Thursday, November 12, 2015

Singer Island Snorkeling


If you are looking for a great place to snorkel, look no further than Singer Island. There are multiple places to see lots of fish right from the shore. If ocean conditions are calm there are 3 different places to try.  The first is just to the north of Riviera Municipal Beach.  Just a short walk and right off the beach are large rock piles placed for erosion.  The first groups of rocks start at the shore in very shallow water, but as you swim out there are more areas to explore.  The next is Ocean Reef Park, where most of the beach has natural rocks and ledges right off the guarded beach.  Finally, there is John D MacArthur State Park that has a natural reef just north of the walkway and a short swim from the beach.   Sometimes the state park will offer guided snorkeling on the weekends.

If the ocean is rough all you have to do is check the tides and head to one of three other places.  The first is Phil Foster Park.  There is an underwater snorkel trail with rock piles, sunken boats, and small statues.  You will often find this area shared with divers because the water is a little deeper and the dive shops do their training there.  The bridges that surround the area can hold amazing sea life but the currents can be very dangerous when its not slack tide.  It's also very common to see manatees around this area when the water is cooler from January to March.  Peanut island is the other place to snorkel that the clearest water around 2 hours before and after high tide because of the proximity to the deep inlet.  However, you will need to take a water taxi or sail with Captain Joe from the Riviera Beach Marina to get to this little piece of paradise.  Finally, with some of the largest fish and biggest drop offs are along the jetties.  This should only be done with a great deal of caution because of the strong currents and boat traffic.  Access is also very tough and the closest parking is pretty far away.  The best bet is to ride a bike or be ready for a long walk.  Always snorkel with a buddy, use a dive flag, and don't be surprised by how much you will see!!