Skip to content
Map of John D MacArthur Beach State Park
Add the first photo
Shore entry

John D MacArthur Beach State Park

Florida, United States
None suggested1–3 m depthShore entryRash guard or 2mm shorty typical

John D MacArthur Beach State Park at a glance

John D MacArthur Beach State Park is a shore dive site in Florida, United States with depths of 0.6–3 m (2–10 ft). Typically most favorable Jul · from 3 years of archive data. Divers commonly see Sergeant major, Yellow chub, and Gray snapper. Recent reports put the water around 31°C (87°F). Check the latest conditions and entry details before you go.

Marine model · graded 4h ago
0.4 mwaves — under half a meter expected

Tap a factor for its source and model point · Forecast 31°C · seasonal avg 29°C

Site hazards: Very shallow rock reef at low tide (surge can push snorkelers onto the rocks), boats running close to and anchoring near the reef, longshore current, occasional rough surf. Dive flag required by law (rentable at the park gift shop).

Read the full hazards ↓

Dive windows this week

Best: Sun
Sun7:00–21:00
Mon7:00–21:00
Tue7:00–21:00
Wed7:00–21:00
Thu7:00–21:00
Fri7:00–21:00
Sat7:00–21:00

Favorable windowModerate window— no window

First light 6:16 · Sunrise 6:41 · Sunset 20:11

Source: Open-Meteo marine · model point 17 km from site · graded 4h ago

Forecast only — always assess conditions on site.

Forecast · NOAA tide model

Tide & slack timing

Loading tide predictions

Recent diver reports

Dated firsthand observations from divers — not current conditions.

No diver reports for this site yet. — one dated observation helps every diver after you.

What Divers Say

Known for: Sergeant major, Yellow chub, Gray snapper
Best time: Calm summer days at or near high tide, with light winds and no recent swell; check visibility before making the long gear haul.

Based on community reviews and site data. Conditions vary — always verify before diving.

Best months, historically

What conditions have historically been typical at this site, month by month — not a forecast.

  1. Jan72%23°C1.4 m
  2. Feb73%24°C1.4 m
  3. Mar54%24°C1.4 m
  4. Apr82%25°C1.3 m
  5. May96%27°C0.9 m
  6. Jun93%28°C0.8 m
  7. Jul100%29°C0.6 m
  8. Aug92%30°C0.9 m
  9. Sep83%30°C1.3 m
  10. Oct46%28°C1.8 m
  11. Nov63%27°C1.5 m
  12. Dec55%25°C1.6 m

July hastypically had the largest share of favorable days here. Conditions vary year to year — this is historical context, not a forecast.

Based on 3 years of archive data. Bar height shows the share of days each month whose conditions have historically scored favorably.

Marine life seen at this site

Species noted at this site — not a promise of what you’ll encounter.

Species seen here

  • Sergeant majorCommonly seen
  • Yellow chubCommonly seen
  • Gray snapperCommonly seen
  • Grunt (various)Commonly seen
  • Green moray eelOccasionally seen
  • ScorpionfishOccasionally seen
  • Great barracudaOccasionally seen
  • Atlantic squidOccasionally seen
  • Long-spined sea urchinCommonly seen
  • Loggerhead sea turtleSeasonal

Fills & rentals nearby

Facts from OpenStreetMap, corrected by the community — listed by distance only. Details change; confirm with the shop.

Shop facts come from OpenStreetMap and community corrections, shown nearest first. PickADive lists facts and contacts only — no listing is sponsored or ranked.

Site details

John D. MacArthur Beach State Park on Singer Island protects a rare stretch of natural barrier-island habitat with a 125,000-year-old Anastasia limestone rock reef lying just off the sand. The shallow, hole-pitted reef — built up by colonies of sabellariid reef-building tube worms — is easily reached from shore and visible from the surface, making it one of Palm Beach County's best beach snorkels. Depths are only a few feet, so timing around high tide and calm surf matters, and a dive flag is mandatory because boats work close to the reef.

reefshore

Very shallow rock reef at low tide (surge can push snorkelers onto the rocks), boats running close to and anchoring near the reef, longshore current, occasional rough surf. Dive flag required by law (rentable at the park gift shop).

Reviews

No reviews yet — this site is waiting for its first. Dived here? Your rating and a few lines help the next diver.

Spot something off?

Help keep this listing accurate for the next diver.