Miami Has Something for Every Diver So much, so accessible. If you’re a diver, Miami has it all. Dive Miami group invites DEMA attendees to explore Miami’s many dive sites during DEMA Show week.
As the Atlantic Ocean funnels between Florida and Cuba, it forms the Florida Straights. Within the Straights, the Gulf Stream flows just offshore Miami and is home to nutrient rich, warm, clear water.
Miami is the custodian of this aquatic health food garden with a well organized and dedicated local dive industry protecting it, so you can enjoy it.
A 25-minute average boat ride will have you anchored above one of over 130 shipwrecks and 50 other structures, which, if placed end-to-end would extend 2.5 miles.
The results of strategically placed artificial reefs are immediately apparent to divers.
Schools of baitfish, schools of tropical fish (such as Atlantic Spade Fish and Blue Tangs), huge Atlantic Stingrays, and curious Green Morays now call these wrecks, home. Some fish move between wrecks, while others take residence and greet you over and over again.
Each wreck has its own personality, its own mystique, and most are well within sport diving limits and require no specialized training.
Specialty areas, such as Capt. Rick Smith’s Wreck Trek, are unique within an artificial reef program. The Wreck Trek offers 4 ships, a collection of large radio antennae sections and a pile of limestone boulders, all interconnected by the steel stakes driven into the ocean bottom.
The average diver can see 2 to 3 of these sites during the same dive. An experienced diver can visit 3, 4 or maybe 5 sites on a single tank!
Miami also has over 270 square miles of protected water and islands in Biscayne National Underwater Park. Key Biscayne Island has dozens of patch reefs just offshore and some of the clearest water surrounding Miami. With water temperature that averages 80 degrees and visibility to match, Miami is a diver’s delight!
Whether you prefer to dive from a small boat (6-pack style) or a more spacious boat, we can accommodate you. Miami area dive stores represent over 200 years of diving expertise and are eager to show you a good time. Dive trips are typically scheduled as half-day excursions, lasting 3 to 4 hours and visiting 2 different locations, however for DEMA we are offering early morning and late afternoon dives.
Dive Miami Alliance members who are offering trips at DEMA are Tropical Divers ( www.tropic-diver.com), H20 Scuba ( www.h2oscuba.com), and Biscayne National Underwater Park ( www.nps.gov/bisc/visit/concession.htm).
For convenience items or other support Alliance Members Florida Frogman ( www.frogman.com), Austin Dive Center ( www.austins.com), the Scuba Shop ( www.the-scuba-shop.com), Underwater Unlimited ( Owid10@aol.com), and Treasure Divers ( www.treasuredivers.net) are standing by.
For more specific information or to familiarize yourself with Diving in Miami please visit Dive Miami web site at www.divemiami.com or our members directly.
Visit Dive Miami at DEMA Booth #667
Reproduced with permission from DiveNewsWire
