Thousands of scuba open water divers visit Florida on a Florida diving holiday due to the huge variety of diving sites you can find on the Florida coastline.
Florida has more coast line than any other state in the USA and with its southern location provides plenty of areas to scuba dive in clear and warm waters.
First, let’s look at the Atlantic coast. Up and down this coast line are 3 lines of reefs, outer reef, middle reef and inner reef providing some of the most excellent scuba dive sites from Jupiter, just north of West Palm Beach, all the way down to Key West.
Another unique highlight along the Atlantic coastline is the current provided by The Gulf Stream which meanders up north along the coastline before diverting out east and into the Atlantic.
One of the reasons for the healthy coral reefs is this steady stream of water chock-full with nutrients that provides both food and clear warm water to the marine bio system.
Many travelling to Florida diving for the first time are surprised at the range and diversity of diving sites available.
Florida Diving Sites: Jupiter-Miami
Starting at Jupiter and working your way down south along the coastline you will find an marvelous span of reefs and shipwrecks to investigate with some dive sites like Governor’s River Walk Reef having well known ships such as the St. Jacques 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 Ft. Laud. America’s answer to Venice, this is a scenic place providing a great base for any Florida diving trip.
As you travel along the coast you recognize that locations like Fort Lauderdale have plenty of variety when it comes to diving or snorkeling with well known destinations such as Tenneco Towers or Oil Platforms.
Miami! Probably the only location in the world you would expect to find Army tanks on the seabed.
Apart from all the cultural things you can do around Miami on your Florida diving trip there is also a great diversity of diving sites that provide novice and experienced divers plenty of occassions to have fun.
Florida Diving Sites: Key Largo-Key West
Of course no Florida diving trip can be taken without considering a visit to Key Largo or Key West, The Keys.
When you see the vast choice of dive sites available it’s easy to see why Key Largo is one of the most well-liked diving destinations in the world.
The region around Key Largo is stunning in its diversity with wrecks, reefs and caves to be explored. The biggest ship ever sunk off the coast of Florida is the USS Spiegel Grove and this challenging dive is rewarded with the amazing sight of one gigantic shipwreck now occupied by some very huge fish.
The are many other wrecks including the Duane and Bibb which can be dived by less experienced divers.
When it comes to underwater photography or macro photography Molasses Reef provides an ideal opportunity to perform your underwater skills with the shallow waters and spectacular marine life creating the fantastic colors and lighting.
People often plan their Florida diving trip with a plan to scuba the Key Largo diving sites but if your looking for a more rounded experience which includes nightlife and culture then travel further south to Key West.
Many scuba divers prefer the complete package, fun in the water and out, and Key West provides both. Great dive sites and streets full of entertainment means the place is bouncing in the night so you can enjoy yourself 24 hours a day.
So many areas and so little time and what’s more we haven’t even looked at The Gulf of Mexico on Florida’s west coast. That we will do in another article.