Abbey too

Excellent vertical N-S ledge. There is a wide variety of reef fish. Grouper, snapper, jacks, barracuda, and moray eels. Trumpet fish and spot fin drums have also "spotted" here! There is lobster in the caves along the base and top of the reef. 

Ancient Mariner: Dive Level 2 & 3

This Coast Guard cutter was built in the 1930s and was originally known as the Nemesis, named after the Greek goddess of vengeance. During WWII, the Ancient Mariner was used as a sub-chaser and a convoy escort. She was decommissioned in 1964 and sold to several firms before being remodeled to resemble an African steamer and becoming Fort Lauderdale's first floating restaurant. Incredible!

The ship/restaurant sank in 1981, was raised, remodeled, and renamed several times before finally being purchased by a Hollywood dive club and donated to the artificial reef program.

The Ancient Mariner was sunk in 70 feet of depth in 1991 to help in the formation of the artificial reef. She stretches 165 feet in length and lies in a depth range of 45 to 70 feet. Because of several remodelings' and the destruction that was caused during Hurricane Andrew, the Ancient Mariner ship offers opportunities for penetration at almost all levels. This dive is especially worthwhile for those interested in exploring the interior of a vessel.
 

Captain Dan Wreck

The Hollyhock was a 175-foot U.S. Coast Guard buoy tender built in March of 1937 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In 1959, she was moved to Detroit, Michigan, where she was used as an ice breaker in Lake Michigan. She later served in Miami, Florida -- also as a buoy tender -- and in the Bahamas for refueling seaplanes for the U.S. Air Force.

In 1982, the Hollyhock was decommissioned by the Coast Guard and was later purchased by a missionary and renamed the Good News Missionship, where she went from port to port spreading the Gospel. She became stranded in the Miami River, and with the help of the Boating Improvement Program Fund and the Pompano Beach Fishing Rodeo, she was purchased to become an artificial reef.

In February of 1990, the ship was renamed and reefed in memory of Captain Dan Garnsey, a well-known Pompano Beach drift fishing boat owner. Today, the ship lies upright in 110 feet with her bow pointing south. The wheelhouse is 70 feet below the surface and her deck is at 90 feet below the surface.

The ship is intact and has been prepared with large access holes providing certified wreck divers easy opportunity for penetration.

Copenhagen UW Preserve

The steamer, Copenhagen, was built in England in 1898. This ship was carrying almost 5,000 tons of coal and 26 crew members when she ran aground in 1900. The ship's captain, William Jones, was trying to direct the ship to stay off shore by at least a mile and a half when the Copenhagen met its unfortunate fate. Jones  was not properly navigating. As a result, the ship became stuck on the Pompano Drop-off and could not break through. Most of its cargo was unloaded by a rescue boat but the ship could not be saved.

Parts of the ship were still visible above water for 40 years. The area was used for naval target practice. In 1994, this popular wreck site became a protected underwater preserve. Today, the hull has collapsed but the overgrown structure continues to offer much to see. Much of the ship's structure has become part of the reef. The wreck lies in 15 to 40 feet of water with her bow pointed to the south which is parallel to the reef.

This wreck has been designated an historical shipwreck and is a part of the Florida Underwater Archaeological Preserve. Today, not much is left of the ship other than an anchor, some of the structure, and a plague marking the wreck. The shallow depths make this spot great for beginning Scuba Divers as well as snorkelers.

Flamingo Bend:

Hillsboro Ledge

A mile and a half north of the Hillsboro Inlet. A 5 to 8 foot ledge in depths from 34 to 40 feet. This is a fantastic shallow dive. Visitors often see many different species of tropical fish, lobster and a variety of hard and soft corals. This ledge runs North South, and it is a great spot for lobsters as the ledge has lots of nooks and crannies to hide in and explore.

Hog Heaven

An upside down barge with a 1200 foot long pile of concrete pipes just south of the wreck is covered with life. Every nook and gap is home to something. Jacks, hogfish and a lot of tropicals.
 

Horseshoe Reef

Horseshoe Reef is an extremely beautiful, barely dived reef. Very close to Key Largo Dry Rocks, this is a perfect dive for snorkelers since the depths are shallow and the fish life is prolific. As it is closer to shore than its neighbors, seas are often lighter here, which make diving conditions terrific.

Large boulders of star coral are accompanied by smaller brain corals, while elk horn coral dominates the back side of the reef. Crevices in the reef reveal schooling silversides, feeding jacks, snappers, grunts, wrasses, and parrotfish.

 

Jay Scutti/Ken Vitale

The Tracy was sunk in 1998 in 70 feet of water and lies upright. It is attached to the Jay Scutti by a chain, with a well planned dive it is possible to see both wrecks, but make sure you take your air consumption into consideration as the Jay Scutti is about 100'-150' away.

This wreck is very popular for wreck diving classes with easy penetration into the wreck. The inside is dark and requires lights, however, it is quite large and spacious inside. You will feel fairly open in this wreck, and it is very clean of any debris.

Mercedes

The 197' "Mercedes" got international attention while aground at Palm Beach. She is overgrown by brown algae & invertebrates. Barracuda abound, some jacks and other pelagic fish.

