With more than 1,300 miles of coastline and a wealth of inland springs, the State of Florida provides a lifetime of diving adventures. There's something for everyone, with activities that include relic hunting, game collecting, fish watching and underwater photography and experiences ranging from snorkel drifts in clear water streams or shallow coral gardens to big animal encounters, world-class wrecks, shark dives, and challenging cave explorations.
In fact, there are few other places in the world where so much diving diversity exists in one place.
To further sweeten the equation, there's no need for passports, currency exchanges, or inter-island connecting flights. All of the state’s diving hot spots can be reached by road and are served by a network of professional dive shops and charter operators. Perhaps the only thing that is lacking is ice diving.
To introduce you to the diving adventures that await in Florida, we've divided the state into five general regions and will begin our ongoing tour with a general overview of each region. In the months to come, we’ll take closer and more detailed look at the many sites and activities found in each of these regions. For more local knowledge, we also encourage you to get in touch with the numerous SDI/TDI affiliates found throughout the state.
At the southern tip of the Florida mainland, U.S. 1 takes to the sea to become the world's longest overseas highway, leapfrogging across 31 islands and 40 bridges on a 110-mile path to Key West. Along the way lies one of North America's prime watersports playgrounds. On one side, the expansive flats of Florida Bay stretch to the horizon. On the other lies the world's third longest coral barrier reef. All of these waters lie within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, which encompasses some 2,900 square miles of aquatic habitat and is home to more that 6,000 species of marine life and some of the most popular dive sites in the world.
Most famous is John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park . Each year, close to a million divers and snorkelers come to the park to explore reefs that teem with fish life and hold a collection of both historic and modern shipwrecks. As is the case throughout the Florida Keys, the coral formations at Pennekamp begin several miles from shore, and are accessed by boat.
Some sites feature coral formations that begin just a few feet from the surface, beginning as a series of gentle slopes with large coral outcroppings punctuated by areas of sand bottom. There are a number of reefs that can be explored in the 30 to 40-foot range, with coral formations that extend 10 to 15 feet off the bottom. Several of the major reefs like Carysfort, Elbow, French , and Molasses have profiles that rise as much as 25 feet from the ocean floor, allowing for long bottom times. Sites closer to deep water often transition to gentle slopes that continue on to depths below 100 feet. When the weather is good and the seas are calm, visibility can range from 60 to 80 feet and sometimes 100.
There are dozens of dive operators who provide access to the reefs at Pennekamp and an equal number of hotels in the Key Largo and Islamorada areas welcome divers. The middle keys see comparatively less diver traffic than Key Largo, but are very much worthy of attention.
Halfway down the island chain, the town of Marathon is a center of diving activity and the starting point for trips to Sombrero Reef . This expansive coral ridge offers something for everyone–from snorkelers to advanced divers, with profiles that include both shallow patch reefs and deep drop-offs washed by Gulf Stream Waters. South of the famous Seven Mile Bridge , the Big Pine area is flanked by the Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary . Graced with some of the most stunning spur and groove formations the Keys have to offer, Looe Key is considered one of the most biologically productive coral reef ecosystems in the region.
Many of the reef's high profile coral fingers (spurs) are more than a hundred feet in length and rise 25 feet off the bottom. In between are deep sand valleys (grooves) and a multitude of large coral overhangs with their ceilings high enough for a diver to swim under.
Key West is both the end of the road and the jumping off point for both day trips to local reefs and wrecks and live-aboard cruises to the remote reefs of the Dry Tortugas , which encompasses more than 100 square miles of protected marine habitat. The nation's southernmost city is also a favorite destination for technical divers who come to explore the largest wreck in the Keys, the Wilkes-Barre . This 610-foot former Cleveland Class cruiser sits at a depth of 140 to 250 feet, offering numerous opportunities for penetration.
Wrecks are as much a part of the Keys diving experience as are the reefs. There are more than two-dozen significant wreck sites regularly visited by Keys dive operators. These run the gamut from treasure wrecks and sailing ships that are now little more than piles of ballast stone and scattered timbers to fully-intact modern ships put down for the enjoyment of divers. Among the most popular are the 510-foot USS Spiegel Grove , the USCGC Duane , the Eagle , and the Thunderbolt . To bring attention to the abundance and diversity of wrecks, a consortium of more than 30 dive operators participate in the Florida Keys Wreck Trek program, which highlights nine of the area's most memorable wrecks.
