As we tried to escape the mountain snow in Colorado, a quick dive trip to Florida this past month was in order. A few days in the sunshine state was just what we needed to recharge.

Our newest member received his dive certification in May. This was his first opportunity for an ocean dive; he received his Open Water Certification in Midway, Utah. This was a totally different experience.

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We lucked out with the weather. The week before, South Florida had experienced a cold front. We were glad it passed before we arrived. We had several beautiful days of mid to high 70’s. Water temperature was 77 degrees.

We visited a few dive sites; one south of Miami (Emerald) and a couple off of Hallandale Beach (PL1 – PL7). On the 1st day, we stayed south of Miami Beach. The first stop was Emerald, which was just by Biscayne Bay. Lots of fish, octopus, lobster and even a giant crab. Visibility was good also. On the second day, we stop at buoys PL 1 and 7; not really sure of the actual site names. The visibility was not as good as at Emerald, but still decent; some interesting coral formations. A bit of a current too.

Our last day was spent at the beach, just relaxing and sunbathing on the sandy beaches around Hollywood, Florida. It had been some time since I last visited the area. Much more going on now. Lots of shops, bars, and interesting & diverse food. Great spot to “people watch”.

Well, it was fun. Off to the snow we go. Where are you diving this year?