Florida

Broward 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





Marriott Reef is also known as DC-3 Wreck.

Fort Lauderdale

Marriott Reef



Short boat ride out just out of Pt. Everglades and to the South. 

There are 29 mooring buoys to pick up. recommend picking up one of the first few

Barracuda Reef

The first tier of the Fort Lauderdale reef is located about 75-100 feet off shore. Lots of sea fans here, along with other coral growth. Juvenile nurse sharks seen here (I have the pics to prove it!) along with other juvenile fish. Max depth of the 1st reef is about 14 ft max, (average 10). This parking lot is right on the beach. All you have to do is gear up and walk across the beach in. All day parking is $6.00, and the lot has many freshwater showers. Also a picnic area with charcoal grills, and many restaurants, bars and shops within walking distance. A dive shop is located almost right near the entrance to the park on A1A. Lifeguard towers are dotted along the beach. Most lifeguards prefer if you dive during off peak hours (before 10AM and after 5PM). A dive flag is required by local law.

This site is best accessed from the South Beach Park parking lot, located off A1A on Fort Lauderdale Beach. South Beach lot is right at the split (where A1A becomes one way), otherwise known as South Atlantic Blvd / Seabrease Blvd. To get there you can take SE 17th St, east to A1A, north to the parking lot, or you can take E Las Olas Blvd to A1A, south to the parking lot.

South Beach Park a.k.a Yankee Clipper Rocks

Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park is formerly known as John U. Lloyd Beach Park. If conditions are not great, don't even bother visibility is bad here compared to some nearby areas. When I went I could not even see my feet in waist deep water. I swam out anyway, and at about 500 yards out I at least could see bottom, and visibility was around 20 feet. I was looking for a famed ledge that follows the edge of the reef, and I have heard is about 6 feet. I never found it because of poor visibility. What I did find was an endless stretch of reef much like vista park. There were many soft corals, and fish of all kinds, including a few large grouper, butterfly fish, doctor fish, porgy, and a bunch of other fish

from I-95 get off on Griffin Road in the Ft. Lauderdale area. Go east until US1 then go South until Dania Beach Blvd (here you should start seeing signs directing you to the park) go east on Dania Beach until you see a sign telling you to turn right to get into the park. After passing a gate to get into the park, where they make you pay five dollars, park in the first lot on the right. Follow the boardwalk to the ocean. The reef starts a long ways out, something like 500 yards.

Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park

Dania Erojacks Reef is a 4.0-star rated scuba dive and snorkel destination in USA, Florida, Fort Lauderdale which is accessible from shore based on 1 ratings.

Dania Erojacks Reef

Hog Heaven is a 180-foot barge that flipped upside down while being deployed as an artificial reef. It was sunk in 1996.

Nearby:
- 30 feet north are the remains of the Pacific Reef Lighthouse, and a small sail boat
- 200 feet NNe rests the 120-foot barge Wayne in 70 feet of water

Approximately one mile offshore

Hog Heaven

She was originally built in 1951 and called the Jacob Rusch. This 198-foot freighter was sunk as an artificial reef site off Fort Lauderdale on March 30, 1985.

The Mercedes is the most famous wrecks off the east coast of Florida.



Located just offshore of Fort Lauderdale.

Mercedes I is also known as Jacob Rusch.

Mercedes I

The Bill Boyd is a deep dive only for Technical divers.  The coral and fish of the wreck are great.  Depth limits the bottom time, but it's worth diving this deep.

She is a 211 foot German freighter (built in Hamburg in 1964) that was sunk as an artificial reef on July 18, 1986. Today she sits upright in 265 feet of water.

The Bill Boyd is accessible only by dive boat.

Bill Boyd is also known as Heino, Maude Wonsild, Mauds Isa, Hem Berto, Marilyn, Nata.

Bill Boyd

132-foot oil rig supply boat sunk in 1999 as an artificial reef.



Tracy is also known as Ken Vitale.

Tracy

This 240-foot Dutch freighter was built in 1961.

4.5 miles north of the Port Everglades Cut.

Jim Atria Wreck is also known as Poinciana.

Jim Atria Wreck

Dania Beach is a 4.1-star rated scuba dive and snorkel destination in Florida, USA East which is accessible from shore based on 10 ratings.

Marriott Reef

Snorkeling and Scuba Diving at Marriott Reef