Kurt Kucera

Scuba Diver, Car Enthusiast, Outdoorsman

Diving Spotlight: Florida

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If you’re taking a vacation to Florida, or already live in the Sunshine State, activities like scuba diving and snorkeling might be on your agenda.  Don’t be too concerned about which coasts are nearest to you, fortunately for visitors and residents alike, Florida’s diving sites are located on multiple coasts throughout the peninsula.

 

Here are some of the best sites for scuba diving throughout Florida!

 

Biscayne Maritime Heritage Trail  

Biscayne National Park

Dive into some maritime history on the heritage trail at Biscayne National Park.  Groups of divers and snorkelers can take a visit here to experience an underwater history lesson spanned with shipwrecks dating back to the late 1800’s.  Provided with waterproof maps, divers can make their way to each separate wreck to explore the sites below.

 

Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary

Big Pine Key

If you’re looking to experience one of the states beautiful living reefs, Looe Key is a great place to start.  A protected underwater ecosystem, this site is full of high rock ledges, colorful exotic marine life, and of course, miles worth of living coral reef structures that are more than just a site to see.  In fact, the reef was previously home to the HMS Looe shipwreck dating back to 1744. Though the wreck is no longer present in the reef, but it’s a great back story to how the site obtained its name!

 

Devil’s Den

Williston

A name with an interesting history, the Devils Den is a warm spring set in an underground cave with a ton of ancient history behind it.  It’s name was given by early settlers who, due to the warm steam coming up from the above ground at the caves location, thought that the site may be the pathway to hell.  While in the following years that theory was debunked, visitors can experience this underground wonderland while enjoying the warmth and scenery of this 2 million year old cavern.

 

Half Moon Preserve

Biscayne National Park

An early 1900’s racing yacht originally named the Germania, is the setting to this underwater diving site.  From it’s build date in 1908, the Germania had a number of different captains, homes, and two name changes, officially taking its final name “Half Moon” around 1920.  By 1930, the Half Moon was being used as a fishing vessel, until its ultimate demise during a storm.  Today, the wreck sits about 10 feet underwater, is a home for marine life, and a great attraction for divers looking to experience a little piece of history.  

 

Blue Grotto

Williston

Quite close to our previously mentioned diving site, the Devil’s Den, Blue Grotto is a stunning clear water cavern, that is open to divers and snorkelers of all experience levels.  With a maximum diving depth of 100 feet, divers can experience what is said to be one of the clearest waters in Florida.  An additional perk for divers is the diving bell at the 30 foot mark, where divers can take an opportunity to take a quick break and converse with their diving partner.

Best Destinations for Beginner Scuba Divers

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When you’re starting out in any new activity, you want to make sure that you give yourself the best first experience possible. Scuba Diving is no different; you want to ensure that when choosing your site you consider not only your excitement but your safety as well. The scuba diving site you select should be somewhere that will give you all the features necessary for a memorable experience while also being appropriate for your skill level. Your first real dive trip is one of a kind, so you want the experience to be one that you remember for the rest of your life. With that in mind, here are some of the best destinations that deliver on the all the features necessary for beginner scuba divers.

 

Florida

The Sunshine state provides a plethora of diverse diving sites along with high-quality dive shops and operators. Water surrounds the state on three sides, and it boasts a number of freshwater springs in the interior. It appeals to many divers because of the variety of diving habitats. Divers can find wreck dives, shore dives, pier dives, drift diving, and even treasure-hunting diving off both of Florida’s coasts. In addition, just offshore of South Florida and down to the Florida Keys is the only living coral reef in North America. Divers will discover an abundance of marine life with the warm Gulf Stream current flowing through the area.

 

Bahamas

Located at the junction of the Atlantic and Caribbean oceans, the 700 islands, and 2,400 coral cays make up the Bahamas. The reef stretches 760 miles from Andros to Long Island, and it offers all types of world-class diving like shallow reefs, wrecks, blue holes, walls and shark dives. Plus with the warm water, high visibility, and gentle currents, the conditions make the Bahamas the ideal place for a beginner diver.

 

Hawaii

Beginners will love the chance to boost their skill set quickly due to the challenge of keeping neutral buoyancy while swimming through the lava-formed tunnel and arches at Tunnel Reef and First Cathedral in Hawaii. Divers can also enjoy the manta night dive of Kona which is a one of a kind nighttime experience that divers can have because of the site’s depth of 38 feet. Hawaii also calls to many families and couples and because of this, the instructors are frequently working with new divers and anyone looking to polish their skills.

Best Spots to Scuba Dive in Florida

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slide-01Florida has some of the best places to scuba dive in the world. With an abundant coast line surrounding most of the state, there are amazing spots to see from Amelia Island to the Florida keys. All you have to figure out is what you want to see.

I want to see manatees.

You’ll have to stick to snorkeling, but you’ll definitely want to head to Crystal River where the sea cows are a plenty. They congregate in herds in the warm waters from November through about April. You won’t realize how impressive these animals are until you’re seeing one of these 10 feet, 1,000 pound gentle giants in person. Remember, they are protected and endangered, so don’t do anything that could harm them or their environment. Harassing or chasing them is strictly prohibited.

If you leave the posted manatee area and go for a dive, you can experience dozens of freshwater springs that boil from the underground aquifer, and you might spot tarpon, snapper, redfish, large mouth bass, and garfish.

I want to cave dive.

Head to Blue Grotto, a large clear-water cavern open to divers of all skill levels. The cavern reaches depths of 100 ft, but there is a compressed air-supplied bell at 30 ft where you can enter and take the regulator out of your mouth mid-dive and even have a quick conversation.

I want to swim with sea turtles. 

Head to West Palm Beach for some gulf stream drift diving. Cast moving water will take you past beautiful coral reefs filled with marine life. The current will take you effortlessly across miles of habitat, with your best chance of catching some sea turtles during the season between May and September. Groups as big as a dozen will happily drift alongside you.

I want to find shark teeth.

Venice has an ancient riverbed about a mile off the beach known as the “Shark Tooth Capital of the World.” Divers from around the world come to look for shark teeth big and small.

I want to see artificial reefs.

Of the shores of Miami/Fort Lauderdale are a string of wrecks, including three retired oil platforms called Tenneco Towers. The rigs are covered in corals and sponges and populated with a variety of schools of fish. Miami’s “Wreck Trek” includes an 85-foot steel tug, two M60 tanks, the 110-foot Billy’s Barge, Ben’s Antenna Reef and dozens of 100-foot plus freighters.

 

There are plenty of beginners lessons and easy sites for those just getting started. And if you’re really nervous, there’s still a ton of nature you can discover sticking to your basic snorkel and flippers. I’d recommend looking up a tour or lessons with an instructor who can lead you to the best spots if you’re a beginner or just not sure where to go.

There’s plenty to discover off the shores of Florida if you’re adventurous enough to get out there. From living reefs and marine animals to ship wrecks and historical sites, you’re just an air tank away from exploring them up close and personal.