Florida

Miami-Dade County

Divers will travel far and wide to find the best diving. But those who live in the United States have plenty of great diving on their doorstep as well, with plentiful access to the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. From warm-water reefs to temperate seas, here are some of the top places to scuba dive in the United States.

United States

The Pillars reef site at 35' is a good place for training dives. An old pipeline is partially buried and a large structure with 2 large steel I-beams is sitting next to it. Some other unidentifiable objects remind me of the Bimini Road. If you're a spear fisherman, this is a good place for hogfish.




Miami Beach

Pillars

South Canyon reef site crawling with marine life!



South Canyon

The Andro was a 165 foot luxury yacht built in Germany in 1910. It was constructed mostly of wood, with the classic high bow and rounded-off tail of cruising yachts. During World War II, the electric motors were converted to diesel, machine guns were added, and the Andro became a patrol boat used to chase submarines.

After the war, the Andro served as a freighter up and down the U.S. Atlantic coast. Eventually the Andro was seized by U.S. Customs for transporting illegal drugs. The Department of Environmental Resource Management purchased the Andro to be added to the Haulover Artificial Reef Site. The Miami Bomb squad orchestrated the explosion which sunk the Andro on December 17th, 1985.

The Andro is one of the most popular wrecks in the Haulover site. The ship settled upright in the sand at a depth of 103 feet. With a 38 foot profile there is plenty to explore at a range of depths. The ship has twin propellers, two smokestacks and a large wheelhouse still intact. Hurricane Andrew broke the ship into three sections and exposed the engine block. This has actually made the wreck more varied and interesting to explore. Numerous fish inhabit the Andro. This is a great wreck for underwater photographers.

The Andro is a popular fishing site also and can be crowded at times. This, along with the jumbled structure of the wreck, make the Andro a dive spot best suited for advanced divers.



Andro

The Deep Freeze -- now one of Miami's most popular advanced dive sites -- was a 210' freighter sunk in 135' of water in October 1976. She had a 33.5' beam and displaced 1,138 gross tons of water. Her top deck can be reached at 110'.

The Deep Freeze was sunk in the artificial reef site known as Pflueger, located north of Government Cut and south of Haulover Islet. Fairly strong currents are the norm here.

The Deep Freeze is a popular spot for local fisherman and spear fisherman. Due to the monofilament lines on this wreck and the heavy buildup of silt, the Deep Freeze is only recommended for advanced divers. Be sure to bring a knife for the monofilament. The wreck offers excellent penetration for the experienced wreck diver.

Hurricane Andrew separated a 35' section of the stern from the hull in 1992, but otherwise caused little damage.



Deep Freeze

The Tortuga was sunk in April, 1995 for the movie Fair Game. It is a 165' freighter vessel. This vessel is the best penetration wreck of the area. For advanced diver, of course!

5 miles N of Government Cut (Pflueger Artificial Reef). 

The Tortuga wreck is also known as M/V Tortuga.

The Tortuga wreck

The Patricia is a steel tug that was sunk in 1990. The tug is mostly intact with a profile rising 20 feet from the sandy bottom at 53 feet. This wreck is only 100 feet from the Karline. Also close by are the Radio Tower Pyramids and Army Tanks. The once sandy area now has a great deal of coral and marine life. This is an excellent site for photography.



Patricia Wreck

This wreck is a collapsed steel hull 85 feet in length. It's located just 100 feet southeast of the Patricia in the Anchorage Artificial Reef Site. Also close by are the police barge, Radio Tower Pyramids and Army Tanks. The Karline has been on the bottom since 1989 which has allowed an abundance of coral growth in a once sandy area. Because of the close proximity of the other wrecks there is an abundance of fish and other sea life. With a maximum depth of just 51 feet and a 15-foot profile, divers can have longer bottom times.



Miss Karline

This 45ft steel tug is located in Sunny Isles. She was sunk in 1999 to assist in the formation of an artificial reef. She lies 65 feet below the surface.




Lady Carmen

There are two M60 Army Tanks placed in 15m deep by the DERM in June of 1994. It is an interesting dive, cos tanks are now an oasis of life...

Off Miami Beach

Army Tanks

The C-One is a 120 foot steel tug that was sunk in the Sunny Isles Reef Site in November of 1990. She sits in 68 feet of water and is considered an intermediate dive. She is approximately 1.9 nautical miles east northeast of Bakers Haulover Inlet.

This area has an abundance of fish and almost immediately after the sinking, despite the low visibility and adverse conditions, fish began to congregate around the wreck, especially barracuda, most commonly seen in the winter in the waters off Miami.



C-One

While anchored off Miami Beach in February of 1991, this Honduran freighter was pummeled by heavy winds and rough seas until it broke anchor and ran aground just offshore of South Beach. After months of court battles, and rigorous cleaning to the tune of over $300,000, the ship was seized by the U.S. government and offered for sale. Eventually the Dade County Artificial Reef Program purchased the ship and Concepcion was sunk in June 1991 near the center of the Sunny Isles Artificial Reef Site north of Haulover Inlet.

The 165-foot ship sits in 68-feet of water. The cargo area has collapsed and Hurricane Andrew broke off the stern which now lies approximately 40 feet north of the main hull. The wreck attracts numerous fish, especially in the mornings and late afternoons. Profile ranges form 5-10 feet. The Concepcion is only about 100 feet northeast of C-One, making the two wrecks a great two-tank dive trip.



Pillars

Snorkeling and Scuba Diving at Pillars