The region from Miami to Palm Beach is one of the most heavily developed coastlines in the United States. Just offshore of the region's glittering resorts and palatial oceanfront mansions is a diverse and exciting underwater landscape that actually has more to offer in the way of wrecks and marine life than many of the famous dive destinations of the Caribbean. Because both the Continental Shelf and the currents of the Gulf Stream come closer to shore than anywhere else along the Eastern Seaboard, most dive sites are just a few miles from shore and easily reached from all-weather inlets.
It is no accident that there are more than 50 dive-able wrecks along the coast of southeastern Florida. For more than three decades, organizations in Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach County Environmental Resource Management, along with a number of private groups and coalitions, have been involved in putting down ships ranging from 50 to more than 240 feet in length. A majority of these wrecks sit within the accepted depth ranges of sport diving practices, but there are also a number of deeper wrecks that have become favorites with technical divers.
With deep water just offshore and the currents of the Gulf Stream washing over many sites, wrecks soon become magnets for marine life. Superstructures are often engulfed in swirling schools of baitfish, which in turn draw marauding jacks and blue runners.
An overview of the most popular scuba diving destinations in North America
With more than 1,300 miles of coastline and a wealth of inland springs, the State of Florida provides a lifetime of diving adventures. There's something for everyone, with activities that include relic hunting, game collecting, fish watching and underwater photography and experiences ranging from snorkel drifts in clear water streams or shallow coral gardens to big animal encounters, world-class wrecks, shark dives, and challenging cave explorations.
In fact, there are few other places in the world where so much diving diversity exists in one place.
To further sweeten the equation, there's no need for passports, currency exchanges, or inter-island connecting flights. All of the state’s diving hot spots can be reached by road and are served by a network of professional dive shops and charter operators. Perhaps the only thing that is lacking is ice diving.
To introduce you to the diving adventures that await in Florida, we've divided the state into five general regions and will begin our ongoing tour with a general overview of each region. In the months to come, we’ll take closer and more detailed look at the many sites and activities found in each of these regions. For more local knowledge, we also encourage you to get in touch with the numerous SDI/TDI affiliates found throughout the state.
At the southern tip of the Florida mainland, U.S. 1 takes to the sea to become the world's longest overseas highway, leapfrogging across 31 islands and 40 bridges on a 110-mile path to Key West. Along the way lies one of North America's prime watersports playgrounds. On one side, the expansive flats of Florida Bay stretch to the horizon. On the other lies the world's third longest coral barrier reef. All of these waters lie within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, which encompasses some 2,900 square miles of aquatic habitat and is home to more that 6,000 species of marine life and some of the most popular dive sites in the world.
Most famous is John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park . Each year, close to a million divers and snorkelers come to the park to explore reefs that teem with fish life and hold a collection of both historic and modern shipwrecks. As is the case throughout the Florida Keys, the coral formations at Pennekamp begin several miles from shore, and are accessed by boat.
Some sites feature coral formations that begin just a few feet from the surface, beginning as a series of gentle slopes with large coral outcroppings punctuated by areas of sand bottom. There are a number of reefs that can be explored in the 30 to 40-foot range, with coral formations that extend 10 to 15 feet off the bottom. Several of the major reefs like Carysfort, Elbow, French , and Molasses have profiles that rise as much as 25 feet from the ocean floor, allowing for long bottom times. Sites closer to deep water often transition to gentle slopes that continue on to depths below 100 feet. When the weather is good and the seas are calm, visibility can range from 60 to 80 feet and sometimes 100.
There are dozens of dive operators who provide access to the reefs at Pennekamp and an equal number of hotels in the Key Largo and Islamorada areas welcome divers. The middle keys see comparatively less diver traffic than Key Largo, but are very much worthy of attention.
