Ginnie Springs also offers opportunities for real cave diving if you have the proper training. 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. Plus, divers can go tubing, paddleboarding, kayaking, and camping during their surface intervals. WebWithin 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. The jungle overhangs the lagoon, adding to its otherworldly nature. Claire Metz. Some of the wrecks are in as little as 25 ft of water. WebDive Description. Sharks like to cruise the open water out around the ship, but keep an eye on the wreck itself and you can find smaller creatures scuttling around the brightly colored corners of the decks. Experience the ultimate luxury diving in Flores with Arenui Boutique Liveaboard - Book now for Free Nitrox! Shallow Shallow Wrecks Key Largo Scuba Diving 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. Konas stair-step entry guides divers immediately into the rutted undersea lavascape at famous Honaunau Bay, home to some of Hawaiis most extensive shallow-water coral reefs. Here are more sites perfect for that two-hour dive: Tufi Resort House Reef, Papua New Guinea shallow wreck dive Shallow USAT Liberty, Bali, Indonesia 4. There are over 70 wrecks to dive off the southern coast of Florida, and some are close enough so divers can see multiple wrecks in a single dive. Plus, with depths from 6-25ft (2-8m), divers are granted even more time to explore the attractions here. The protected reef boasts at least 189 fish species, according to local surveys. WebDIVE ONLY Depth Range: 95-130 feet Experience: Advanced Trips: Private Charter. There are also reef fish: angelfish, parrot fish, and striped sergeant majors. Tuna, wahoo, and other larger schooling fish are also often found along with smaller sharks and rays. The site is a great option for people looking to avoid the crowds, and an awesome novelty dive when the minnows are in full season. The wreck is covered with a nice layer of Broward county corals, and hosts a surprisingly dynamic variety of reef life. WebThe Miami Wreck Trek. An all-day excursion, including lunch and beverages, is $250 per person. On the good side however there is so much marine life around this ship that will not be disappointed. More, The Duane Key largo has over 100 dives sites. Shallow Spanish Anchor is a great place to get close to the coral. Its one of the most productive sources of freshwater in the world. WebKey West, Florida - The Tile Wreck, and The USS Alligator. 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. Located 22 miles south of Pensacola is theUSS Oriskany. The Duane sits upright on the sandy bottom at 120 feet offering nearly 70 feet of relief. Crews were unable to lift her off the ocean floor and decided to leave here where she now rests. The rather straightforward layout of the reef makes it easy to navigate and thus is a good option for novice divers looking to practice moving around a reef without a guide. Another thing to note is the ease of access to most of these sites. All content is copyright protected by either DIVEIN.com or respected copyright holders. Though it seems like a rather unlikely dive site, situated along the Palm Beach intercoastal waterway and nearly underneath an overpass, this aquatic park routinely makes best of lists for the whole United States. WebWreck diving is also available. You're grouchy. Chinchorro Banks, Mexico. Octopuses and urchins can often be found hiding in the pilings of the sanctuary. Species like Hogfish, with their shocking orange color, are easy to spot and approach. 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. The Amesbury was built for military combat and is better known in Key West as Alexander's Wreck. Key largo has over 100 dives sites. Finding a sharks tooth is a perk of this site, as are the turtles, otters and bubbling spring beds. WebThe wreck is a short boat ride from The Cayman Salvage Master, and the relatively shallow depth (19 metres/65 feet) make Joes Tug a popular second/afternoon dive. 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. Protected from the brunt of ocean currents by the horseshoe-shaped remains of a volcanic caldera, the sloping profile of this shallow, isolated bay provides varied habitats for an array of critters. There are dives from the first and largest of the islands, Key Largo, running all the way down the island chain to Key West and the southernmost tip of the U.S. and west deeper into the Gulf on Dry Tortuga. Parrotfish, angelfish, sergeant majors, rays, starfish, octopus, and more can be seen in water averaging six to 10 feet deep, with maximum depths of 20 feet. Visibility and conditions are variable, as is water temperature. Although not confirmed, this shipwreck may be the North America, built in Bath, Maine, in 1833 and lost November 25, 1842, while carrying dry goods and furniture. Ready to begin planning your scuba trip to Florida? 