Dive Review of Starfish Scuba and Jupiter Dive Center/Private home in
The Continental USA/Boynton Beach and Jupiter, FL

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Starfish Scuba and Jupiter Dive Center/Private home: "Good spring diving in SE Florida", May, 2024, by Craig A Wood, PA, US ( Top Contributor 59 reports with 52 Helpful votes). Report 12967.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations	N/A	Food	N/A
Service and Attitude	N/A	Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving	N/A
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	So, it's been a pretty long time, 102 days, since I've been diving from my home in Florida. I had a couple of medical issues to work through, now I'm quite healthy. The trip down from Philadelphia was far from smooth on American Airlines. I got to the airport and was notified our plane had been replaced due to maintenance issues. The replacement came in and was also cancelled due to maintenance issues. We switched gates and a 3rd plane landed. It was delayed also due to maintenance issues but eventually took off and brought me to Palm Beach Intl Airport. The rental car from National and the trip home were uneventful. A trip to Winn Dixie and I was ready to dive. The trip back home was not as bad, just delayed an hour or so due to thunderstorms in Philadelphia. Dive Day 1, May 17 My first dive was to be a 3 tanker with Jupiter Dive Center including a first dive on Deep Ledge. Unfortunately, JDC called me about 5 PM and told me there were not enough divers on the 3 tanker to run, I was moved to the morning 2 tanker. My 30 mile drive up to Jupiter was not too bad, early morning traffic on 95 continues to increase. The boat was full, 18 divers I think, and it was pretty crowded. People bring a lot of stuff, probably more than is needed. My friends put me near the stern, I did not have to deal with most of the divers. The seas were essentially flat and glassy. Water temperature was 75 degrees, I was just warm enough in my 3 mm full suit and 5/3 mm hooded vest. Many folks in less protective gear were cold, several shivering during the surface interval. I should have worn my 5 mm. There was a very mild north current, visibility was about 40 feet. Brad was captain, Darby was the guide, and Adam served as mate. In the 15 years I've used JDC, this is the first time I've seen Adam on the boat. He is a fantastic mate, perhaps the best, as good as Ryan before he became captain. Our first dive was at Scarface, the second at Loggerhead. There was nothing remarkable, a single large Nurse Shark, a couple of Goliath Grouper, no sharks, no turtles, but all of the usual reef fish. Dive Day 2, May 18 I did a 2 tanker with Starfish out of Boynton today. It's nice starting at 10:00, but boy is it hot. No relief until we got out into the intercostal with some breeze. Capt. Chris, Ren, Katie, and Alex were all on the boat today. Seas were less than 2 feet with some wind. Mild north current, visibility about 40 ft. The water temp was 75-76 degrees but there was a thermocline around 60 ft. with temps more like 72-3 degrees. We dived the extremes of Boynton diving. The first dive was south at Delray Ledges. Very relaxing dive with all the usual reef fish, huge schools of Grunts. The second dive was far north at Table Tops. A very nice dive. Huge free swimming Green Moray and a large Loggerhead Turtle as well as all the usual reef fish. The Boynton reef is in better shape than Jupiter. We ended at the north end of the reef. I used to dive a route on Table Tops that was more west. It ended up at the finger and the jump to the west island. I would really like to do that route again. Dive Day 3, May 19 I did a 3 tanker with JDC today with Capt. Brad, guide Brian, and mate Helen. The thunderstorms held off until after I was back home. First dive was Wreck Trek. There was a mild south current so we did the dive backwards. There were some Goliath Grouper and Lemon Sharks on the Esso and the same on the Zion. The water was 75 degrees and the visibility was only 30 feet or less with a lot of particulate stuff. The second dive was on Loggerhead, again, a mild south current with visibility of only about 20 ft. We saw a couple of Loggerhead turtles and the usual reef fish. The water temp was 75 degrees. For the third dive, we did a dive that JDC has added to the repertoire, the Gulfland wreck, also known as the Norman Wreck. Not sure why they went there, perhaps because Loggerhead was in poor shape. I have only been there once before and that would have been enough. It is a small, totally beat up wreck in shallow water from 1943. At least there were several Goliath Grouper, some Snook, and a large school of Spadefish. The water temp on the Gulfland was 79 degrees and the visibility was less than 20 ft. Dive Day 4, May 20 Went out and did 2 dives with Starfish from Boynton today. Madi drove, Katie was mate. Only 5 divers on the boat, luxury. It was a very hot, sunny day, seas were 1-2 feet. First dive was at Black Condo in brisk north current and good visibility of 50+ feet. The second dive was up north at Castle Ledge. The current was modest north and visibility was a bit less at about 40 feet. The water was warmer today, 78 degrees. Saw several Loggerheads and many lobster, I guess they are feeling quite safe, being out of season. The reefs were loaded with the usual fish I have tomorrow off to have my A/C serviced. Dive Day 5, May 22 Today was my last dive day for this trip. I did 2 dives with Starfish out of Boynton. Capt. Chris, Madi, and Ren were on the boat, only 5 divers. It was a beautiful sunny day, seas were 1-2 feet. For both dives, there was a very mild south current. Water temperature was the highest of the week 80-81 degrees. Visibility was good, +/- 50 feet. The first dive was on the Castor. The ball was attached to the bow. There were 6-8 big Barracuda hanging out on the bow. Back at the stern, there were only a couple of Goliath Grouper. With the minimal current, they may have been hanging out off the wreck. There was a gorgeous large school of Crevalle Jack that circled me for several minutes, silver glinting in the sun. There was also a large school of Bermuda Chub. The second dive was a very relaxing drift from Black Condo through Gulfstream. The dive was packed by all of the usual reef fish. This was a very nice visit, I got in 11 dives in the 5 dives I had available to me. As usual, I'm looking forward to my next visit.
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	Over 1000 dives
Where else diving	Grand Cayman, Little Cayman, Cayman Brac, Bonaire, Curacao, Turks & Caicos, Bahamas, Roatan, Belize, Cozumel, Key Largo, SE Florida (Boynton Beach, Jupiter, West Palm...), Maui, Oahu, Cape Ann, San Diego, Costa Rica, Panama, Cocos Island, Red Sea, Galapagos, Revillagigedos, Malpelo
Closest Airport	Palm Beach International	Getting There	Direct flight on American Airlines Philadelphia to Palm Beach
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, dry	Seas	calm
Water Temp	75-81°F / 24-27°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	20-60 Ft/ 6-18 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	One hour dive time in Boynton Beach, 45 minute bottom time in Jupiter
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	yes
What I Saw
Sharks	1 or 2	Mantas	None
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	> 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics	N/A
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	Both operators have nice camera tanks on boats. Crew careful with photo equipment. I did not take my camera on this trip.

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Dive Review of Starfish Scuba and Jupiter Dive Center/Private home in The Continental USA/Boynton Beach and Jupiter, FL

Starfish Scuba and Jupiter Dive Center/Private home: "Good spring diving in SE Florida", May, 2024,

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Dive Review of Starfish Scuba and Jupiter Dive Center/Private home in
The Continental USA/Boynton Beach and Jupiter, FL