• Florida Diving: The Secrets To Good Diving

    Many open water divers attend Florida diving simply because there are plenty of diving sites situated around the coast of Florida. A little known fact is that apart from being situated in a nice and warm region, Florida has the longest coastline of all the states in the U.S.

    Florida Diving: Gulf Stream
    When we first look at the Atlantic coastline you will find a series of reef lines creating an outer reef, inner reef and middle reef. These reefs run along the coastline creating different diving experences from north of West Palm Beach all the way down the coastline to The Keys.

    A fantastic event up and down this coast is the continuous current of warm water which is The Gulf Stream. The Gulf Stream runs close to the shores heading north before veering out into the Atlantic. The Gulf Stream provides a cleansing action for the marine bio system and brings with it nutrients which provides essential food for the growing marine system.

    Florida Diving: Shipwrecks and Coral Reefs
    Many travelling to Florida diving for the first time are surprised at the range and diversity of dive sites available. Starting at Jupiter and working your way down south along the coastline you will find an incredible span of reefs and shipwrecks to investigate with some scuba dive sites like Governor’s River Walk Reef having well known shipwrecks such as the Shasha boerkanier which is one of three shipwrecks at this dive site.

    Inexperienced Florida diving enthusiasts will find a range of gorgeous reefs in West Palm Beach. Reefs such as Breakers Reef covered in marine life. Driving south towards Miami you reach Fort Lauderdale. America’s answer to Venice, this is a scenic place providing a great base for any Florida diving trip.

    Ft. lauderdale has interesting scuba dive sites such as Tenneco Towers or Oil Platforms. There are plenty of exciting choices and when you travel further south you get to Miami.

    Miami! Probably the only location in the world you would expect to find Army tanks on the seabed.

    Miami is a terrific area to visit on a Florida diving holiday with locations like South Beach with its Art Deco and the many Miami attractions. There is also a vast choice of diving sites due to the continuing artificial reef program. Beyond Miami and travelling further south, no Florida diving schedule would excude a visit to Key Largo or Key West.

    Florida Diving: Key Largo
    Key Largo has long been known as “The Scuba Diving Capital of the World” and when you see the choice of scuba dive sites it’s easy to see why. Any Florida diving trip to Key Largo has to consist of a dive or snorkeling trip to Christ of the Abyss, one the most celebrated underwater statues in the world. Sunk in comparatively shallow waters this statue is one of the most visited and photographed statues anywhere.

    Molasses Reef is the area to visit if you love underwater photography. The shallow waters and first-class lighting makes this a striking reef on which to take macro photographs of the marine life. Key Largo is the most excellent known by the Florida diving community for its wide range of scuba dive sites but Key West is the place to go for the nightlife and culture if you do trek to The Keys.

    If you want the opportunity to enjoy yourself both in and out of the water then Key West provides good scuba dive sites, snorkeling and some of the best night entertainment you are likely to encounter. Preparing a Florida diving trip can be difficult with so much choice and this was a very quick look the Atlantic coast. In another article we will look at what’s available on the west coast, The Gulf of Mexico.

     
  • Florida Scuba Diving: Top Scuba Diving In Key Largo

    Any significant Florida scuba diving trip has to allow for time to visit Key Largo, one of the all time well-liked scuba diving resorts..It has long been known as “The Scuba Diving Capital of the World” and when you see start to look deeply at this place you can see why it was recognized as one of the top scuba diving areas.

    “The Keys” is a popular area for divers and you will uncover Key Largo at the north end with Key West at the most southern point.. One of the most famous places at Key Largo is John Pennekamp State Park.

    Recognized as the first protected park situated underwater, John Pennekamp State Park is an area chock-full of fabulous diving sites. Whilst Key West may be the place to go for an all round experience, for lots of people travelling to Florida scuba diving the emphasis is on ‘the diving’ and Key Largo has an unbelievable choice.

    It doesn’t matter whether you are a skilled diver or lacking some skills, Florida scuba trips to Key Largo has something extraordinary for everyone.

    If you’re an enthusiastic shipwreck diver your Florida scuba experience has to incorporate a dive of the U.S.S. Spiegel Grove. This giant of a ship is the largest wreck ever sunk in Florida and at 510ft she is an imposing sight.

    This shipwreck is positioned in deeper waters and can be quite a test to skilled divers and is off limits to inexperienced divers. The shortened bottom time means this wreck requires more than one dive to fully explore.

    For anyone on the look out for unusual Florida scuba diving experiences then you can visit Christ of the Abyss. This 4000lb effigy is one of those unique dive sites that you must visit even if you are just snorkeling. Donated by Egidi Cressi in 1962 to the Underwater Society of America, the effigy was sunk on its concrete base in just 22 feet of water on the seaward side of the reef.

    An underwater photographers paradise has to be Molasses Reef and with the development in digital technology the rewards are even bigger. This is an totally striking reef and one of the most visited reefs in Key Largo because of its natural beauty and comparatively shallow waters. Fantastic marine life delivering lovely colors makes Molasses Reef one of the most photographed reefs in the world. The wonderful marine life and the depth of the water provides subjects and lighting circumstances perfect for great photos.

    Some divers just love diving shipwrecks and any Florida scuba trip to Key Largo can include many shipwreck dives.

    As well as the USS Spiegel Grove you can come across shipwrecks such as the USS Duane and U.S.S. Bibb. Both of these cutters were fully prepared as artificial reef sites ahead of their sinking and therefore provide easy entrée and investigation of the wrecks.

    Perhaps the reason that Key Largo is still so popular is the wide choice of dive sites. From striking reefs in shallow waters to the deeper dives of massive shipwrecks, Key Largo seems to have something for every person.

    There are many reasons why Key Largo is considered a top scuba diving location and one of those is its location. Located where it is key largo has some great advantages. The Atlantic Ocean has numerous marine life, some very large, and the Gulf Stream runs north up the coastline bringng with it food for the reef system.

    Perhaps a key factor as to why Key Largo is a major Florida scuba diving destination is because you are only 2 hours from Miami airport making this one of the easiest top class scuba diving resorts to access.