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. Invertebrates like octopus blend into the rubble, alongside cleverly disguised stone fish and seahorses. The site takes its name from an amazing swim through that fills nearly completely up with Atlantic Silverside minnows during the summer. Benwood Wreck- Ultimate Diving Guide 2022. The historical shipwrecks mentioned are shallow and very benign dives suitable for any certified diver. Topping off a dramatic wall, the sun-washed spurs and grooves ripple with light, and temperatures stay comfortably in the 80s. Its best to accept youre no longer in charge before you make that first giant stride at this marine-mammal rookery. Its a relatively easy wreck to enter with the proper training. Shallow Wrecks for Less Experienced Divers The MV Capt. In this guide, weve collected our 20 favorite dive sites from across the Sunshine State and compiled them here. Its impossible to talk about diving in Florida without mentioning Blue Heron Bridge. Dive 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. Diving Shallowest Shipwrecks With a hard bottom of 20 feet, crystal-clear waters and 340 sunny days a year, youre almost guaranteed prime viewing conditions as the vividly striped tiger sharks hit the site. Unlimited shore diving is included in the package. Then go have that glass of wine. Make it Happen Dreamtime Dive Resort (dreamtimediving.com) in Mahahual, Costa Maya, offers a full-day charter (two- and three-tank trips) to Chinchorro Banks. Moored nearby, the City of Washington was damaged by debris and shrapnel. North America Editor Walt Stearns dives into his back catalogue to give us some global destinations to add to our diving bucket list. Check out Jupiter Dive Center (jupiterdivecenter.com/) to explore the bridge as well as coral reefs, ridges, and wrecks in area. The most prominent feature of this reef is a 15 foot tall reef ledge which rises dramatically from the sandy floor below. The springs near Williston offer a special glimpse into a prehistoric network of freshwater tunnels that run nearly the entire length of Florida. The dives in and around this park range from beginner snorkeling on shallow reefs to advanced drift dives on the edge of the Gulf Stream in 100 feet or more of water with currents in excess of two knots. Seasoned wreck divers can penetrate the ships cavernous hold. The out and back nature of diving jetties makes this ideal terrain to practice basicunderwater navigation, and the abundance of smaller organisms here is enough to keep anyones attention. Dont be surprised if you get a bump or two as the sharks maneuver among you and your buddies for a bite of fish. But, you can also find anything here youd be able to see in the surrounding areas. Rumors abound about the person responsible, but nothing has been confirmed. Or poking your head through a collapsed section of cave wall, and staring into a few million years of prehistory? Florida Keys Wreck Guide WebNavy divers were sent from Key West to study and report on the wreck. The hypnotic show becomes more apparent as we descend to a shallow dive site just 22 feet deep in Biscayne National Park. 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. Its also another one of those wrecks whose position has changed dramatically with the pushing of storm currents. The Benwood is shallow wreck dive that is popular with novice divers. Cable Crossing Barracuda Reef is a great open water dive for newer divers, and another great shallow site to stop by if you have boat access. If youre planning an extended stay here you could easily book a couple boat dives from any of the local charters, and grab a few tanks so you can dive off the shore on your own. The Oriskany saw significant combat service in both the Korean and Viet Nam wars. On the night of December 19, 1985, while waiting to be sunk as an artificial reef next to the Alexander Barge, the Eagle broke from her moorings. Florida Drift divers are in for a freshwater experience at Rainbow River, located 20 miles southwest of Ocala, in Dunnellon, Florida. The shallower the better in two of Riviera Mayas most picturesque cenotes. Spiny lobsters, turtles, green moray eels and the usual cast of reef fish are residents of the area. Some of the deeper sites require mooring to submerged buoys. Jellyfish are in the area seasonally, so be sure to cover up and watch beware when relevant. WebThe Florida Keys is home to the United States only living coral barrier reef, making it an ideal scuba diving destination. The massive minnow balls are definitely the biggest draw to this area, and are enough in themselves to make the dive worth checking out. In the rest of the guide we provide a cursory overview of the regions we grouped our dives by, and what kind of sites and conditions you can generally expect from them. Diving Eventually, this will like be home to schools of fish, which will bring with them octopus, eels and the full splendor of reef fish typical of these waters. places to scuba dive in Florida This is how we pay ourselves. 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. More, The North America The Florida Panhandle refers to the stretch of land along the northwestern most part of Florida along the Gulf of Mexico. Chandelier Caves is a minute from the Fish n Fins dock (fishnfins.com), and is also offered as the third dive on top of a two-tank day for $35. This morning PADI Instructor Mike enjoyed teaching Peak Performance Buoyancy Specialty with one student and Advanced Open Water Diver with another diver. Florida has always been known for its bustling tourism industry, and there are no exceptions to this in the dive world. SHALLOW DIVE Best of all, many wrecks are in shallow enough water to free dive. It now sits upright in 115 ft (35 m) of water about 3.5 nautical miles (6 km) west of Looe Keys main dive sites. Floridas climate and coastal waters have claimed many sea vessels over the centuries. Florida WebMarco Island is the perfect final stop for a road trip, where you can hang foot loose and fancy-free.