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Boat entry

Lofthus

Florida, United States
Open Water suggestedSurge over the shallow wreckage, boat traffic close to shore, shifting sand that can expose or bury sharp iron hull plates, fishing line. Underwater Archaeological Preserve5–6 m depthBoat entryRash guard or 2mm shorty typical

Boat dive — see Entry & access.

Lofthus at a glance

Lofthus is a boat dive site in Florida, United States with depths of 4.6–6.1 m (15–20 ft). Typically most favorable Jul · from 3 years of archive data. Divers commonly see Caribbean spiny lobster, Porkfish, and French grunt. 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 30°C

Site hazards: Surge over the shallow wreckage, boat traffic close to shore, shifting sand that can expose or bury sharp iron hull plates, fishing line. Underwater Archaeological Preserve

Read the full hazards ↓

Dive windows this week

Best: Tue
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 6:17 · Sunrise 6:42 · Sunset 20:11

Source: Open-Meteo marine · model point 18 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: Caribbean spiny lobster, Porkfish, French grunt
Best time: Calm, flat summer days; visibility varies with swell and sand movement, which periodically buries parts of the wreck.

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. Jan80%24°C1.3 m
  2. Feb79%24°C1.2 m
  3. Mar66%25°C1.3 m
  4. Apr83%26°C1.2 m
  5. May97%27°C0.8 m
  6. Jun96%29°C0.7 m
  7. Jul100%30°C0.5 m
  8. Aug92%31°C0.8 m
  9. Sep88%31°C1.1 m
  10. Oct59%29°C1.6 m
  11. Nov70%27°C1.4 m
  12. Dec63%26°C1.5 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

  • Caribbean spiny lobsterCommonly seen
  • PorkfishCommonly seen
  • French gruntCommonly seen
  • PorcupinefishOccasionally seen
  • Gray snapperCommonly seen
  • Southern stingrayCommonly seen
  • Slippery dick wrasseCommonly seen
  • Bar jackCommonly seen

Fills & rentals nearby

No dive shops mapped within 25 km. Know one? Add it to the map.

Site details

The Lofthus, a 222-ft iron-hulled Norwegian barque built in 1868, wrecked off Manalapan in 1898 while carrying lumber from Pensacola to Buenos Aires. The scattered iron hull now lies in 15-20 ft of water about 175 yards offshore, three-quarters of a mile north of Boynton Inlet, and was designated Florida's eighth Underwater Archaeological Preserve in 2004 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Sand movement alternately exposes and buries the wreckage, which shelters lobster, grunts, porkfish and rays.

boatwreck

Surge over the shallow wreckage, boat traffic close to shore, shifting sand that can expose or bury sharp iron hull plates, fishing line. Underwater Archaeological Preserve — removing or disturbing anything is illegal; do not anchor on the wreck.

Reviews

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