Dive Report 31 December

Happy New Year! What a great last day of the year we had today at the bridge. The water temperature was seventy-five and the vis was thirty feet. A sunny day with a high of seventy-six made for pleasant diving. The polkadotted batfish and the juvenile blue angelfish were between the channel pilings and the concrete bridge support. What I believe was a juvenile sharptail eel was poking through the debris in the same area. The octopus was still in its lair and the bandtail searobin was posing for a photographer. My eleven-year-old dive buddy was taking it all in with joy. It's hard to believe our friends and families in the northland are experiencing snow storm after snow storm when we enjoying the weather we have. Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 30 December

A friend said it doesn't occur to him that people dive in winter until I visit. OF COURSE WE DIVE IN WINTER! The water was seventy-five degrees and the air temperature was seventy-seven. I have to watch out to not be sun-burned! In my five mm wetsuit with a 3mm hooded vest I don't even begin to be cold after an hour in the water (and I'm a whimp when it comes to cold). Gorgeous day in the water with three Discover Scuba students. I think the eighteen-year-old was just as excited as the eleven-year-old as we saw the polkadot batfish, bandtail searobin, octopus, and spotted eagle ray. What a beautiful way to be introduced to diving! Yes, it is winter, but the diving is fabulous. Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 28 December

Great day at the bridge! The vis was only 10' and the water was a cooler 73 degrees, but we had new open water students and old (not to be taken as a reference to their age because they don't act their age - thank goodness!) friends with whom to share the gorgeous day. It was nice to get out of the water into a WARM day. Very nice. The fresh water shower wasn't hard to take at all. The usual critters were there and we got to see a beautiful little seahorse. Bagels with cream cheese and jelly, and coffee and hot cocoa were enjoyed after the dive along with a good deal of very relaxed camaraderie. It was so good to see our northern (anything north of Stuart is northern) friends who drove a long way to start their diving day at the bridge and continue it offshore on the boat in the afternoon. Great way to do it. Again, so good to see everyone. Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 26 December

Where were you all? We had a beautiful sunrise dive! The 7:28 high tide was perfect for us entering the water at just about sunrise. The vis was twenty feet and the water temperature was seventy-five. The air temperature was seventy-two! Late December in southern Florida; I love it. Three open water students and a diver doing a refresher did their shallow water dives in great conditions. We saw a polkadot and a shortnose batfish, a big flying gurnard, a bandtail searobin, and a good-sized octopus. It was just a beautiful morning to be in the water. We had the place almost to ourselves. (Figure that.) We will be at the bridge for an 8:44 high tide on Sunday! The forecast looks real good! Bagels, cream cheese and jelly, and coffee. Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 22 December

The north wind was blowing making the seventy-two degrees air temperature feel quite a bit cooler under an overcast sky. But that isn't where we dive! The water was seventy-five degrees and we had fifteen to twenty feet of vis. There were many fish at the channel, but the big attraction was the striated frogfish in the sand just off the non-motorized boat launching area. What a treat for our new divers to see a frogfish on their first real dive. It's ALWAYS a treat for me; I could watch the critter a long time. We were comfortable in the water; we didn't want to get out into the gravity and 20mph north wind. The dive was worth it. We'll be at the bridge on Sunday with students for an 8:44 high tide. At about 9:30 we'll have bagels, cream cheese and jelly, and coffee. Feel free to join us. The weather report looks good - WARM! Get in the water, Ham

Dive Video 18 December

Check out the footage of a very rare Striated Frog Fish.....and we are lucky enough to have him in our own back yard.

