By: Kevin Freeland / Dive Pros
Before sitting down to write this article I took a gander at this coming weekend’s forecast, it reads more like the mean height of a high school population than a sea state I want to be out on. This simple fact has me thinking where else we may be able to dive this weekend. Truth be told, we look at these alternative locations all the time. Divers just having received their certification, those reentering the sport after a lull, and those who cannot afford a boat every weekend need to be aware of the other opportunities available to them.
This is a very exciting time for us on the Western Emerald Coast, with the recent addition of snorkeling reefs within an hour drive out of Pensacola. The three Alabama reef sites consist of 116 reef modules in total and are accessible approximately 500 feet from shore. These reefs, along with those already established in both Escambia County and Santa Rosa County, provide fruitful opportunities for scuba diving and snorkeling from our region’s shores.
Not that long ago the only places we had to watch the wonders of the sea were at some jetties, under bridges, and a few scattered wrecks. These were often dangerous undertakings with the currents and other hazards added to just plain old swimming in the ocean. The new reefs will allow us to interact with our finned fiends, and expand options we have to account for the environmental conditions.
The pioneering work done to establish the snorkeling reefs in Escambia County is paying off, and there are more reefs on the way! Current plans are to put another Gulf side reef at the core of Pensacola Beach, giving us additional sites where the sea turtles seem to just hang out all summer. As well, there are plans to build near shore reefs accessible by paddle craft. Neighboring counties have witnessed the benefits and are developing similar reefs.
Adding these new reef sites to some very active dive club’s social media scene, there are few reasons to miss a weekend of diving or snorkeling on the Western Emerald Coast! 3rd Coast Divers Dive Club, sponsored by Dive Pros, has hosted beach dives at these incredible artificial reefs almost weekend since spring. 3rd Coast Divers is a highly active club that hosts, beach dives, night dives, boat dives and has monthly speakers who are experts in their field. Go to 3rd Coast Divers on Facebook to be part of current and upcoming events. Membership is free, hope to see you there!
To get information on all of these great sites to visit, and information about our club, 3rd Coast Divers give a call to Dive Pros in Pensacola.
Dive Pros
7203 West Highway 98 * Pensacola FL 32507
Phone: (850) 456-8845 * Fax: (850) 456-0025
florida-divepros.com