Diving Deep Wrecks in South Florida waters

This is one of those "sensitive" documents, where we tell you that material contained in here is classified, and considered "dangerous to your health" for you to read unless you are a "technical diver". If you are a "normal, average diver", please click back to the main table of contents and look for another article.

Since you are still reading this, we will assume you are highly trained and experienced, and what you are about to view will not change the depths or challenges associated with your present diving, just the enjoyment you get out of it.

One of the most spectacular differences between South Florida diving, and anywhere else in the world, is our deep wrecks. We have over 20 wrecks we'd place in the "Best in the World" category, in depths ranging from 175 to 285 feet deep. These wrecks are densely covered with marine life, and they lie under clouds of fish so large, we can safely say, you can not see anything like this anywhere else!!!

A good place to start is the wreck of the Hydro-Atlantic. Its maximum depth is only 175 feet and the upper portions of this great ship reach up to as shallow as 130 feet. Because of its relatively shallow depths, this is one of the few deep wrecks we can get good still photography of. You can see from the still photos below, that the deep is NOT the lifeless desert that it's painted to be by so many dive magazines.
Shots like these are possible at 175 feet deep, since most camera equipment and strobes will not fail at these depths. While the photos on this page of the HydroAtlantic are spectacular, if we could take the same photo gear down to 280 feet for the Rb Johnson, the photos would really astound you.

Video is our best tool in capturing the deeper wrecks, because the video camera requires far less light than the stills. This is not to say that it seems dark on these wrecks...even at the bottom of the RB Johnson at 280 feet, there is still excellent contrast and plenty of light for the human eye. Its just not so good for the 35 mm cammera.

The Skycliff is another example of an awesome wreck. At about 205 feet deep, its still not really a DEEP technical dive, but the skills required for safely diving it are comparable to the deepest tech dives. To begin with, the current is frequently BIG. This is not a big issue once your on the Skycliff, but getting to it can be another matter. Typical proceedure for "good descenders" is to drop "waayyy" up current, weighted heavy, and drop at between 150 and 200 feet per minute, then to drift easily with the current right into the wreck. Slow descenders either will have to pull themselves down the float line taken down and secured by the drift group, or enjoy a deep sand or reef dive (pot luck).Those opting to pull down the rope under big current conditions can plan on heading back up without much bottom time, and with tired arms. Considering the effort required and the greater exposure danger caused by the higher exertion levels, this is not my choice. Most of the local technical divers do this dive carrying all the gases they plan on using during the entire dive...this means if you want to do your last 20 minutes at ten feet on pure Oxygen, your going to be carrying it with you. Too many divers have found it impossible to hold on to the anchored float line for the entire duration of their decompression. Primary solutions are : everyone has their own cave reel with float bag (will be deployed as surface float once you have given up hanging on the main float line fighting the current), most divers will never fight with the current---its better to just let it take you and have the boat follow; and everyone brings all their own gases with them with plenty of reserve supply. Drift diving in South florida is an art form, and divers traveling here are spoiled quickly. Once you get used to the boat always following you, your dive stretching out to cover huge reef tracts, and never having to swim long distances back to an anchored boat, you'll tend toward a very critical view of anchor diving destinations elsewhere.

Video for Skycliff dive will be on line soon by clicking here on the Skycliff Video.

As of March 14, this we are still collecting images and videos to place in this section. Expect to see them included by April.