The vis was twenty feet today and the water temperature ranged from a low of eighty-four at the boat channel to eighty-six off the beach. The highlight of our one hour, twenty-two minute dive was a medium-sized spotted eagle ray that delighted my two students and excited me so that I couldn't deploy the camera in time to catch it. Octopuses are still in the neighborhood, but not in the numbers they were a few weeks ago. It was a nice way to spend a hot day. A note to goliath grouper enthusiasts is that we saw many BIG goliaths on the Zion Train and the Esso Bonaire yesterday. It appears the aggregation is starting. Play hooky on a Wednesday; the Jupiter Dive Center is diving the wrecks every Wednesday. Get in the water, Ham
Dive Report 2 August
The temperature was eighty-four today and the vis was a milky fifteen feet, quite a change from a few days ago. I don't know if the southwest wind has anything to do with it, but it was certainly different. At the boat channel we could see a thermocline-like shimmer and we could feel colder water mixing with the warmer water. Something is brewing it appears. Even with a couple of degrees colder, my three students and I were quite comfortable for our one hour, twenty minute dive. Two of my students wore shirts, one wore a three millimeter wetsuit, and I wore a dive skin. The octopuses entertained us and we found the batfish about one hundred feet west of where it was on Sunday, if it is the same one. There were very few divers at the Bridge today which made it all the nicer for us. Get in the water, Ham
Dive Report 31 July
Sunday mornings are nice times to dive compared to Sunday afternoons in the summer. Parking was not difficult, the picnickers had not arrived yet, and for some, a 9:21am high tide on a Sunday morning is just not something they want to do. Taking advantage of that situation, Carrie, our friend, John, and I had a one hour, fifty minute dive in eighty-six degree water with exceptional vis. Vis had to be over thirty feet. Yes, the dragging fins stirred it up once in a while, but that didn't seem excessive today. We entered the water an hour before the posted slack high tide and enjoyed wonderful vis even though we had to deal with a little current. It was worth it to me. We did the Michele counterclockwise route starting at the east end of the fishing pier and going west because this route works well when we are in the water so far ahead of the slack high tide. We saw a batfish, many octopuses (yes, they are still plentiful !), a spotted moray, a sharptail eel, and a gorgeous little spotted eagle ray toward the end of our dive. I was wearing a sunscreen shirt and my thin hooded vest. No wetsuit is needed right now. If you are a "weekends only" diver (unwilling to play hooky), the early high tides on Saturdays or Sundays are a good choice. Get in the water, Ham
Dive Report 20 July
Carrie and I had a day to ourselves so we went to the Bridge. A picture of my computer gives some of the basic info, our time and the water temperature. I have finally shed the wetsuit for a skin. The water was so warm I didn't experience the hint of a chill. Vis was exceptionally good at better than thirty feet for most of the dive. We saw the whitenose pipefish (rare Florida) on the north side of the fishing pier. I'm pretty sure we also saw a bluethroat pikeblenny female about twenty-five yards to the south of the second set of pilings. Always incredible critters to see at the Bridge. Get in the water, Ham
Dive Report 19 July
With the hordes gone it was absolutely pleasant at the Bridge today. The water temperature off the beach was eighty-six, by the channel it was eighty-four. Vis was a milky fifteen feet. Nevertheless, without the diver traffic jam we had a very relaxing one hour, forty-eight minute dive looking for the little stuff. Octopuses are still everywhere. A polkadotted batfish was under the blue sailboat. Pederson cleaner shrimp are in that neighborhood, too. I was in a 3mm suit, but I certainly did not need it. I was more than toasty. If you can dive the Bridge on a weekday it is certainly worth it. Get in the water, Ham
