FORT PICKENS JETTIES

Fort Pickens Jetties are located at the west end of Santa Rosa Island at Gulf Islands National Seashore, near the City of Pensacola, Florida. The jetties are one of the area’s most popular bay side shore dives. The site is inside the National Park, and is easily reached from the sea wall, just west of the fishing pier and north of the Fort.

The rock jetty at Ft. Pickens appears small from the surface, but it anchors a deceptive large dive site that also includes concrete culverts, airplanes, jeeps, golf carts, and other artificial habitat for a huge variety of underwater denizens. The jetty at Ft. Pickens is a wonderful dive site for daytime and after-dark diving. Diver usually start at the beach and follow a gradual slope to a 50ft depth.

The aquatic preserve holds a great deal of marine life including Grouper, Snapper, Flounder, Guitarfish, Sheepshead, Red Drum, Stargazer, Porcupine Puffer Fish, and many more. The rocks also serve as a nursery habitat for many species of tropical fish. Gobies, Blennies, Damselfish, Jawfish, Eels and more are prominent residents. The site is often used by instructors for check-out dives.

Although considered a relatively easy dive, the site is subject to strong currents during tide swings. Conditions are usually best one hour before the high tide. Because of strong currents that accompany each tidal change, it is extremely important to dive on a slack tide.