North America · United States
Clearwater, Dunedin & Tarpon Springs
An intact 55 m tugboat sitting upright at 22-24 m, with goliath grouper
The north Pinellas coast of Florida, from Clearwater through Dunedin to Tarpon Springs, is dived from day boats working the Gulf of Mexico ledges and the county's artificial reefs. Coral-covered ledges such as Turtle, Hogfish and Dolphin Ledge lie in 6-19 m, alongside Veterans Reef, the Army Tanks and the Circle of Heroes memorial ring. The deeper draw is the Sheridan, a 55 m tugboat sitting upright and intact at 22-24 m, home to goliath grouper and eagle rays.
About diving in Clearwater, Dunedin & Tarpon Springs
Diving here runs on day boats heading out into the Gulf of Mexico. Narcosis SCUBA Center, a PADI five-star centre in Tarpon Springs, runs daily trips aboard its boat, the Narcosis. Tanks-A-Lot Dive Charters has worked from the same Clearwater location for almost 30 years, and its Sheridan trip checks in 45 minutes before a 7:00 departure. Heroes Dive Center, opened in 2018, serves Dunedin. The two-tank shallow trips go no deeper than 18 m (60 ft).
The seabed off this coast is an ancient riverbed, cut by ledges covered in coral heads that give fish plenty of cover, from Last Chance Ledge in about 6 m (19-21 ft) down to Dolphin Ledge at 17-19 m (57-62 ft), with Turtle Ledge, Twin Ledge, Hogfish Ledge, Table Rock and The Crane in between. Other stops include Veterans Reef at 10-11 m, the Army Tanks at 10-12 m and the Circle of Heroes, a ring of memorials 30 m (100 ft) wide at almost 15 m. The Sheridan, a 55 m tugboat (180 ft) sunk under the Pinellas II Artificial Reef Program, sits upright and intact at 22-24 m (71-80 ft).
The ledge trips suit certified divers who want relaxed Gulf boat dives in the 6-19 m band, with water from about 18 °C in January to 30 °C in August. The Sheridan is for divers holding Deep or Advanced Open Water certification, and it cannot be guaranteed on any given day: weather, sea conditions or other boats already on the site can stop a planned wreck dive.
Best time to dive Clearwater, Dunedin & Tarpon Springs
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good |
No month stands out. The water is coolest in January at about 18 °C and warmest in August at about 30 °C; June-September is the wet season.
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, October, November, December
Dive types & marine life
Goliath grouper are a fixture on the Sheridan, which also draws eagle rays, amberjack and nudibranchs. Hogfish are common enough on Hogfish Ledge to give it its name, and the coral-covered ledges shelter fish in good numbers across the shallow sites.
- Reef
- Wreck
- Groupers
- Eagle rays
- Trevally & jacks
- Nudibranchs
Best dive sites in Clearwater, Dunedin & Tarpon Springs
- 1
Sheridan
55 m tugboat (180 ft) upright and intact at 22-24 m; goliath grouper, eagle rays, amberjack.
- 2
Circle of Heroes
A ring of memorials 30 m (100 ft) wide at a depth of almost 15 m (50 ft).
- 3
Veterans Reef
Reef site in 10-11 m (32-37 ft) of water, one of the shallow two-tank stops.
- 4
Army Tanks
Army tanks in 10-12 m (34-38 ft) of water on the shallow two-tank run.
- 5
Hogfish Ledge
Healthy ledge in 13-14 m (42-47 ft) with plenty of hiding places and abundant hogfish.
- 6
Dolphin Ledge
The deepest ledge on the shallow two-tank run, in 17-19 m (57-62 ft) of water.
Site guides
Artificial reef
An intact 23 m barge, also known as Mecco’s Barge
Artificial reef
Twelve concrete service members standing in a ring at 12 m
Artificial reef
Culverts and pilings at one end, holed concrete pyramids at the other
Artificial reef
A barge loaded with 600 tons of the Old Clearwater Pass Bridge
Wreck
Goliath grouper and eagle rays around an upright, intact tug
Wreck
A 1903 steel harbour tug sitting upright in 14 m
Artificial reef
Usually at least one goliath grouper, hiding in the sunken barges
How to get to Clearwater, Dunedin & Tarpon Springs
Tampa International Airport is about 30 km (20 miles) from Clearwater Beach, and St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport is also close by. Narcosis SCUBA Center is in Tarpon Springs, Tanks-A-Lot Dive Charters in Clearwater and Heroes Dive Center in Dunedin.
Dive videos
Diving in Clearwater, FL with 2 Shea Charters. Sites: Clearwater Wreck & Table Top · Little House of Beans on YouTube
Diving in Clearwater, FL - Circle of Heroes (Great Visibility) 6/26/22 · Dirk Lee on YouTube
Questions divers ask
What certification does the Sheridan wreck need at Clearwater?+
The Sheridan needs Deep or Advanced Open Water certification. Shallow two-tank trips to the ledges and reefs stay within 18 m (60 ft).
Is the Sheridan dive guaranteed at Clearwater?+
No. Weather, sea conditions or other boats already on the site can stop a planned wreck dive, so the Sheridan cannot be guaranteed on any given day.
What lives on the Sheridan wreck at Clearwater?+
Goliath grouper are a fixture on the Sheridan, which also draws eagle rays, amberjack and nudibranchs. The 55 m tugboat sits upright and intact at 22-24 m.
How do divers get to Clearwater, Dunedin and Tarpon Springs?+
Tampa International Airport is about 30 km (20 miles) from Clearwater Beach, and St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport is also close by. All diving is by day boat into the Gulf of Mexico.
Sources
- Narcosis SCUBA Center — Narcosis SCUBA Center
- 2 Tank Shallow Dive — Narcosis SCUBA Center
- Sheridan — 2 Shea Charters
- Tanks-A-Lot — 2 Shea Charters
- Heroes Dive Center — Heroes Dive Center
- Clearwater Beach sea temperature — seatemperature.org
- Clearwater Beach — Wikipedia
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