one of these sinkholes, you enter an area that has remained geologically unchanged for milenia.No matter what your experience with cave diving, you can creep around ancient stone pillars and watch catfish and bluegill scatter from the unfamiliar glare of your dive light. But its theChrist of the Abyssdive site that is worth mentioning. WebFlorida Springs are world renown for cave & cavern diving. Its also another one of those wrecks whose position has changed dramatically with the pushing of storm currents. Species like Hogfish, with their shocking orange color, are easy to spot and approach. SS Copenhagen, a 19th Century British cargo steamer, struck a reef in 25 feet of water off present-day Lauderdale-By-The-Sea on May 26, 1900. Places like Kings Spring are must-visit freshwater sites if youre scuba diving in Florida. The Duane sits upright on the sandy bottom at 120 feet offering nearly 70 feet of relief. Joseph L. Meek Liberty Ship Depth: 80-95ft GPS Location: Latitude 30 16.384 N Longitude 87 09.574 W The Joseph L. Meek, a 480 foot long Liberty ship, was built for the Maritime Commission by the Oregon War Industries Ship Building Company in 1942. The corals are open and healthy, the fish active. The Cayman Salvager is heralded as one of the best wreck dives in the Key West area. Key Largo Dry Rocks, the Minnow Caves area in particular is one of the more popular sites in the Keys alongside the nearby Grecian Rocks and Christ of the Abyss. But a few dives are worth it to spend some time to explore every wreck. A slight descent through a shallow tunnel leads to an inner lagoon whose reflective qualities inspired the sites name. She lies between French Reef and Dixie Shoals on the bottom of a low profile reef and sand, in depths ranging from 25 to 45 feet. All content is copyright protected by either DIVEIN.com or respected copyright holders. A nine-night signature itinerary is $3,795. Once youve done it, do it again: Grab a tank and treat yourself to a night dive, because the front yard is just as lively when the sun goes down. In 1733, a fleet of 21 vessels left Mexico loaded with cargo bound for Europe. In honor of Earth Day, here's a roundup of marine animals that help us fight climate change and help the entire planet. But the only spitting will be the archerfish picking off their prey on the brances above. It is also where John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is located, the countrys first undersea park. Your boat comes with fresh drinking water and ice. Grouper feasting on the bait balls have also been known to roll through the area. Its hard to tell which part of the Cayman Salvager is more interesting, the 187 feet of artificial reef in a little less than 90 feet of high visibility water, or the story of how it got there. The rippled white-sand bottom of Tiger Beach provides a dramatic stage for one of the premier shark dives in the world.
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