Dive Report 16 December

Yet again, something I've never seen before at the bridge! An ENORMOUS school of hundreds of horse-eye jacks encircled a school of silversides, and then the feeding frenzy began. This spectacle took place around my student and me right by the sunken sailboat off the beach in six feet of water. The hundreds of jacks were only inches from us. For a time it seemed the silversides knew the jacks would not come in for the attack while we were there. The silversides stayed right next to the sailboat and us. As soon as we left the sailboat the jacks attacked in an absolute frenzy that took them even inside the sailboat leaving the entire sailboat enveloped in a cloud of silt. A big southern ray ventured by to check out all the activity, but by then the jacks had pretty much cleared the area of any silversides. It was over pretty quickly. Even the gulls and a pelican or two were drawn to the activity that churned the water by the sailboat. Incredible! The water temperature was seventy-five. The vis was between twenty and thirty feet. I am so fortunate to live here! (Not at the bridge; you know what I mean.) Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 15 December

Winter brings fast changes! Three students and I had a seventy-five degrees air temperature this morning with a seventy-five degrees water temperature and twenty feet of vis. With the reservations I made yesterday, we had the place to ourselves. A beautiful intermediate spotted eagle ray munched down its morning meal for several minutes right in front of us. The shortnose batfish had its usual disgruntled look, but who knows what that means? Lots of little lobsters peered from the nooks and crannies and the seawall. Getting out of the water today was into a pleasant seventy-eight degrees air temperature with little or no breeze. Quite nice. Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 14 December

You don't know unless you go! (I don't know to whom to credit that phrase. I think the Association of Underwater Explorers might use it, or the Global Underwater Explorers. Anyway, I apologize for not correctly identifying the source.) It was certainly the situation at the bridge today. With the wind blowing hard in excess of 25 mph from the north and then the east for about two days I thought the shallow water outside the inlet would be mirky. I had my doubts about what the vis would be at the bridge today. Divers asked if I still planned on going and I had to resort to the credo, "You don't know..." So we went. Worst case scenario - we don't have to wash gear, we have coffee, cream cheese and jelly, and we get to chat with friends on a relatively warm morning. Best case scenario - we dive, and then do all of the above. What a surprise to have fifteen feet of vis and seventy-three degree water! (The water offshore Friday was a cold sixty-four degrees upwelling [Very rare; I haven't experienced one in two years. Lucky me.] So I reveled in the bath-like conditions today for a one hour, twenty-eight minutes dive time. We saw two bandtail searobins, an enormous southern ray eating, a stunning juvenile blue angelfish, and "Grumpy", the shortnose batfish, apparently sneaking up on a blennie. The strong east wind brought in quite a few moon jellyfish as it often does, but they were easily avoided. All in all, a great morning at the bridge shared with good friends. I love it here! Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 8 December

Winter is coming! Seventy-three degree water temperature at the bridge today. The two degree difference from yesterday was noticeable pretty quickly, but with a 5mm suit and a 3mm vest with a 5mm hood, I was comfortable for the one hour, thirteen minute dive time. Our refresher student got to see a BIG southern ray on the way to the new wreck (cold water did not bother him), two beautiful shortnose batfish, a medium-sized bandtail searobin, and a couple of striped burrfish that looked cold. The vis was quite a bit shorter than it was yesterday, too, about 10' to 15'. Nevertheless, it is always a wonderful dive if we know how to look. Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 7 December

Another day of fabulous vis at the bridge! An open water student and I experienced 20'-30' of vis depending on where we were. It was actually a little shorter out by the channel as might be expected on a Sunday with much boat traffic. The Intracoastal had a good chop going and even some white caps out in the open area north of the bridge from a north wind that brought a noticeable chill. The water was still seventy-five; with a 5mm wetsuit and a 3mm hooded vest I was toasty warm. The octopus was still between the second and third set of pilings. We saw one of the little spotted eagle rays between the beach and the first set of pilings. At the stern of the second wreck off the beach was a large bandtail searobin combing the sand for a meal. The diving was great even if we did not want to get out into that cold north wind. Bring a coat! Get into the water, Ham

Dive Report 5 December

Fabulous vis! 30' or better! A student and I had a great dive in wonderful vis. Navigation from the beach to the new wreck was easy as we could see it at quite some distance. At the channel we could see through the pilings well out into the channel. A big octopus between the second and third set of pilings entertained several divers with color changes. A bandtail searobin and a web burrfish were off the beach on our return. The water temperature was seventy-five on a bright, sunny day. Get in the water, Ham

