Anglin’s Pier, Lauderdale by the Sea

Anglin’s Pier is famous for the proximity of the reef to shore and decrepit nature of the storm-demolished pier. Once a favorite of local fishermen, now it’s just the fish who love to hang out here. We’ve seen Manta Rays and Eagle Rays gliding by the end of the pier, and Southern Sting Rays in the sand with the reef-dwelling friends the Lemon Stingray on the reef. The reef itself is a ledge reef and has an enormous patch of large holes where you can see snapper and other fish hiding, as well as the occasional nurse shark. This site is friendly for divers as well as snorkelers, but as with all beach dives you must have a dive flag with you at all times. There are several cut throughs to the beach, but our favorite is at Datura Avenue. The address is a little bit weird because the parking lot is officially off of El Mar Drive, which is the cross street. Just take Federal to Datura and turn toward the ocean, then find a parking spot as close to the beach as you can get. Don’t forget to pay for parking or you’ll be ticketed!