Halfway down the island chain, the town of Marathon is a center of diving activity and the starting point for trips to Sombrero Reef . This expansive coral ridge offers something for everyone–from snorkelers to advanced divers, with profiles that include both shallow patch reefs and deep drop-offs washed by Gulf Stream Waters. South of the famous Seven Mile Bridge , the Big Pine area is flanked by the Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary . Graced with some of the most stunning spur and groove formations the Keys have to offer, Looe Key is considered one of the most biologically productive coral reef ecosystems in the region.
Many of the reef's high profile coral fingers (spurs) are more than a hundred feet in length and rise 25 feet off the bottom. In between are deep sand valleys (grooves) and a multitude of large coral overhangs with their ceilings high enough for a diver to swim under.
Key West is both the end of the road and the jumping off point for both day trips to local reefs and wrecks and live-aboard cruises to the remote reefs of the Dry Tortugas , which encompasses more than 100 square miles of protected marine habitat. The nation's southernmost city is also a favorite destination for technical divers who come to explore the largest wreck in the Keys, the Wilkes-Barre . This 610-foot former Cleveland Class cruiser sits at a depth of 140 to 250 feet, offering numerous opportunities for penetration.
Wrecks are as much a part of the Keys diving experience as are the reefs. There are more than two-dozen significant wreck sites regularly visited by Keys dive operators. These run the gamut from treasure wrecks and sailing ships that are now little more than piles of ballast stone and scattered timbers to fully-intact modern ships put down for the enjoyment of divers. Among the most popular are the 510-foot USS Spiegel Grove , the USCGC Duane , the Eagle , and the Thunderbolt . To bring attention to the abundance and diversity of wrecks, a consortium of more than 30 dive operators participate in the Florida Keys Wreck Trek program, which highlights nine of the area's most memorable wrecks.
The region from Miami to Palm Beach is one of the most heavily developed coastlines in the United States. Just offshore of the region's glittering resorts and palatial oceanfront mansions is a diverse and exciting underwater landscape that actually has more to offer in the way of wrecks and marine life than many of the famous dive destinations of the Caribbean. Because both the Continental Shelf and the currents of the Gulf Stream come closer to shore than anywhere else along the Eastern Seaboard, most dive sites are just a few miles from shore and easily reached from all-weather inlets.
It is no accident that there are more than 50 dive-able wrecks along the coast of southeastern Florida. For more than three decades, organizations in Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach County Environmental Resource Management, along with a number of private groups and coalitions, have been involved in putting down ships ranging from 50 to more than 240 feet in length. A majority of these wrecks sit within the accepted depth ranges of sport diving practices, but there are also a number of deeper wrecks that have become favorites with technical divers.
Most wrecks are put down in carefully controlled sinkings that leave them sitting upright on the bottom. Over time, the effects of age and storms can be seen on older wrecks, which become coated in colorful growths of coral and attract resident populations of marine life. Another phenomenon produced by these controlled sinkings is the creation of so-called Wreck Treks—groups of several wrecks placed in close proximity, allowing divers to tour more than one vessel on a single submersion. These groupings can be found off Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, Pompano Beach, Deerfield Beach, and Palm Beach.
With deep water just offshore and the currents of the Gulf Stream washing over many sites, wrecks soon become magnets for marine life. Superstructures are often engulfed in swirling schools of baitfish, which in turn draw marauding jacks and blue runners.
Barracudas, amberjacks, spadefish, and pompano circle in open water, while the dark recesses of holds and engine rooms provide shelter for snapper and grouper—including the largest member of the serranidae family. Now a protected species, goliath grouper (Epinephelus itajara) have returned to the waters of south Florida in dramatic fashion. A number of wrecks now have resident goliaths, the largest of which weigh in at more than 500 pounds and measure seven feet in length. These big fish are quite accustomed to divers and can often be approached close enough to snap a bragging-rights photo.
