Captain Mike's

Captain Mike’s, a dive site off the coast of Juno Beach, is named after Captain Mike Hoffman, a long-time local captain who passed away in 2019. The site was added to the list of local dive sites in 2006, shortly after detailed data on the topography of coastal Florida waters became publicly available. Dive operators, armed with this new data, began searching for sites that could offer divers excellent bottom complexity at accessible depths. Captain Mike’s certainly lives up to expectations. The site features over 0.6 miles (1 kilometer) of reef ledge, ranging from 6 to 10 feet (2 to 3 meters) in height. The ledge is undercut along most of its length, with large boulders and collapsed sections providing a diverse habitat that attracts various species of reef fish and marine organisms. Among the boulders, massive schools of grey snapper and different grunt species cluster, while Queen and French angelfish patrol the ledge. Goliath grouper are also regular visitors to this reef, including a resident grouper nicknamed Tug (or Tuggle, depending on who you ask). The highlight of this dive is undoubtedly the ledge and its various undercuts. The reef crest lies at a depth between 65 and 70 feet (20 and 21 meters), while the sandy seafloor to the west of the ledge drops to 90 feet (27.5 meters). The reef’s surface, sparsely covered by turf, macroalgae, gorgonians, and a few soft corals, holds little interest for most divers. Sponges, primarily boring and tube sponges, dot the surface. The strong and steady currents likely keep the reef crest relatively free of significant hard coral growth. In contrast, the ledge teems with marine life. Sea fans, gorgonians, and encrusting corals abound. Large barracuda seek shelter in the protection of the ledge, while juvenile Spanish hogfish operate numerous cleaning stations. Along the ledge, you’ll encounter sergeant majors, wrasses, parrotfish (including midnight, blue, and rainbow varieties), butterflyfish, and the occasional smooth trunkfish. Captain Mike’s is also known for hosting turtles, including loggerheads, greens, and hawksbills.