Jo and I spent a couple of hours exploring Deerfield Beach yesterday. This was our first dive on the site (Trespassers' Ledge, just south of Hillsboro BLVD) since Katrina. There has been continual sand shifting since last year's hurricanes, and the recent dredging of sand out near the 3d reef line has complicated the inside patch reef. The beach sand looks great, but there's been a LOT of sand on the reef since last year. Much of the shallow reef has been covered. In fact we dove there Aug 21, several days before Katrina, and it was difficult finding much reef or the flat ledges. The sand has shifted some over the months, but there just wasn't much structure. So our exploration yesterday was to see whether Ms Katrina had uncovered reef, or further covered it with the new beach sand.
There is a lot of newly exposed reef. We picked up patch reef at 8', with nicer structure between 10-12'. We explored a bit south, but not far. Due to current and boats, we mostly worked north. We ran a zigzag pattern between 10 and 24', not as far as the pier, but closing in on it. Beyond the newly uncovered reef and ledge, there was mostly sand out to 24', with occasional hints of exposed grass or flat reef. At our northern turning point, it looks like the reef at about 16-20' might open up again, but we'll explore that next time.
What's new here is a significant ledge facing east. In 5 years of diving Hillsboro I've seen only flat layered ledges, with 2' or less relief. Now, there is a ledge with 5-6' of relief facing east. Its cool. My best guess is that approaching storm waves washed the beach sand out to create a sandbar on the old hardpack, then the surge scoured the sand out from under the old reef and exposed the old (buried) ledge. Mind you the reef is beaten up, but there's a lot of new nooks and crannies, and we brought home some keeper shells.
Today's weather kept us home, but if conditions clear we'll explore more tomorrow. The whole area south by the hotel looks active, and the section approaching the pier could be exposed as well. We'll see. Meantime, while the corals & vegetation are hurting, the fish life was active. Tarpon, turtle, lots of Spanish mackeral, and the usual reef guys. No squid yesterday.
Cheers
There is a lot of newly exposed reef. We picked up patch reef at 8', with nicer structure between 10-12'. We explored a bit south, but not far. Due to current and boats, we mostly worked north. We ran a zigzag pattern between 10 and 24', not as far as the pier, but closing in on it. Beyond the newly uncovered reef and ledge, there was mostly sand out to 24', with occasional hints of exposed grass or flat reef. At our northern turning point, it looks like the reef at about 16-20' might open up again, but we'll explore that next time.
What's new here is a significant ledge facing east. In 5 years of diving Hillsboro I've seen only flat layered ledges, with 2' or less relief. Now, there is a ledge with 5-6' of relief facing east. Its cool. My best guess is that approaching storm waves washed the beach sand out to create a sandbar on the old hardpack, then the surge scoured the sand out from under the old reef and exposed the old (buried) ledge. Mind you the reef is beaten up, but there's a lot of new nooks and crannies, and we brought home some keeper shells.
Today's weather kept us home, but if conditions clear we'll explore more tomorrow. The whole area south by the hotel looks active, and the section approaching the pier could be exposed as well. We'll see. Meantime, while the corals & vegetation are hurting, the fish life was active. Tarpon, turtle, lots of Spanish mackeral, and the usual reef guys. No squid yesterday.
Cheers
