SNORKELING & DIVING IN MIAMI BEACH
An Introduction to Exploring Miami Beach Underwater
Miami Beach is commonly referred to as America's Riviera - an eccentric tropical enclave for those seeking sun, sand, and endless pleasures. Both visitors and residents to this unique destination have undoubtedly been charmed by it's wide strip of white sand beach, turquoise waters, palm-lined streets of Art Deco architecture. Just as the senses revel in the diversity of life found above land, the same is true underwater as our aquatic world merits as much enjoyment.
Miami hosts a long section of the The Florida Reef System, which is the largest coral reef ecosystem within the United States and third largest shallow reef in the world. This reef extends a total of 358 miles from Martin County all the way south to the Dry Tortugas just past Key West. Coral reefs are like underwater rainforests in that they hold an immense amount of biodiversity within a relatively small surface area. Their health is vital to Miami's livelihood. Besides being hotspots of marine productivity for all types of water enthusiasts to enjoy, they are important as natural buffers against storm surge.
Miami Beach's underwater world is a fascinating study of colors, textures, and sounds. It hosts shoals of reef squid to shimmering silver schools grunts and snappers, coral polyps and their jellyfish relatives feeding from the water column, and stingrays travelling as gracefully as ballerinas along the sandy bottom.
Snorkeling
Snorkeling requires the use of a mask, snorkel, and fins. It is a superficial activity, occuring at the surface of the water and requires no prior experience. The fins are used to propel yourself in the water, useful if there are surface currents or strong chop that require energy to swim through. It's a wonderful (and economical) starter activity for those who aren't scuba certified yet.
One of the best snorkeling spots in Miami Beach is right alongside the jetty at the tip of South Pointe Park. You can easily rent the mask, snorkel, and fins from
Tarpoon Lagoon Dive Center,
located only a 15 minute walk away up the boardwalk.
SCUBA Diving
SCUBA stands for Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. Just as it sounds, the basis of SCUBA lies in specialized equipment that allows you to remain underwater for a longer period of time. To experience SCUBA diving, you will need training sessions to understand how to properly use and maintain the gear, as well as how to respond in emergency situations.
Training for SCUBA diving can take as little as one day with the
Discover Scuba
course, or two days with a full
Open Water Diver
certification. The Open Water certification will allow you to dive independently anywhere in the world usually to 60 feet (20 meters). Participants as young as 10 years old are allowed. Along with the required reading material which will cover all of the key components of diving, you will have pool (confined) dives and open water dives to give you the skills you will need to take the plunge.