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

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

Fort Lauderdale

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

The LBTS Biorock project is a one of a kind reel restoration project in the USA.  It utilizes a low voltage electric current supplied by solar panels to accelerate reef growth.  This site is very easy to locate just under the buoys that support the solar panels.  Please remember, this is a fragile reef and touching coral or sponges could stress or even kill them.  This is a great site for photography too!

Easy beach access.  If you go by  boat, be careful not to anchor on top of the reef.  There is plenty of open sandy bottom just East of the Biorock to anchor.

LBTS Biorock reef



From the beach, get about 100 yards from the right side of the pier and go straight out for about another 100 yds.

Commercial Pier Reef is also known as Anglins Pier Reef.

Commercial Pier Reef

Many ledge and undercuts with great sealife.

6 miles north of Port Everglades Cut; out from and slightly north of the Anglin Pier at Lauderdale-by-the-Sea. The dive area is marked by 9 buoys.

Hall Of Fame Moorings

The very best shore dive place on the East Coast I have ever dove at has been Lauderdale by the Sea. I only made it out to the first reef but it was incredible.  That should be your first stop.



Lauderdale by the Sea

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

"The 325-foot single screw steamer Copenhagen was built in 1898 just two years before she ran aground on the rock ledge out from Pompano. She was caring a cargo of coal to Havana at the time of mishap. This is one of Florida's favorite historical shipwreck dives. On May 20 1900, the vessel had departed Philadelphia, laden with almost 5,000 tons of coal and a crew of 26, bound for Havana, Cuba. As the vessel passed the lighthouse, Captain William Jones estimated the ship's position as about one and three- quarter miles offshore and ordered a change in course to SSE to keep the ship at least a mile and a half offshore as it past by West Palm Beach. At around 4:20 am, Captain Jones retired, leaving the chief officer in charge. He left instructions the keep the vessel one and half mile offshore. There was no indication of what was about to happen to the steamship. The steamer SS Copenhagen was built in Sunderland, England, and launched in February 1898. The steel hulled ship was 324 feet long, 47 feet wide and more than 25 feet deep. Like many of the ship built in the late 1800s, the vessel was built with an inner and outer hull. At around 9:00 am on May 26, the vessel suddenly crashed hard into the Pompano Drop-off, an eastern facing ledge that rises to 15 feet of the surface from a sandy bottom in 31 feet. The ship's engines were immediately ordered stopped. 
Captain Jones ordered full reverse. The engines kicked into reverse but the ship didn't move. In the attempt to free the vessel, a large anchor was deployed to no avail. Two days later, a salvage ship showed up to help unload the cargo and to try to pull the Copenhagen from its predicament. Extra people from shore were employed to speed up the recovery of the coal. The loss of the ship was valued at $250,000 and the remaining cargo was valued at $12,500. Jones was found to be at fault for the incident. Examiners found that he did not employ proper navigation; and that he did not used his sounding lead. A sounding lead is a device that ships used to determine the depth of the water. Because of his willingness to cooperate during the investigation and his excellent work record, his master certificate wasn't revoked. The wreck of the Copenhagen was visible above the water for more than 40 years. The site was used for target practice by navy fighters stationed nearby. In June 1994, the site was named as Florida's fifth underwater archaeological preserve. A plaque commemorating this distinction is next to a large limestone boulder just to the south of the wreck. Even though the site is ideal for the novice diver, many experienced divers have had a wonderful time exploring the Copenhagen. "
Source: http://dixiediver.com/shipwreck.htm#COPENHAGEN

About 1/2 mile due east of the large blue water tower on Pompano.

Hog Heaven

Snorkeling and Scuba Diving at Hog Heaven