Grab
a map of Florida and you’ll see why there are as many diving opportunities
as there are gators in the glades. Looking much like a long finger pointing into
the blue oceanic waters, many of the best dive sites are within a few short hours
drive from just about anywhere in the state.
You could dive from spots at
the top of the Panhandle to the bottom of the Florida Keys – and every place
in between. Here’s a roundup of the best places to enjoy Florida’s underwater
world.
Snorkeling at Dry Tortugas National Park
Best Place
to Snorkel: Dry Tortugas National Park
Whether you are a beginner or expert,
you’ll agree that some of the best snorkeling in North America is found on
this coral island some 70 miles west of Key West. Under the massive ramparts of
Fort Jefferson and lying on a carpet of brilliant white sand is a myriad of colorful
tropical fish and living coral. The shallow waters make this area perfect
for first time snorkelers. You’ll see lots of colorful corals, several varieties
of tropical fish, starfish, queen conchs and much more in this protected marine
sanctuary. A great addition to your snorkel experience is a side trip to the Windjammer
wreck. This 200-foot Schooner wreck, located just off Loggerhead Key, is home
to thousands of tropical fish and spiny lobster. Best Place to See Manatees:
Crystal River
This is a sea cow heaven. But leave your spurs behind as
only fins are welcome here. The area is a major Mecca for manatees, which congregate
in herds in the warm waters from November through April. The gentle creatures
can reach an average 10 feet in length and 1,000 pounds and are a protected and
endangered species. Only snorkeling is allowed in the posted manatee areas
and harassing or chasing them is strictly prohibited. Divers can experience dozens
of freshwater springs that boil from the underground aquifer. The salty mix of
Gulf waters create a marine environment that is nothing short of spectacular.
You are also just as likely to find tarpon, snapper and redfish as you are to
see large mouth bass and garfish. Best Place to Experience Natural Springs:
Ginnie Springs
This natural phenomenon is kind of like diving in a big
bottle of spring water. Put a face mask on and you’d swear the fish are floating
in air. The 100-foot-diameter depression, located on a 200-acre forest setting,
is near the town of High Springs. It features campsites, a country store and bath
facilities. There are nine springs that flow into the tannin-dyed Santa
Fe River, which is an endless source of fun when lazily floating on tubes above
divers exploring the caverns below. Best Places to Cave Dive: Devil's
Den and Blue Grotto
Devil’s Den: Near the small town of Williston,
this fern draped sinkhole offers a unique geological setting and was actually
once thought by early settlers to be the den of hell, as steam rising from the
warm waters in winter does bear resemblance to its name. Divers know better, as
do snorkelers and swimmers who enter the open steps from this window above to
enjoy the underground basin 60 feet below. The water's depths range just below
50 feet and the cave system in the deeper area of the basin has been gated off.
Blue Grotto: Just about a stone’s throw from the Devil’s Den
is the Blue Grotto, the largest clear-water cavern in the state. Open to divers
of all skill levels, the maximum depth you can reach is 100 feet. A highlight
to this site is the compressed air-supplied bell at 30 feet. You can enter and
take the regulator out of your mouth mid-dive and talk to your buddy. Best
Place to Dive with Sea Turtles: West Palm Beach
Gulf Stream-powered drift
diving is the name of the game. The fast moving corridor of water brings a unique
blend of excellent visibility, beautiful corals and a rich life source of marine
estuaries that provide a breeding ground for marine life. Drifting effortlessly
over mile after mile of spectacular coral reef and clouds of fish is like visiting
an underwater zoo. These fishy waters offer the diver more opportunities
to interact with big critters such as sea turtles than just about anywhere else
in the world. During the season between May and September it is not uncommon to
see a dozen or more of these big cruisers drifting alongside you and your buddy.
It is also not uncommon when keeping your eye to the blue to see a shark or sailfish
drift in; just remember you are on the migratory path of whales and other oceanic
creatures. Best Place to Find Shark Teeth: Venice
Who would have
thought that the beautiful beaches of this town were the favorite hangout for
the toothy prehistoric choppers many eons ago? The ancient riverbed about a mile
off Venice beach is known as the "Shark Tooth Capital of the World."
For years divers have been grunging in the less than clear water finding
enormous shark teeth. Some can actually bring in a few hundred dollars. But for
most of us, to find a few for a keepsake pendant is worth the trip alone. Best
Place to Find Artificial Reefs: Miami / Fort Lauderdale
Just offshore within
sight of the haute couture hotels that have captivated these beaches are a string
of wrecks that appear to mimic the accommodations. In fact, that is exactly what
these wrecks are – fish hotels. An aggressive artificial reef program
has sent dozens of wrecks to the seafloor, including three retired oil platforms
called Tenneco Towers. The rigs are covered in corals and sponges and populated
with schools of fish. Many of these wrecks are lined up stern to bow and stretch
for miles. Miami's "Wreck Trek" is a cluster of sites that can be dived
in a single tank – two if you want to see more. Sites include a 65-foot steel
tug, two M60 tanks, the 110-foot Billy's Barge, Ben's Antennae Reef and dozens
of 100-foot plus freighters. Best Place to See the Living Reef: Looe
Key
Just off of Big Pine Key are the fabulous reefs of Looe Key. This
5.5-square-mile National Marine Sanctuary is a protected underwater ecosystem.
It is an undersea oasis reminiscent of big reef structures found throughout the
Bahamas; and was named after the HMS Looe, a British Man O’ War that ran
aground in 1744. The wreck no longer exists, but the pristine reefs that
lie within the sanctuary are a living coral system that features a high profile
spur-and-groove coral configuration. The deeper reefs are an impressive collection
of almost every type of sponge and soft coral found in the Florida Keys. Best
Place to Explore Big Wrecks: Key Largo
The colorful reefs and mind-numbing
profusion of fish in Pennekamp Park is reason enough to pack up the family wagon
and head south. But if you are looking for some really big wrecks, the 510-foot
Spiegel Grove may be the main attraction. After nearly eight years of planning
and an edge-of-your-seat sinking that had the Grove floating upside down on national
television, the wreck is now attracting the marine life attention it deserves.
Two other great wrecks not to be missed are the former Coast Guard cutters Bibb
and Duane. Toothy fish like barracuda and oceanic jacks have made these sites
their home base. Best Places to Explore Historic Wrecks: Pensacola,
Destin and Panama City
Pensacola: This military town has not only
shaped the city's commerce, but its dive sites as well. Wrecks include the 500-foot
World War I battleship, USS Massachusetts, the Russian freighter San Pablo, a
Navy barge and an A-7 Corsair that fell off the deck of the carrier USS Lexington.
You’ll find Vietnam-era tanks and various other naval ships. USS Oriskany,
a retired aircraft carrier, is scheduled to become Pensacola’s newest artificial
reef. Destin: Military buffs will find the waters off this beach
town littered with sunken barges, tugs, liberty ships, landing craft, airplanes,
army tanks and bridge rubble populated with grouper, flounder and cobia. Panama
City: The marine institute has sent ships, Navy scrap metal, pontoons, towers,
bridge spans, tanks, hovercraft and even a Quonset hut to the bottom of the Gulf
since the 1970’s. Perhaps the most famous wreck is the Empire Mica, a 465-foot
British tanker that was torpedoed by a German U-boat in 1942. It now rests in
110 feet of water 20 miles off Cape San Blas.
Editor’s note: Diving,
and especially cave diving, requires special certification and training.
Click
Here List of Beaches at Daytona Beach Florida/ New Smyrna Beach
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courtesy from visitflorida.com | 
