Bayside Marketplace Mall
401 Biscayne Blvd, Pier 5 - Slip 33
Miami, FL 33132
Drop-off: Next to Victoria's Secret
Store 28242
Store 1006029
Store 810003
As Miami's premier dive center, we are the sole facility authorized by PADI, SSI, SDI, TDI, and ERDI to provide certifications in scuba diving, specialty courses, and Public Safety training. We also offer courses in Emergency First Response and First Response Provider.
Biscayne National Park
Location
Biscayne National Park, situated in Miami-Dade County, Florida, is a national park that protects Biscayne Bay and its barrier reefs. The park is mostly water, with a mangrove forest along the bay's shore. The park spans 172,971 acres (270.3 sq mi; 700.0 km2) and includes Elliott Key, the largest island in the park, and the northernmost of the true Florida Keys. The park's offshore area includes the northernmost part of the Florida Reef, one of the world's largest coral reefs.
Scuba Diving and Snorkeling
Exploring the offshore reefs through snorkeling and scuba diving is a popular in the area. The reefs have a rich history of shipwrecks, some of which have been organized into the Maritime Heritage Trail. This trail is the only underwater archaeological trail in the National Park Service system and includes wrecks such as the Arratoon Apcar, Erl King, Alicia, Lugano, Mandalay, an unknown wreck from the 1800s, and the Fowey Rocks Lighthouse. The Mandalay wreck is particularly suitable for snorkeling, while the Alicia, Erl King, and Lugano wrecks are best explored through scuba diving due to their depth.
Stiltsville
Stiltsville, a small community of shacks built on pilings in Biscayne Bay, established by Eddie "Crawfish" Walker in the 1930s. Although it once had 27 structures at its peak in the 1960s, only six remain in 2024 due to fires and hurricanes. The site was incorporated into Biscayne National Park in 1985 and is now unoccupied, but the Park Service plans to preserve it by administering a trust and using it for overnight camping, educational facilities, and researchers.
Ecology
The location of Biscayne National Park in South Florida lays between the Nearctic and Neotropical realms, has resulted in a diverse range of plant and animal life. The park comprises of unique ecosystems, each with its own flora and fauna. Visitors can observe a variety of species, including birds that are not found anywhere else in North America. The waters are home to numerous species, crustaceans mollusks, and marine mammals.