Blue Heron Bridge in WPB !Close to diving!

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av8er23

av8er23

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Alabaster, AL
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I learned today that the Blue Heron Bridge in West Palm Beach is closed to divers. A buddy and me learned this after our visit to E Force Dive Shop in WPB. We were told that the site is closed due to construction around the site. Is anyone else aware of this? We were really looking forward to diving the site at the end of the month. The guy at the shop said it is really hurting their business because that is where he would take students. We also learned that you would receive a citation if you were found diving there.

Has anyone received a ticket? And if so how much was it?
 
This is the first I've heard of divers receiving citations.
What for? Trespassing?

I know parking was horrid, and the dive site entry was equally horrid,
but I had plotted paddling my dive kayak up there for some scouting.

I'll ask some of my old buddies from the South Fla UW Photo Society,
see if they know anything. That is/was one of their favorite sites for macro subjects.
Ran into a bunch of em under the east span one fine day.
Last report I had from them was maybe mid-July,
and the macro subjects still had not reappeared after last year's storms.
 
From one of the SFUPS divers, Linda I ...

We have tried going up there a couple of times and it has been a hassle. Last time around the Riviera Beach police just worried about parking on the bridge. But the Park Rangers were hassling people who went past the "no admittance" signs to dive. Apparenly since the park is closed, you can still dive there - you can be in the water - but you can't get there via any of the access points around the bridge. They were threatening a $500 fine, though I haven't seen anyone actually receive one. The sheriff was also hassling people, as it is a county, not city park.

So it is hit and miss. If no one is around, you can possibly get in and out okay. But during the day, there are other people trying to swim off the beach on the southeast corner, and people putting boats in at the ramp (that is still allowed) so the Park Rangers are around a lot. Late at night is probably okay.

But it is not as good as it used to be - a lot of the critters are gone - it needs time to rejuvenate. So it is questionable now whether it is really worth the effort of going all the way up there and not getting in the water.

Bottom line, we have only been up there a couple of times in the last 6 months. But I sure do miss diving there, especially since the ocean has been so rough. But again, if the vis in the ocean is horrible due to the storms, chances are the vis up there will be bad too.
Click to expand...

My two cents .... start exploring the 707 and US1 bridges up near Jupiter Inlet.
Same rule applies, go during slack (high) tide.
 
I've dove and snorkeled the 707 bridge. Tricky entry by way of walking down the enbankments on the west side of the bridge. Last time I was there they had it shut off due to bridge construction work. The dive itself is typically 10-15 ft, 20 max at the bottom of the bridge piling. Good diving around the bridge itself and the piling support piers. Do NOT dive the main boat channel. The east side is maybe 6 ft and not much to see. There are mangrove roots both north and south of the bridge. ALWAYS fly a Dive Flag as there is a good bit of boat traffic.

The US1 bridge I have only snorkeled and it was on a murky day. Had a new snorkeler at my side so we did not explore the bridge too much, but there was a handful of divers out under the bridge and around the pilings. Park at the Jupiter Lighthouse park, entry is an easy sandy beach walk-in. Even has showers. Again, always fly a Dive Flag as there is even more boat traffic on this bridge.
 
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