In addition to wrecks, the state's southeastern coast offers numerous reefs and ledges, most of which run parallel to the coast and often stretch for miles from south to north. Some reefs and ledges in the Fort Lauderdale area begin in as little as 20 feet of water and can be explored as a shore dive. The majority, however, begin farther offshore at depths from 50 to 90 feet or more. These structures do not have the high-profile coral growth found in the Keys, but they more than make up for this with an abundance of fish life. Many limestone ledges are riddled with deep undercuts that become home for turtles, sharks, and goliath groupers, while schooling fish and colorful tropicals swarm just above. Another fortunate feature of the area's ledges is the presence of north-flowing Gulf Stream currents, which align with reef formations to provide divers with a free ride through the thick of the action. Currents can be capricious, ranging from zero to two or three knots based on tides, weather, and the east-west fluctuations of the Gulf Stream. Underwater clarity also varies from a low of 40 to 60 feet to days of 100-ft visibility.
The area from Palm Beach to Jupiter is home to some of the most predictable big animal encounters in the tropical Atlantic and Caribbean. In addition to near guaranteed sightings of goliath groupers at some sites, divers often encounter reef sharks, large stingrays, lemon sharks, and several species of sea turtles, including loggerheads weighing as much as 500 pounds. Less frequent, but always possible are bull sharks, game fish, and even the occasional whale shark sighting.
The Florida peninsula is a vast bed of limestone riddled with sinkholes and underground reservoirs of fresh water. In the northern half of the state, these freshwater pockets expand to become flowing underground rivers that eventually emerge as clear-water springs. The origin of these subterranean rivers is by no means a mystery. In an ongoing cycle, outflowing water is replenished through seasonal rains that soak into the porous limestone. The rock acts as a filtering agent, creating the exceptionally clear waters for which many of Florida's springs are noted. These outflows bubble up from subterranean conduits formed by centuries of erosive forces that create tunnels miles in length.
Florida is blessed with an abundance of springs that range from small artesian vents to the largest systems in North America. This includes 17 first magnitude outflows—springs that discharge at least 100 cubic feet of water a second.
Silver Springs, located northeast of Ocala, has an average flow of 500 million gallons per day. Even more impressive is Wakulla Springs , where a cavern entrance the width of a six-lane highway leads down to tunnels that measure 100 feet across and 175 feet in height. Of course, not all Florida springs open to such dramatic underground landscapes. Some quickly taper to small, impassible vents while others provide more modest but fully accessible openings into the state's flooded basement.
The techniques of cave diving originated and evolved in the dark underwater passages of North Florida's landscape, and this region remains the world's most popular destination for this specialized sport.
Divers with appropriate training and equipment have access to dozens of popular cave systems; the most famous of which are the Peacock Springs systems and the Devil's Ear system at Ginnie Springs. A well-developed network of shops and associated services has grown in the area to support the cave diving community.
Equally popular as the caves are the cavern zones found at many spring openings. The dive community defines caverns as the overhead environment near the mouth of the cave where sunlight penetrates and the entrance remains clearly visible.
Moderate penetration into such caverns is still considered a diving specialty that requires appropriate training and equipment, but it is far less demanding and gear-intensive than cave diving. For many, this experience provides enough of a taste of the underground world to satisfy their curiosity while others use it as a starting point towards full cave diving training.
Those with no interest in going even a little way underground can still enjoy the open water basins of Florida's springs, which offer consistent conditions and easy drive-to access. Many spring basins are 10 to 20 feet deep, while some reach depths from 40 to 80 feet in their center.
The Forty Fathom Grotto near Ocala plunges to a depth of 240 feet. Since most of the diving or snorkeling is carried out over the open, sandy bottom area of the spring basin, just about anybody can easily enjoy these clear fresh water pools regardless of their expertise or lack of it.
The water clarity in many of these spring basins can approach 200 feet, presenting an excellent opportunity to view the animals that reside in this freshwater community. Either by scuba or snorkeling (which can often prove to be the best method of approach), divers might get a chance to swim among nature’s fabled mermaid – the manatee. As winter temperatures drop and rivers run cool, these gentle giants make their way to a select number of springs to take refuge in the warm (72 - 78 degree) waters. In addition to the manatee, many of the springs also hold a wide assortment of freshwater and, in some cases, saltwater species of fish as well as turtles and, on rare occasions, alligators.
