Diving the famous Blue Heron Bridge
Marshall Goldman Nov 19, 2020
The Blue Heron Bridge is located just north of West Palm Beach Florida and is a site that the 20,000 Leagues gang likes to visit often. What is so special about it you may ask?
Well, to start, it is known as one of the 10 best shore dives in the world. And it is a great inshore dive that you can enjoy without having to break the bank. The Blue Heron Bridge ecosystem is known to have a wide diversity of marine life and is always interesting to visit. In fact – each dive can be very different in terms of the marine life that you find. Diving is dependent on the tides and is considered a “muck dive”, so timing is particularly important. Always check the tide charts to ensure that you dive this site at High Tide. The water is often very clear – visibility at times can be 40-50 feet. Strangely enough, as it sounds, this dive site is located under a bridge of all places!
The Blue Heron Bridge is a special place that is protected by the State of Florida against harvesting, collecting, or possessing any animals. Year-round diving is possible due to the warm waters of the gulf stream. There is an abundance of seahorses, pipefish, and octopi – and over 100 different nudibranchs call this place home along with other interesting creatures like the frogfish, who is a master at camouflage.
The deepest part of this dive is 20 feet – and there are 2 distinct dive areas. You normally will have dive times of between 1 to 2 hours. If you are lucky, time your dive to dive just after dusk (where the tide charts align with a night dive schedule). Be careful of the currents though – start your dive no more than an hour before high tide and do not stay past an hour after high tide (this is called diving at slack tide). Note that diving during a tidal change can be dangerous. But when performed properly, it is an easy dive with lots to see. There is 800 feet of artificial reef that was placed by local enthusiasts with permission from FFW (Florida Fish and Wildlife). There is also snorkeling available for those who are not certified.
Check out some pictures provided by Marshall Goldman below. If you are interested in Blue Heron Bridge contact the shop and we will help you to plan a trip for you or you can join our next trip in March, 2021. We often couple Blue Heron Bridge with dives in the warm gulf stream waters of West Palm Beach or Jupiter. There is plenty to see and do and diverse wildlife to see! We hope you join us for a trip soon!
Sources
https://www.scubadiving.com/blue-heron-bridge-scuba-diving#page-2
https://www.puravidadivers.com/dive-blue-heron-bridge-phil-foster-park
https://www.colemanconcierge.com/diving-blue-heron-bridge/