Sunday December 7 Schedule Change

Bridge Divers: Due to schedule back-ups and schedule conflicts we are going to postpone the picnic part of the Sunday, December 7 bridge dive. I will still be at the bridge with students that day, but my responsibilities to them preclude the post-dive picnic. The following Sunday, December 14, I will be at the bridge with students for a 9:21 high tide. If you should choose to dive the bridge that day, we'll have coffee, bagels, cream cheese and jelly. Hope to see you one of those times. Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 1 December

Absolutely fabulous dive at the bridge today! An Advanced Open Water student and I first visited the newest wreck where there had to be six to eight lobsters of varying sizes. From there we headed north to back under the bridge where there was a medium-sized flying gurnard picking about in the sand. At the channel there were the usual suspects of intermediate atlantic spadefish and parrots of several species. On the way back east we saw a BIG octopus half-way out of its hole going through its repertoire of colors. Wonderful light show! At the third set of pilings away from the beach two intermediate spotted eagle rays were searching in the sand. And now for the grand finale! A MANATEE came up to us just around the corner from the beach and slowly went 270 degrees around us, perhaps as curious about us as we were delighted to see it! Wow! What an incredible dive! I felt obligated to inform my student that not all of the bridge dives are like this. Water temperature was seventy-five. The vis was 15' to 20'. Our bottom was one hour, twenty minutes.

Announcement: I plan on having hotdogs and hamburgers with macaroni salad after the Sunday dive. High tide is at 3:01. We'll be at the park by at least 2:00 and enter the water at 2:30. Please let me know if you plan on coming so I have enough food. (masonhh@hotmail.com) Hope to see you there. Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 28 November

Fabulous vis at the bridge! We had thirty feet plus at the big bridge for an 8:26 high tide. The air was a bit chilly, but the water was seventy-five. It was so easy to see the wrecks and see well out into the boat channel. The polkadotted batfish was there as well as several flying gurnards. My students and I finished our bridge outting with coffee and bagels with cream cheese and jelly. What a beautiful way to start the day! I will be there Sunday 30 November for a 9:42 high tide. It should be absolutely fantastic. Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 19 November

This is not my dive buddy and I after the dive, but it sort of felt like it. Winter came quickly after a gorgeously warm Saturday. Today we had an air temperature of sixty degrees in a consistent north wind, and a water temperature of seventy-two! What a drop from the weekend. Our vis was only between three and four feet. It was a challenge to keep track of each other. Mother Nature was telling us to look at the little stuff today as that was pretty much all we could see. I was reintroducing myself to my drysuit after a fairly long layoff and today I was very glad for it. Showering off in the north wind didn't appeal to me at all. Conditions will return to being easier than today; I'll keep you posted. I am hopeful that is before June. (My hat is off to my dive buddy who must be nuts to have to dive, even in the conditions we experienced today. My kind of person.) Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 15 November Bridge Brunch

What a fabulous day for a bridge dive! Conditions could not have been better. We had twenty to thirty feet of vis, seventy-nine to eighty degree water, and a warm sunny day. My dive buddy and I started by visiting the newest wreck, which if you go off the beach closest to the seawall, is 190 degrees almost straight out. It's about one hundred feet off the beach. There were NINETEEN lobsters in the wreck! My buddy took video to which she is going to create a link. NINETEEN lobsters sitting in ROWS. I've never seen anything like it. I am still amazed that my dive buddy, an avid and very capable hunter to say the least, could hold the camera so steadily with such treasure right there. Many of them were "shorts", but there were a few larger ones. Nineteen sitting in rows of three and four. Always something amazing at the bridge! A bandtail searobin, a flying gurnard, and an octopus from which my dive buddy removed a fishhook, were all frosting on the cake. A group of us shared bagels, cream cheese, jelly, cider, and coffee in the beautiful Saturday morning sun. What a great day! I love diving at the bridge. Hope you all can make it next time. Get in the water, Ham

  