Noula Express

This 114-foot steel-hulled freighter is located a little over one mile south-southeast of the Boca Raton Inlet. The Noula Express was the first freighter to be sunk in this specific area. In the early years, after her sinking in 1988, this ship was extremely popular, especially for those who love night-diving. The Noula Express was penetrable and could be easily explored. The Noula Express often was decorated for different holidays to the delight of many divers.

Unfortunately, the hurricane force winds of Hurricane Andrew in 1992 tore Noula Express into two sections and smashed and twisted much of the ship. A drug-carrying submarine was welded shut and sunk southeast of the wheelhouse section of the Noula Express.

The Noula Express wreckage lies among white sand and a small patch reef system. The bottom is at 78 feet with the profile reaching up to about 55 feet. Good algae growth supports a very rich fish community, with divers reporting seeing bait fish, sport fish, and sometimes a barracuda.

Pompano 3rd Reef Ridge

South Florida has some wonderful diving spots, and one of the best places is known as the Pompano drop-off. This beautiful area has one of the best reefs for snorkeling in South Florida. The area consists of a large, flat mass of rocks and reefs that stretch from Ft. Lauderdale to the Pompano Pier, in depths ranging from about 12' to 35'. Excellent Snorkeling & Diving.

The Reef is located off of the Pompano Beach Water Tower, approximately 3 nautical miles south of the Hillsboro inlet and runs all the way down to Port Everglades!
 

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Pompano Drop Off: Dive Level 2

South Florida has some wonderful diving spots, and one of the best places is known as the Pompano drop-off. This beautiful area has one of the best reefs for snorkeling in South Florida. The area consists of a large, flat mass of rocks and reefs that stretch from Ft. Lauderdale to the Pompano Pier, in depths ranging from about 12' to 35'. Excellent Snorkeling & Diving.

The Reef is located off of the Pompano Beach Water Tower, approximately 3 nautical miles south of the Hillsboro inlet and runs all the way down to Port Everglades!
 

Rodeo 25: Dive Level 3

This Dutch freighter was built in 1956. The Rodeo 25 is 215 feet long and has a 33 foot beam.

On May 12, 1990 this wreck was renamed the Rodeo 25 in honor of the 25th anniversary of the Pompano Fishing Rodeo. The ship sunk while almost 100,000 spectators watched.

Today, this twin masted freighter sits upright in 130 feet of water. The main deck is at 100 feet of water and the masts rise to within 52 feet of the surface.

Because the Rodeo 25 lies at the limit of recreational diving, this ship makes a good practice dive for technical divers because it is deep enough to practice the ins and outs of the ups and downs and still get decent bottom time as a no decompression dive. Dive this wreck on EANx32 for even more bottom time.
 

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RSB-1: Dive Level 3

Home to a great diversity of artificial reefs in depths ranging from 15 to over 200 feet, there are dive sites just perfect for the snorkeler, the sport diver or the technical diver. Wrecks such as the Rodeo 25, the RSB-1(Jim Torgeson), a retired navy research vessel, the Captain Dan, a retired U.S. Coast Guard buoy tender whose last days were in the service as a missionary ship, or the newest addition the freighter Guy Harvey, are just some of the dozens of wrecks in the area. Among the reefs here, the Pompano Drop Off leads south to miles of shallow diving sites, easily found by the reef saving mooring buoys attached to them. A night dive along the Dropoff with a full moon overhead is truly magical, with the white sand bottom at the edge of the reef reflecting the moonlight.

Sea Emperor: Dive Level 2

Approximately one mile southeast of the Boca Raton Inlet lies the wreckage of the 171-foot Sea Emperor. This hopper barge lies upside-down in 72 feet of water and is surrounded by 1,600 tons of drainage pipes and concrete pilings. These objects were originally intended to sit on the deck of the boat, but the ship flipped over while going down. Penetration is possible in many places along this wreck.

The sea life here is abundant and diverse. Many varieties of sea life call the drainage pipes home. Two stingrays, a Moray eel and a couple of Jewfish are regularly sighted at this location. Nurse sharks, grouper, and snook also inhabit the area. One hundred feet east of the wreck is Stingray Alley, an area used to feed the southern stingray population that lives in this portion of the ocean.

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Tenneco Towers: Dive Level 3

Tenneco Towers, the largest artificial reef in southeast Florida, was created in 1985 when the Tenneco Oil Company sank five large sections of oil production platforms. The oil platforms, which are decommissioned were transported by barge and sunk in a straight east-west line, each a slightly deeper than the next.

Three of the platforms are within recreational diving limits. The smallest of the three platforms rests at 97 feet of water and rises to 65 feet. The two larger platforms are in 110 feet of water and top out at 60 feet. The second platform lies about 100 yards from the first, and the third is about another 85 yards away. The two deep water sections lie in 190 feet of water and rise to 80 feet. When Hurricane Andrew stuck in August, 1992, it caused the two deep towers to list at close to a 45-degree angle.

The flow of tides and currents that move freely through the site gave almost instant growth to a jungle of soft coral that has since covered the entire wreck. Many large pelagic fish can be found at the wreck along with queen angels, Spanish hogfish, and the occasional turtle.
 

Wreck of the Rebel
 
The "Rebel" a 135' wreck lies bow north on a sand and coral bottom. Algae cover the wreck & fish are making it their home. Jacks, barracuda and some big shy grouper are found in and around the hull.