About Scuba Diving in Sarasota, Florida

Sarasota is often considered one of Florida's best locations for scuba diving. The award-winning white sand beaches and clear warm waters of the Gulf make for an excellent vacation destination. Divers here can find artificial reefs, natural dive sites teeming with tropical marine life, and even some wreck diving. Here you can find an overview of what this location has to offer.

  1. Geography

    • Sarasota and the outlying keys are home to many beaches, both public and private. One of the most popular is Siesta Key Public Beach. This beach has won numerous awards for its pristine, fine, white sand. South of Siesta Key is Crescent Beach. This beach spans about a mile and a half toward the Point of Rocks. The Point of Rocks is an excellent spot for scuba diving. Other beaches you should check out include Greer Island Park on Longboat Key and Lido Public Beach on Lido Key. When diving off of Sarasota, Florida, you will encounter depths which drop off about ten feet per mile heading into the Gulf. Some of the more popular dive sites occur at depths between 30 and 50 feet. Visibility in these waters is usually 20 to 50 feet.

    Features

    • When diving in Sarasota you will encounter a wide variety of marine life including grouper, amberjack, hogfish, lobster and barracuda. Sarasota is also home to manatees and sea turtles. This area provides wreck and ledge diving as well as artificial reefs. The Point of Rocks, on Siesta Key, features beautiful tide pools, and the only "beachrock" to be found on the Gulf Coast. Natural dive sites in this area feature limestone ledges, often covered with brightly colored sponges and coral. The waters in the Gulf of Mexico are typically warm and clear year-round. The exceptional visibility in these beautiful blue waters, combined with the soft white sand beaches makes Sarasota a one-of-a-kind place for diving.

    Types

    • You can enjoy many different types of dives in Sarasota. The extensive artificial reefs provide one option. You can also dive for prehistoric sharks teeth just south of Sarasota. Another popular choice is wreck diving. One excellent spot for this is the wreck of the Bay Ronto. The Bay Ronto is a 400-foot British freighter which sunk in the Gulf of Mexico in 1919. The ship now lays on her back at a depth of about 100 feet. The wreck of the Bay Ronto is home to a variety of wildlife and provides an exciting dive.

    Considerations

    • Sarasota offers many scuba diving clubs and groups. For avid divers, this is a great opportunity to participate in dive trips as well as other social events. Some options to look into include the Sarasota Scuba Club, Suncoast Reef Rovers and the Lakewood Ranch Dive Club.

    Warning

    • Before you set out on your scuba diving expedition, know the fishing and diving laws in Florida. Florida's state waters include all water within three nautical miles in the Atlantic, and nine nautical miles in the Gulf of Mexico. You can find a detailed listing of these laws in Resources.