Dive Report 14 November

A student and I had a fabulous day at the bridge in twenty-feet plus vis and seventy-nine degree water. We entered the water at 8:18 for an 8:45 high tide and got a nice, one hour and fourteen-minutes dive. The two little spotted eagle rays that have been sighted fairly frequently for the last several days were between the second and third set of pilings, and toward the end of the dive out by the off-beach wrecks. No way of knowing if they are the same ones. Who cares? From about thirty feet away we could see the outlines or shadows of all four pilings in a given set. Lots of fish! Tomorrow, Saturday, November 15, the high tide is at 9:36 so try to be there by 8:30 so you can be in the water by 9:10 or so. I will have bagels, cream cheese, jelly, apple cider, and some coffee for after the dive. It should be a warm day compared to what is being forecast for Sunday. Take advantage of the warm day and warm water; winter is coming! Hope to see you at the bridge, Ham (Squirt, our cat sez, "Get in the water.")

World Class Diving 12 November

I have to share an offshore dive experience! The whale shark pictured with this report was not seen under the Blue Heron Blvd. Bridge. We saw it yesterday a short distance east of Scarface close to the Captain Don's dive site. After our dive on Scarface as Capt. Mike drove the Republic IV down sea, he spotted a fin out of the water and a BIG shadow underneath it. He immediately called the divers' attention to it and told us to get suited up quickly. Driving the boat close to the unidentified shadow Capt. Mike soon discovered that it was a whale shark and positioned the boat to get us in the water. We jumped in and saw a twenty-one or twenty-two feet-long whale shark just casually cruising. With little effort it soon swam out of sight, but Capt. Mike maneuvered the boat to corral the whale shark to pass right underneath us! What a sight to behold! RIGHT UNDERNEATH US! WITHIN TOUCHING DISTANCE! Diving off Jupiter is truly world-class diving. Thanks, Capt. Mike for such incredible skill! I've never seen a group of happier,or more stunned divers.

Announcements: Saturday is the bridge brunch. We have bagels, cream cheese, jelly, etc. I will be there at 8:00 for a 9:36 high tide. We plan on entering the water at 9:10. It should be a warm, gorgeous day. There is a two-tank night dive Saturday, too. I'm on it. Water temperature yesterday offshore was seventy-nine on the bottom and eighty-one at the safety stop. Also, the shop has high-quality rental gear for sale, and a fabulous year's end deal on new,top-of-the-line, 2008 model wetsuits. We hope to see you Saturday. Get in the water (who knows what you will see!), Ham

Dive Report 8 November

A five WOW dive for me! A striated frogfish! We have seen them before, but it has been quite a while for me. It was right off the beach under the big bridge in the sand. At first it appeared to be a ball of sea grass, but a more careful look paid off. Spotted eagle rays yesterday (a fellow instructor saw them again today) and a frogfish and the big octopus in his usual lair today. I love diving the bridge! The vis was between eight and ten feet. There is still much green water especially after slack. The water temperature was seventy-nine. Remember that next Saturday we have a bridge brunch. I'll be at the bridge at 8:15 for the 9:36 high tide. Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 7 November

A little improvement from yesterday - eight feet of vis. It's remarkable how much difference two or three feet of vis makes at the bridge. We had a nice dive. Many fish. Water temperature was seventy-seven. We were the only divers there. On the way back from the channel I thought to myself that it had been a while since I had seen any eagle rays and how nice it would be for my student from Maryland to see one, even in short vis. By the little off-beach wrecks we were given two beautiful spotted eagle ray intermediates or young adults. Gorgeous! Figure that one out! Get into the water, Ham

Dive Report 6 November

It wasn't as thick as split pea soup; it was more like chicken noodle. We could see four or five feet. Yesterday we tried to do a dive, but one to two feet of vis just isn't worth it. Today the vis was twice as far as it was yesterday! Our open water students were confident and comfortable enough in the short vis so we did the dive in almost physical contact with each other to maintain the buddy team. The students did very well staying close by and actually saw some of the local critters (up close of course). The real kicker though was the water temperature - seventy-five! I saw on the morning weather report yesterday that the water temperature at the Fort Pierce buoy was seventy-two. In anticipation of colder water (hoping it wasn't), I brought my 5mm wetsuit and a 3mm hooded vest. I was toasty warm. I don't pretend to understand Mother Nature, but it seems this persistent north wind has given us short vis and cold water. Wow, it can change quickly. We have some east wind coming the next few days so maybe it will bring us some warmer water and longer vis. I'm at the bridge on Saturday for a 3:50 high tide. I'll let you know what we find. I suppose winter is inevitable. Get in the water (with your thicker wetsuit), Ham

