a diver's paradise

A Diver's ParadiseFort Lauderdale ranks among the state's top scuba diving destinations, largely due to three parallel natural coral reefs interspersed with artificial reefs lying just offshore. The shallowest natural reef is within 100 yards of the shore at a depth of about 20 feet, making diving here extremely attractive to snorkelers and novice divers. In fact, Greater Fort Lauderdale's 23-mile coastline is the only place in Florida where divers can approach a reef right from the beach.

Artificials Reefs in Fort Lauderdale

Artificial reefs—typically comprising submerged concrete or steel—function much like the rocky substrate of natural reefs and serve a two-fold purpose. First, they quickly attract marine organisms essential to the establishment of a food chain, which organisms are then followed by invertebrates, crustaceans, small fish and large predators. In turn, these undersea communities provide divers with alternative neighborhoods to explore, thereby reducing potentially damaging boat and human traffic around natural reefs.

Broward County launched an artificial reef development program in the 1980s. To date, there are more than 100 deployed freighters, tugs, barges, cutters, yachts, dredges, airplanes and scrapped construction materials at various depths. One of the most spectacular dive sites is Tenneco Towers, a retired oil derrick resting in segments near Hallandale Beach.

Ghostly shipwrecks add mystery and excitement to a dive, and Fort Lauderdale's reefs hold the crusty remains of nearly 20. Popular sites include the Glasgow steamer Copenhagen, which slammed onto a reef in 1900 and remained partially submerged for several years before slipping into a shallow grave; the German freighter Mercedes, beached in front of a multimillion-dollar mansion during a 1984 winter storm and later towed offshore; and the Hydro Atlantic, a 300-foot-long dredge that sank off Deerfield Beach en route to salvage in 1987. If hulls could talk, the Ancient Mariner off Pompano Beach might whisper of stalking German U-boats during its service as a U.S. Coast Guard cutter. Technically, the Mercedes and the Ancient Mariner are classified as artificial reefs because they were sunk intentionally at their present locations.

Water Activities in Fort Lauderdale

With marine life ranging from sponges and sea fans to a neon kaleidoscope of tropical fish to amberjack, grouper and other game fish, Fort Lauderdale's reefs hold wonders for divers of every skill level. A list of dive sites and operators is available from the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau; phone (954) 765-4466.