Anyone dived at a site with no land visible in all directions?

[doctormike]

I actually thought it was weird the first time I went diving in south Florida. The captain was giving us the 10 minute call and I think I could have snorkeled to the beach.

In NC you get told when you’re 30 minute to the wreck sometimes, and then you still have to wait for the DM to go tie in to the wreck.

Yeah, I'm always a little surprised when I'm diving in Florida and can see the shore.

Actually, I can't think of any wrecks in my home area (NYC) where you CAN see the coast. There are a few inshore rubble piles dumped as artificial reefs, but usually you get pretty poor vis so close to land.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I actually thought it was weird the first time I went diving in south Florida. The captain was giving us the 10 minute call and I think I could have snorkeled to the beach.

In NC you get told when you’re 30 minute to the wreck sometimes, and then you still have to wait for the DM to go tie in to the wreck.

I hear you! The majority of the sites off of Southeast Florida are soooo close to shore relative to other locations (Southwest FL, NC, Northeast, Great Lakes) it feels like you could swim to shore if the boat leaves you behind! It's farther than it looks, but man does the beach seem close! There are times if the seas are calm that there are kayaks launched from the beach out by the dive/fishing boats.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I've made a few dives on reefs a half mile from shore when a heavy fog bank rolled in. It might as well be miles from shore when you can't see more than ten feet.

 

[Wingy]

Just out of interest...anyone popped over the side mid ocean crossing? I've always been surprised at the lack of marine life when you're a thousand km from land...I know why but I've always hoped to encounter something like a blue whale.

Maybe I ask too much on dives sometimes.

 

[rabe]

Almost all the time...

 

[Lucifer911]

Almost all the time...

It takes about 20 miles offshore to get to a point where you can’t see any land. Just to get on a boat 6km offshore costs $100 for 2 dives. I can only imagine what boats are charging to get that far offshore. Diesel is not cheap

 

[Wookie]

I operated a liveaboard, we had a number of destinations, one was the Texas Flower Gardens (110 miles from land) another was Dry Tortugas (9 miles from land, all you could see was a lighthouse). Diesel is not cheap, labor is more.

 

[KathyV]

There is increasing interest in the 12-Mile Bank, a "sunken island" that lies about 10 to 12 miles from Grand Cayman; some folks call it the "4th Cayman Island". I believe that the top of the formation starts about 90 or 100 ft below the surface. Some dive ops like In-Depth and Divetech will periodically take divers there and it is gaining popularity because it is a more pristine, less visited dive site, and it is also a popular spot for hunting lion fish. I imagine that you would feel as if you are "out in the middle of nowhere" when you dive that site.

 

[TMHeimer]

I've been far enough off the AL-MS shore to not see land, as well as on an oil rig in S. Padre I., TX.

 

[rjack321]

It takes about 20 miles offshore to get to a point where you can’t see any land. Just to get on a boat 6km offshore costs $100 for 2 dives. I can only imagine what boats are charging to get that far offshore. Diesel is not cheap

You're mistaken. The horizon is much much closer than twenty miles. For your head only 20-25cm above the water surface its about 2 miles, less if there's the slightest wave. For someone standing on the back deck of a boat, assuming their eyes are 3m above the water's surface the horizon is about 6.2 km (<4miles) away. Skyscrapers or a city extend that range but not as much as you think.

the metric formula is horizon in km = 3.57 sqrt (height in meters)
A good rule of thumb is that you can see trees at beach level from about 10 miles.

You don't even need to be in the ocean to be out of sight of land, for many Great Lakes sites you can't see land.