Diving Barracuda Reef in Fort Lauderdale

Off the shores of Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park is a sequence of mooring buoys situated along one of the best shallow reefs in the Fort Lauderdale area: Barracuda Reef. Next time you’re in town, link up with a local dive shop for the best experience to diving Barracuda Reef!

Diving Barracuda Reef in Fort Lauderdale:

Diving Barracuda Reef Overview:

The reef tract in South Florida consists of three layers of coral reef:

• The first is closest to shore and sits in about 15 feet of water. These sites can usually be accessed simply by swimming from the beach.
• The second is farther east and rests between 20 – 30 feet of water.
• The third is farthest from shore at about 45 – 60 feet before dropping off into much deeper, offshore waters.

Barracuda Reef is apart of the second layer, along with the Caves and the Oakland Ridges.

If you dive with a local shop, this may be the second dive of the day after a stop at Hammerhead Reef or the Donald McAllister Wreck. Or, you can launch your boat on the ramp at Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park (quite the mouthful, isn’t it?) in Dania Beach. With 25 mooring buoys, you’re sure to secure one on a calm, beautiful South Florida day.

Barracuda Reef is best enjoyed on a drift dive and the local shops who go here will treat the dive as such. This will allow you more bottom time, less air consumption, and more area covered.

Navigation and Layout of the Dive Site:

Barracuda Reef (and every other reef tract in South Florida) runs parallel to the shore on a north and south axis. This axis runs along reef ledges, cracks, crevices, and more. Ultimately, if you’re traveling a general northern or southern direction, you shouldn’t get lost while exploring the vibrant coral reef.

The same cannot be said if you go east or west. If you go too far west, you’ll end up in 15 feet of water seeing nothing but sand. If you go too far east, you’ll be in 30 + feet of water with nothing but sand.

Stick to the ledge and you won’t have any trouble!

Resources for this Dive:

When available, we highly recommend Reef Smart Cards for any dive. They create beautiful waterproof cards that play a critical role in your dive plan. Their book (shown below) is a great reference for most dive sites in the Fort Lauderdale area.

What Dive Shops go to Barracuda Reef?

• American Dream Dive Charters behind the Hilton on 17th Avenue just south of downtown Fort Lauderdale. They run a great, clean, and basic operation aboard their Newton Dive Boat. Don’t hesitate to book with their crew!
• Sea Experience in Bahia Mar Marina on Fort Lauderdale Beach. This is a full dive shop with classes, charters, retail, and guides. If you’re a new open water diver, we suggest you book with Sea Experience to ensure everything is taken care of. If you want a dive guide, call and request for me (Andrew) and tell them we sent you!