Biscayne National Park

Biscayne National Park is a federally protected area encompassing much of Miami's Biscayne Bay and the oceanside reef systems to a depth of 60 feet. The northern boundary of the park reaches Cape Florida, the southern tip of Key Biscayne. A vast 175,000 acres of paradise is left intact for marine life, water birds, boaters, fishermen and divers.

Much of South Florida's best diving can be found in the park and surrounding areas but you won't find the large crowds and big dive operations of Key Largo, only a few miles to the south. Large schools of fish hovering beneath undercut ledges, healthy gorgonian and sea fan populations and a multitude of colored sponges offer the underwater photographer untold opportunities.

The park area offers excellent drift diving over the reefs and ledges, plus dozens of modern and ancient shipwrecks to explore. The Dade County Artificial Reef Program has placed a number of new wreck sites near this area, and you can investigate the remains of many well known ships which have collided with the coral reefs since the days when the Spanish fleet first sailed these waters.