GPS Coordinates for FL Dive Sites

Hi Folks,

Santa brought me a new GPS unit, and I just couldn't resist plotting some of my favorite South Florida dive sites while trying to learn how to use the thing. The attached *.zip file contains coordinates in *.loc format. I'll be glad to share a link to a conversion utility if you need it, but I haven't had to convert anything yet, so your guess is as good as mine as to how well it works.

File created in EasyGPS (Free GPS management software) from coordinates listed in Ned Deloach's Underwater Florida (11th ed), Beach Diving and Snorkeling Locations: Hollywood to Jupiter (Fish Enterprises, 1999), and Diving DVD: Florida Keys, by Brian Mastriana.

If you find any errors in the coordinates listed, please let me know. I hope to continue to update this file as I take the box on dive trips and have time to scour the guides a bit more thoroughly. Plans for the future include springs sites, beach dive locations, and a more complete listing of offshore sites.

Enjoy!
-Grier

Ummm, got a boat to go with that, Grier???

Hey Grier,
I recently went through the whole GPS coord. hassle. Be very careful. I found most of the lat/longs wrong. Also watch the format deg/min/sec or deg with decimal. I like the latter. Many coord in Ned DeLoach's book are wrong. I've been out twice using coord from his book and only found sand. Later, after more research, I found a good database. Search google for "miami dade artificial reef program". Look for the fourth one down on the first page in pdf format. I even called the guy who runs the program, Brian Flynn. He is confident of the coord. I have been out to three different wrecks since and the coord are right on the money. In the Miami area, be wary of any coord east of 80.05. That will put you in 200 + ft water..... clearly bad coord. Good Luck,

Ty

KBeck:

Ummm, got a boat to go with that, Grier???

Click to expand...

I thought I'd ride with you on yours, m'dear...

TLS:

Hey Grier,
I recently went through the whole GPS coord. hassle. Be very careful. I found most of the lat/longs wrong. Also watch the format deg/min/sec or deg with decimal. I like the latter. Many coord in Ned DeLoach's book are wrong. I've been out twice using coord from his book and only found sand.

Click to expand...

I just realized that the numbers were off as I rode along the beach this morning and saw that there were major discrepancies between the places we beach dive and the places where those same reefs are located in the books. Thanks for the tip re: an accurate database. I'll download that file and update my *.loc file. Sorry for providing crappy data!

Thanks again,
Grier

Grier, what's up my friend? You leave us here in Florida and start sending us bogus info? I thought you liked us!!!

Actually, I'm just trying to keep all of those non-Conchs from finding all the great South Florida dive sites. Now we'll be able to screen them as we rescue them from my bogus coordinates...

...or maybe I'm just pretty inept as a navigator (Don't EVEN get Crystal started on that one!)

-G