July marks the peak of summertime dive season in South Florida and is the best time of the year to experience what the Treasure Coast area has to offer. Don’t be fooled by freshwater releases, diving is still great! With calm seas, good visibility and lobster season right around the corner, divers will have plenty of opportunities to head offshore and enjoy some of the best diving all year.
Just as calm seas and hot weather is the norm this time of year, so too are summer rains and unfortunately storm water runoff from the local area and Lake-O. Devastating as this is for inshore waters, many are surprised to learn the effects are less apparent offshore. Outgoing tides do carry this dirty water out local inlets, but usually just a few miles. Once outside of the tide water, visibility returns to normal, and top to bottom days are still very common. One reason the Treasure Coast has such great diving and fishing is our location’s proximity to the warm, clean waters of the Gulf Stream. As the prevailing northbound current flows by the coast, freshwater near shore is constantly being pushed north and away from local reefs. In past months when discharges are at their peak, divers report clean water as long as they are offshore and away from the inlet. Head out to deeper reefs or south towards the Loran Tower reef and Hobe Sound area for best conditions.
July also marks the return of the annual tradition of lobster mini-season and this year is shaping up to be one for the record books. After Hurricane Irma, almost no one dove local waters for about six months due to rough seas and bad visibility. This means that for almost a whole season, lobsters were untouched from local waters all the way to the Keys. Additionally, many divers believe freshwater releases will drive lobsters out of local estuaries and onto the reefs where the water is saltier. With these two factors in mind, plus reports from divers last month, we are set for an epic mini season this year
July is a great time of year to dive and provided tropical activity remains low, conditions should be spectacular. Whether it’s offshore or off the beach, the summer dive season is here.
FORECAST BY: Steve Wood
Deep Six Watersports – Stuart
(772) 288-3999 Stuart
(772) 562-2883 Vero
Email: Steve.wood@deepsix.com
Website: www.deepsixintl.com
