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Dive Review of Loggerhead Dive Charters/Private residence in
The Continental USA/SE Florida, Boynton Beach

Loggerhead Dive Charters/Private residence: "Back in the high life again", Jun, 2020,

by Craig A Wood, PA, US (Top Contributor Top Contributor 54 reports with 48 Helpful votes). Report 11478 has 2 Helpful votes.

No photos available at this time

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Accommodations N/A Food N/A
Service and Attitude N/A Environmental Sensitivity 5 stars
Dive Operation 5 stars Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ 5 stars
Beginners 5 stars
Advanced 5 stars
Comments After a 90 day surface interval, I was very glad to be able to return to SE Florida to do some diving in Boynton Beach and Jupiter. I did 22 of my 29 dives between June 5 and 16 with Loggerhead Dive Charters, out of Boynton Harbor Marina.

I had a direct flight on American Airlines from Philadelphia to Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm. Everyone wore a mask in the airports and everyone wore a mask during the flights. There was no food or beverage service, no contact with the flight assistants. I rented a car from National. The shuttle driver and all employees at National wore masks. There was an extensive cleaning checklist on the rearview mirror of the car I rented. I went to the grocery store once, everyone in the store wore masks. I stayed by myself in my townhouse in Hypoluxo.

The Loggerhead is a custom 38 foot dive boat that holds up to 20 divers. For now, it is operating with a maximum of 9 divers. Including the mate, there are a maximum of 10 people on the dive deck. Masks are worn before boarding and on board, as practical, when not diving. The boat is extensively disinfected after each trip. Hand sanitizer is available.

For those of you who are unfamiliar, the Boynton Reef is quite healthy with tremendous numbers and diversity of tropical fish. It has its share of sharks, turtles, and Goliath Grouper. With the exception of 3 wrecks, the diving is all drift diving. The dive charters out of Boynton Harbor Marina do not put a guide in the water. All diving is done independently or in groups with a dive flag. The top of the inside (west facing) reef is generally at 50-55 feet with around 60-65 feet in the sand. The outside (east facing) reef is more like 75-85 feet to the sand outside the fingers.

I did 9 of my trips with Captain Jim and 2 with Captain Alex, both make excellent drops and pickups. Captain Alex is one of the most experienced divers in the area and is able to make some special drops, given the right mix of customers. Josh was the most frequent mate but I also dived with Dave, Gia, and Maricela. Josh is one of the nicest and most helpful mates I have dived with.

The diving during this trip was fantastic, I was able to dive all days I was down. North currents varied from nil to brisk. Water temperatures were from 79-82 degrees. Visibility was from about 40 to at least 80 feet. On one dive at a little over 75 feet, I was able to clearly see my flag on the surface!

Given the number of dives, I was able to visit nearly all my favorite sites on the Boynton reef. In addition we visited Delray Ledges and Catacombs in Delray and Horseshoe Reef and Football Field off Lake Worth. Sea life was very abundant, including Lemon Sharks, a couple of Bull Sharks, Nurse Sharks, a few Goliath Grouper, Southern Rays, a couple of Yellow Rays, many, many Loggerhead Turtles, a few Hawksbill and Green Turtles, Green and Spotted Morays, many lobster, feeling safe before the season, and all of the usual reef fish. There were some huge schools of Spadefish, Horse Eye Jacks, and, of course, grunt. I found a group of 3 Yellowhead Jawfish at Briny Breezes and had gorgeous Queen Triggerfish swim with me on several occasions.

As all my international trips are off for the time being, I hope to be able to return to Florida soon. This depends somewhat on what happens with the current upswing in Covid-19 being experienced in Florida. Good luck to us all in our diving adventures.
Websites Loggerhead Dive Charters   

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience Over 1000 dives
Where else diving Grand Cayman, Little Cayman, Cayman Brac, Bonaire, Curacao, Turks & Caicos, Roatan, Cozumel, Key Largo, SE Florida (Boynton Beach, Jupiter, West Palm...), Maui, Oahu, Cape Ann, San Diego, Costa Rica, Panama, Cocos Island, Red Sea, Galapagos, Revillagigedos
Closest Airport Palm Beach International Getting There Direct flight on American Airline Philadelphia to West Palm Rental car from National

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny, windy, cloudy, dry Seas choppy, currents
Water Temp 79-82°F / 26-28°C Wetsuit Thickness 3
Water Visibility 40-80 Ft/ 12-24 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions No guide in the water, independent or group drift diving, carrying a dive flag. Approximate 60 min bottom time
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? yes

What I Saw

Sharks Lots Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles > 2 Whales None
Corals 3 stars Tropical Fish 5 stars
Small Critters 3 stars Large Fish 4 stars
Large Pelagics N/A

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter N/A Boat Facilities N/A
Overall rating for UWP's N/A Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments I did not take my camera out this trip, the subject matter can be very good. There is a small rinse bucket on the boat, many take large rigs in their own containers, mostly cooler bags. The crew is very careful with photo equipment.
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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