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On and Under Florida Waters
Saltwater opportunities for anglers and diver abound
by Larry Larsen
More than 8,000 miles of relatively unpolluted coastline, Gulf Stream-swept clear waters, natural and artificial reefs, and a network of freshwater springs
make Florida a land of opportunity for anglers and divers alike. Warm waters from the Gulf Stream bath the mid-Atlantic south to the Keys and influence the Gulf on the west coast north to Tampa
Bay.
The resulting subtropical environment impacts waters off the barrier island system along the Atlantic, the mangrove islands on the lower west coast, and the salt
-marsh estuaries of the upper Gulf coast. The abundance and variety of marine life in Florida's coastal waters is unsurpassed in this country. It deserves
attention and respect, meaning that we should all try to enjoy it and conserve it.
The state's saltwater fishing opportunities are seasonal in many cases, and the table in each fishing chapter reveals the most common species that are caught during
each season of the year. Each handy table should be used as a guide to pre-plan a trip after the most common species available then. Information in the text will often
elaborate on the opportunities in each region.
As the water temperature warms, sailfish move north in the spring along the
Loop Current in the Gulf of Mexico. On the Atlantic side, they move north with the Gulf Stream. In the late fall, decreasing water temperature and a southerly migration
of baitfish motivate the sails to retrace their travels back south along both coasts.
Spanish and king mackerel move northward each spring along both coasts from their winter ocean home off the lower one-third of Florida's peninsula. Similarly, tarpon move north and
south at the dictates of the seasonal weather and spawning urges, and the popular threesome of Redfish, Snook and trout move from shallow flats to deeper waters with colder water temperatures.
Pods of Cobia migrate north and west along panhandle coasts from Steinhatchee to Pensacola each
March. By April, they inhabit the markers and artificial reefs over the entire area. On the Atlantic side, Cobia are abundant in northeast coast in the summer months.
During the fall and winter, they take up residence along the central Gulf coast and lower east coast.
Floridians have known all along they have the best diving in the Northern Hemisphere. Visitors acknowledge it, too, and more than two million of them from all
over the world visit the Florida Keys annually, making it the most dived location on earth.
Each underwater section of Florida is vastly different from the other, according to
25-year long diver, M. Timothy O'Keefe. The co-author of the book, "Fish & Dive Florida" claims Florida is really three separate states-- The Panhandle, Central Florida
and South Florida combined into one. He believes that the underwater regions contain such a magnificent scope of diversity to reflect a whole different universe.
But it is a potentially hostile universe, more receptive to visitors at certain times than others. Florida's best
diving is from April/May to October. That is the period of calmest and clearest water and, in truth, the only time to plan an extended dive vacation unless you have time and
money to burn. If you want a sure thing, wait until summer. Even then, diving may be limited primarily to the morning because of the frequent afternoon
thundershowers which send everyone scampering for shore. If you always schedule your two tanks for the morning, afternoons become more of an option for another dive or to sight-see on
land, always worth doing.
Remember, travel posters and travel ads depict the ideal image of Florida, not
reality. Even the fabled Keys are virtually undiveable whenever a winter cold front passes through. Waves of 5-6 feet or more may keep boats at the dock for days at
a time unless you can round up enough Rambo divers to go out whatever the conditions, hellish and high water. Storms also stir up the bottom and reduce visibility for days.
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Don't expect to come to Florida and find good ocean diving every time of the year. And bring a full
wet suit for fall, winter and early spring.
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The water may be warm enough for bathers who dash in and out, but not for divers who stay submerged for an hour at a time. Even bold
Canadians who attempt to dive the Keys in winter without wet suits return to the boat with their teeth sounding like castanets.
Florida's best salt water diving is on the Atlantic side, from the Palm Beaches to Key West and the Dry Tortugas. As explained in a
chapter of "Fish & Dive the Florida Keys", this is the region with the living coral reef, which is the underpinning of Florida's unique marine ecosystem.
In winter, the best diving is actually in fresh water, in the massive spring system
found throughout the Panhandle and Central Florida. Divers come from as far away as Texas and Tennessee for long weekend trips in fresh water then, knowing the
springs are the place to find consistently clear water and no adverse wind conditions. Check flight and hotel availability!
Our travel promotion industry has given many visitors the impression that Florida
is paradise year-round. Not quite, but I wouldn't be surprised if the imagineers at Orlando's Disney World aren't working on it.
Editor's Note: This article is a partial excerpt from the book, "Fish and Dive Florida
& The Keys". The extensive chapters in the text cover the entire coastline of the state.
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