Treasure Coast — Sebastian, Vero Beach & Fort Pierce

Every dive here starts on a public or semi-public beach. Divers walk to the water and swim out, and most sites lie within a short fin of the waterline: the first and second reefs at Sebastian South Beach Park sit in 1-2 m (3 to 6 feet), and the reef line there runs out about 180 m. A diver-down flag is required whenever anyone with scuba or snorkel gear is in the water. The local dive shops are Deep Six in Vero Beach and Dive Odyssea in Fort Pierce.

The bottom is reef broken by sand, with limestone ledges off the Fort Pierce beaches. Near shore the reef comes to within about 1.2 m (four feet) of the surface, and moving offshore off Vero Beach the reefs grow and join into the Rio Mar Reef, with sand at no more than 6 m (20 feet). Lobster live in the ledges alongside large grouper and the occasional nurse shark. At the Paddle Wheeler Wreck the gunnels stand about 1.2 m (4 feet) proud of the sand among boilers and pipes with sharp edges. Manatees are commonly seen in the tidal pool at Sebastian Inlet.

Tidal currents run strong at sites less than 1.6 km (one mile) from Sebastian Inlet, and the outgoing tide can carry debris that ruins the visibility. The inlet jetties are not recommended for sport diving. Some beaches front state wreck sites of the 1715 Fleet, where in-water salvaging is illegal and salvor boats stir up silt.