Reef_Haven's Dive Log

The city has built a sort of monument/pylon at the end of Worth Ave. The debris is straight East of the pylon. There is also a rock pile at the waters edge, enter there and swim straight East. The debris starts at 100 yards out and continues out towards the first reef line, very low relief. Lots of juvenile tropicals and a very easy shore dive. Parking is now $2.00 an hour and the machine takes credit cards. There is a lifeguard station and shower just to the North.

This is a state park so my understanding is, no spear fishing, could be wrong about that. Very long swim out, way past the end of the pier, 500 yards sounds about right. Everyone in our group got a few lobster. Nice coral heads, sea fans, barrel sponges, all the usual tropicals. A couple aggressive groupers. One actually grabbed my lobster as I snared it from under a coral head, and tried to take it away from me. Reported to be a lot of lionfish in the area. Didn't see any on my dive. Viz was about 25 ft. Temp was 78.

We had a blast at this site. It was a combination of Disney's Haunted Mansion and an underwater scavenger hunt. All along the nooks and crannies of the limestone formations are statues and figurines placed by other divers. Gnomes , Buddha's, gargoyles, frogs, rats, turtles, deer, alligator, pirate ship, angels, graveyard, skeletons, all kinds of things. I can imagine the Halloween Dives, and Easter Egg hunts are a blast as well. This site has several thermoclines, haloclines, a sulfur layer, and warmer saltwater intrusion at the bottom. At 110' are a sunken boat, VW beetle, bus and a couple trees. This site is not for beginning OW divers. Strong lights are mandatory. Anything below 30' is absolutely pitch black. If you've never done a night dive, you'll be completely out of your element here. Your first dive here, slowly enter and follow the edge of the grotto all the way around from 30' - 60' and see what all you find. Taking the express elevator straight down to 100' in pitch black darkness can be disturbing and disorienting.