Blue Heron Bridge: diving on the tide

On the WaterMarch 28, 2026

The site

Under the Blue Heron Bridge, at Phil Foster Park, is a shallow snorkel-and-dive trail that has a reputation far bigger than its depth. It is famous for “muck diving” — the odd, wonderful small creatures that live on a sandy bottom: seahorses, octopus, frogfish, flying gurnards, batfish, rays and juveniles of all kinds. Most of it sits in fifteen feet of water or less, which makes it as good for a snorkeler as for a scuba diver, and it is one of the reasons the Palm Beaches punch so far above their weight underwater.

Time it to the tide

Here is the catch, and it is non-negotiable: you go at high slack tide — the roughly hour-long window around high tide when the current stops and the water is clearest. Outside that window the current rips through and the visibility drops, so divers plan the whole day around the tide table rather than their schedule. Check the tide before you go, arrive early, and be out of the water as the tide turns. Dive shops five minutes away rent gear and run guided dives if you would rather not sort it yourself. Our snorkeling and diving guide has the tide details, parking, and the other sites nearby.