Manta Diving in Florida

This seems to be a tough topic to find any concrete information on or Manta diving in Florida is the best-kept secret among scuba divers. Every lead I followed seemed to come to a dead end. Most of them were individuals looking for information on where to locate a place to view Manta Rays while diving in or around Florida. Most of them had no answers to this question. Here is the little bit of information I found to help those individuals looking for Manta diving in Florida.

It appears the most likely place to go manta diving in Florida may be around the Florida Keys. One article stated that there had been manta sightings around Key Largo near the French Reef during July. The article also said this is not something you see very often. Manta Rays prefer the water temperature to be in the temperate, tropical or subtropical zones, so perhaps the water temperature conditions around Florida are not suitable enough for Manta's to dwell in.

In the sightings reported in July, the observers thought the marine animals were feeding on coral spawn since the mantas were doing a loopy ballet move. Since manta rays can reach 14 feet across, it seems likely that if you encounter one in the area of French Reef, you are not likely to miss it. With the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park as a part of the Key Largo National Marine Preserve, your chances of seeing a manta are probably better in this area than others. If you diving to see a manta, bring your underwater camera and be prepared to shoot.

The lower keys such as Looe Key Reef is where the ecosystem supports a vast number of marine species. This may be another place to check for mantas. Big Pine is also another of the lower keys may be another source for Manta diving in Florida.

Manta diving in Florida may be possible on the Gulf of Mexico side of Florida. The diving operation of Captain John L. Russell took some divers to a wreck near John's Pass in St. Petersburg, called the Mexican Pride. The divers reported seeing a 15-foot Manta swimming over their heads. Another experience with Manta diving in Florida was reported near the USS Rankin somewhere around the St. Lucie Inlet. This event occurred about six years ago, but this group of divers saw a Manta swimming around the wreck.

There were no advertised diving excursions for Manta diving in Florida to be found. It appears that your chances of experiencing a Manta encounter near Florida are just that; a chance. The areas listed here may be your best opportunities but there are no guarantees that you will be seeing a Manta when attempting to go Manta diving in Florida.