In a world of increasing change that is rapidly altering many of our fragile environments, Florida's springs still remain as they have been for centuries, virtually undamaged. They are seldom affected by weather conditions except during prolonged rainfalls when many of the spring areas are inundated from the surrounding river's overflow clouding the water. Therefore, diving trips to the springs can be planned for practically any time of year.
Proximity alone draws many divers to Florida’s northern Gulf Coast. The Panhandle — the region stretching from Tallahassee to Pensacola — is a day's drive away from the center of the country, including cities such as Dallas, Indianapolis, and Cincinnati. By contrast, it's another 800 miles from this region to Key West. But geography isn’t the only reason for northwest Florida's popularity with Midwestern divers. This 120-miles swatch of waterfront offers ample underwater attractions, both natural and man-made.
Northwest Florida's best-known underwater attraction is the USS Oriskany, an Essex-class aircraft carrier put down in May 2006 offshore of Pensacola. Recognized as the world’s largest artificial reef and referred to by locals as the “Mighty O” or “Great Carrier Reef,” this 890-foot vessel sits upright at a depth of 220 feet, with the flight deck positioned a depth of 145 feet and the control island rising to 80 feet. In addition to this outsized warship, there are more than 40 additional dive-worthy wrecks visited by panhandle dive operators, raining from the broken remains of a WWI battleship to minesweepers, freighters, and ocean-going tugboats.
To highlight the variety and number of shipwrecks in the area, Florida’s Bureau of Archaeological Research created the Florida Panhandle Shipwreck Trail. In consort with area dive operators, the bureau selected a dozen wrecks that had both historic interest and provided a great diving experience.
This sunken fleet included a tramp steamer that supported Admiral Richard Byrd’s 1928 Antarctic expedition; a minesweeper that survived a midget submarine attack and a kamikaze raid during WWII; a banana boat that was sunk by a U-boat, re-floated, and then used for target practice by the Navy; and, of course, the Oriskany. Divers participating in the Shipwreck Trail are provided with a passport-like document and earn stamps and bragging rights for each wreck visited.
The trail offers something for divers of every level, from the Vamar, which sits in just 25 feet of water less than 4 miles from the beach, to the Oriskany, which lies 22 miles from shore and requires extended range credentials to reach the main flight deck. The majority of passport wrecks are in the 80 to 100-foot range. Some are broken into critter-filled debris fields while most of the purpose-sunken vessels remain largely intact and have been prepped for easy access by divers.
Shipwrecks aren't the only draw as there are also numerous natural and artificial reef structures that create habitats for a wide variety of marine life. Many natural reefs in the northern Gulf are in the form of ledges. Often undercut with reliefs of up to five feet, these limestone ridges rise from sandy plains to create anchor points for soft corals and sponges along with habitats and hiding places for everything from frogfish and lobster to grouper and cobia.
To further enhance the underwater environment, a number of governmental and private groups continue to create artificial reefs that include everything from rubble piles and surplus military ordnance to purpose-made reef-ball arrays. Most are reached by boat, but some, such as the reef balls at Pensacola’s Navarre Beach, are within swimming distance of shore.
The Panhandle is also known for good shore diving, including the scattered remains of a war wreck that can be reached from the beach and a pair of jetty dives that are considered among the best in the Southeast. The dredged inlets at Destin and Panama City are stabilized by rows of large boulders that create the equivalent of a nearshore wall dive.
The many nooks and crannies between the rocks are filled with a wide variety of interesting marine life. Shore entries made on the outward side of these breakwaters drop gradually to depths of 50 or 60 feet and, during slack high tide, visibility can often exceed 50 feet. Both jetties are accessible by a walk across the sand from public parking lots.
Unlike Florida's southeastern coast where deep waters begin within sight of the shore, the underwater terrain on the western side of the state extends seaward in an almost level plain that drops ever so gradually. To reach depths greater than 100 feet often requires runs as far as 40 miles off the coast. In addition, the few natural formations that exist on the bottom—mostly ledges—are usually miles apart. Also scattered across the broad expanse of sand are a limited number of natural wrecks.