Dive Report 2 November

FINALLY!! We had wonderful vis today. What a long wait it has been. With a bright, sunny sky we had twenty-five to thirty feet of vis before slack high tide. The water temperature was eighty degrees for our bottom time of one hour, nine minutes. The critters of the bridge did not disappoint us as we saw two spotted batfish, a gorgeous bandtail searobin, and an intermediate bluespotted cornetfish about eighteen inches long. We frequently see the adult bluespotted cornetfish offshore, usually in pairs, but to see junior right off the beach was a special treat.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: First, the next bridge brunch is Saturday, November 15 for a 9:36 high tide. I'll be at the bridge by 8:15. We'll have bagels, cream cheese and jelly, and hot chocolate for after the dive. For those who want a full day of diving, you will have plenty of time to make the afternoon boat, or do the night dives scheduled for that evening (I'm on that boat). Second, in December we are planning a bridge picnic for Sunday, December 7 for a 3:01 high tide. Again, we'll be there about an hour before the high tide and have hamburgers, hotdogs, and other goodies for a post-dive picnic. Finally, the Jupiter Dive Center is bringing in new rental gear so the rental gear that is being rotated out is for sale at bargain prices. The regulators are fully reconditioned and warranteed for one year. BCDs of various sizes ranging from XXS to XXL are available. This equipment is only months old. (I still have and use my ORIGINAL Scubapro BCD). If you are on a tight budget and want a great value in dive gear, take advantage of being able to puchase this Scubapro gear. This opportunity makes the fantastic diving in our area very affordable. We hope to see you at the brunch and the picnic! Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 9 October

The vis was better today for a 4:47 high tide under overcast skies. Off the beach we had fifteen to twenty feet, but as we neared the pilings going west under the big bridge the water turned a shimmering green and the vis fell to about ten feet. The green tends to be closer to the surface. Off the beach one can see the layer of green on top of the clearer water beneath. The water temperature is still eighty-two. We saw a flying gurnard, the octopus in the pipe at the second set of pilings, a small spotted moray having a disagreement with a small scorpionfish, and a big bandtail searobin. We saw a flounder and Carrie was correct; it is a spotfin flounder, which according to Paul Humann's book is classified as "occasional" in Florida. Last week was the first time I have seen one. Get in the water, Ham

P.S. The diving offshore today (Friday) was exceptional! We had eighty plus feet of vis in a gentle north current on a very calm sea. It doesn't get much better!

Dive Report 6 October

Even as a kid I didn't like pea soup. I still don't like it especially when I'm taking open water students diving in it. We had ten feet (that might be stretching it) of vis. Carrie calls it "limited vis". The vis offshore has been in the eighty feet range lately so I expected the vis at the bridge to be pretty good. I was expecting the fast ball and got thrown a curve. But again, as in the past weeks, if we look close we see incredible wonders. The little juvenile cornetfish was still on the "new wreck". We saw some juvenile french and gray angelfish. Tiny ones! Flying gurnards showed us their beautiful wings. Our students had a wonderful time! I suppose I forget sometimes how great it is to just be under water on SCUBA. My nemesis, EXPECTATION, sometimes sneaks into my mind when I'm not paying attention. It WAS a great day under water! Our bottom time was 1:13 in eighty-two degree water. What a wonderful office I have. Get in the water, Ham

Dive Reports 1 and 3 October

Despite the ten to fifteen feet of vis, we are seeing incredible critters at the big bridge! Wednesday we saw a gorgeous juvenile spotted eagle ray. In short vis you know it was up close and personal. Magnificent. We saw a big octopus that has taken up residence at the second set of pilings in an old piece of pipe. Big one! Today, Friday, was a five-wow day! We saw two stargazers!! Unbelievable! One was at the newest sailboat wreck just to the west of the moored blue sailboat. The other was in between the two sailboats just off the beach right next to a fifteen-inch gulf flounder (Carrie thinks it was a spotfin). I've never seen a gulf flounder (or spotfin flounder) at the bridge. Also on the new wreck was a juvenile bluespotted cornetfish, only about six inches long. On the little sunken open boat just southeast of the second sunken sailboat off the beach, a big spotted moray has become a resident. So divers, even when the vis isn't made-to-order, Mother Nature presents quite a show if we are willing to look. Today's dive was absolutely spectacular, in ten feet of vis! Water temperature was eighty-two. Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 19 September