To supplement this collection, several coastal communities have enacted aggressive artificial reef programs, sinking everything from ships and barges to demolished bridge sections and decommissioned military vehicles. The good news for divers is that these structures, whether natural or man-made, often act like an oasis in the desert, attracting marine life from miles around.
Most dive charters between Tampa and Naples are conducted from swift 28 to 40-foot long-range craft that carry smaller groups of divers. At the higher speeds these boats provide, run times to dive sites can range from a half hour for nearshore artificial reefs to more than an hour for deeper wrecks and natural ledges.
In the Tampa Bay area, a typical artificial structure would be the Rube Allyn Reef where kingfish congregate around a debris field that includes a scuttled barge, concrete culverts, and pyramid-like structures made from discarded bridge pilings. There are also a number of scuttled ships off the coast, ranging from shrimp boats and barges to a 180-foot-long ocean tug and a former Coast Guard cutter. One of the more unusual dive sites is the St. Pete Beach Reef which is comprised of several Army tanks resting in about 35 feet of water. This site often features schools of large snook and other reef fish.
Moving south, divers looking for a nearshore adventure will find it in an area off Venice Beach known as The Boneyard. The site is a vast sediment bed that was once the alluvial fan of a prehistoric river.
Working in depths of 20 to 30 feet, divers comb the bottom for fossilized whale bones and sharks teeth including the prize find—a palm-sized tooth from the extinct megalodon shark. The fossil beds can be reached by a long swim from shore, but there are also several area dive operators who provide boat rides.
Southwest Florida divers in the Fort Myers and Naples area who prefer wrecks and fish to prehistoric teeth are in for a much longer boat ride. One unique feature of this coast is the string of Air Force relay towers that run from offshore of Marco Island to the Dry Tortugas. Set in depths anywhere from 30 to 120 feet, the underwater legs of these towers attract a wealth of fish life including large goliath groupers. One of the most popular towers, known simply as L, lies 50 miles from shore.
Nearby in 115 feet of water is one of the region's most popular wrecks, the Baja California. This 266-foot freighter was sunk by a German submarine in 1942 and has since become a haven for marine life that includes loggerhead turtles, goliath grouper, cobia, sharks, and more. Also in the area is the 400-foot-long Bay Ronto, a British steamer sunk by a hurricane in 1919, now resting keel-up in 110 feet of water. Schools of barracuda, groupers, snappers, sea turtles, and sharks, as well as several goliath groupers, make their home here. Another storm victim is the Fantastico, a 200-foot Honduran freighter that went down in the Gulf of Mexico's famed "storm of the century" in 1993.
While the majority of Gulf Coast dive sites consist of ledges and wrecks, the region also offers unique underwater formations in the form of drowned sinkholes. These are geologically similar to the blue holes found in the Bahamas and Belize, but because they were formed when sea levels were much lower, they now sit in deep water. Miles off St. Pete Beach is the illustrious Big Jack Hole. Although small in diameter—just 25 feet across—the conduit begins its drop at 110 feet and descends to uncharted depths. The site's name is made evident by the resident populations of jack crevalle, almaco jacks, and greater amberjack. During the spring and summer months, the site is also known to attract large schools of spadefish, great barracuda, and permit.
Farther south, in the Fort Myers/Naples area, are a threesome of these unusual formations. The closest to the coast, some 27 miles southwest of Gordon Pass in 65 feet of water, is the Naples Black Hole. Some 100 feet in diameter, this massive sinkhole drops to depths of more than 215 feet. Inside its circular shaft, the walls follow an hourglass shape, tapering at 115 feet. Nearby is the Naples Spring, an 82-foot-wide hole in 70 feet of water with a well shaft that plummets to 224 feet.
The Captiva Blue Hole has a circular opening that starts at 85 feet and bottoms out at 180. Sitting approximately 32 miles southwest of Boca Grande, this ancient blue hole features numerous undercuts in the shaft's limestone walls, harboring everything from octopus to regal sea goddess nudibranchs to spiny oysters. Since Florida's Gulf waters are always teeming with outsized creatures, don't be surprised if a dive into the Captiva Blue Hole reveals a giant loggerhead turtle napping under a ledge.