After a trip to upstate New York it was good to get back into the water with a bridge dive. All the rain, or the northeast wind and swell, or whatever else can make the vis short, is making the vis short. Before entering the water at just before slack high tide I asked a couple of exiting divers how the vis was. They replied, "Twenty-five feet or almost infinite!" I thought, "Incredible". What the two divers said was, in fact, unbelieveable, because they could not be believed; the vis was ten feet at best. I think they were New Jersey wreck divers or Florida west coast muck divers who thought they had died and gone to heaven in ten feet of vis. Anyway, the water was at least warm at eighty-four degrees, and it was a great day to test my compass skills as we located the four wrecks off the beach by compass bearings. Despite what we might consider marginal conditions, our Discover Scuba students from Switzerland were happy with a sixty-three minute bottom time and lots of critters up close (no way else to see them!) Get in the water (even if the conditions aren't what you ordered), Ham

Picnic Report 24 August

Several folks mentioned that this was our first picnic without rain! We had absolutely glorious picnic weather for our post-dive get-together. The dive conditions were still showing the effects of Tropical Storm Fay as the vis was about 10' and after slack much, much less. Nevertheless, we had a nice dive in several groups as there is always (as long as there is SOME vis) something to see if we know how to look. Mother Nature calls the shots; we just have to know how to adjust. We will have another get-together in September. There is always something fascinating to see at the bridge. Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 23 August/picnic reminder

Very nice at the bridge today! Still not premo conditions, but the vis was at fifteen feet and the water was up to eighty-one degrees. A sunny day with a calm surface made for a pleasant 1:18 bottom time. We saw a flying gurnard and a shortnose batfish along with some beautiful juvenile gray angelfish. Conditions were better than I expected. When the tide turned, however, it got real murky - six or eight feet of vis murky. High tide for the picnic dive Sunday, August 24 is 3:16 so we will plan on entering the water at about 2:45 or 2:50. Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 22 August

Fay is still stirring things up creating marginal conditions at the bridge. We had about ten feet of vis today in seventy-nine degree water. It was great for compass work as we could not see our targets until we were very close to them. The stiff breeze gave us a strong surface chop at the start. By the end of the dive the wind had died down leaving us a calm water exit. The showers came and went the entire time we were there. It seems that Fay just will not let go. Maybe this weekend we will see some change, but right now the vis is limited and the water is colder than usual. If it doesn't bother you to dive in less than good conditions (you are a dive nut), it is fascinating to see what is going on when Mother Nature is in storm mode. Ham

Dive Report 21 August

Although this is not what we found on the beach under the bridge, there is a small day sailboat beached there. Another was almost under but with a little of her hull still showing out toward the channel. Tropical Storm Fay, or her remnants, kicked up a serious chop from the southwest and made the water a chillier than usual seventy-nine degrees. To our amazement, the visibility was still a very enjoyable fifteen feet! On the beach it looked like a Sahara Desert sandstorm as the wind whipped the beach sand across the parking lot. We were the only ones there! Figure that. If you are planning to dive this weekend, the water may be colder than the eighty-four degrees that we have been enjoying for the last month. Get in the water, Ham

Most of you have taken instruction from Ham or Carrie starting with your initial steps of doing discover scuba, open water.  or advanced open water certification.  For me this weekend was a major next step in my dive career and I spent the weekend with two extremely experienced divers and an instructor that is top notch.  The weekend started out very early - Saturday at 7 am and didn't finish until Sunday at  4 pm.  Through every skill practice it took us from unsure to confident in no time flat.  We learned how to assist panic divers to responding to an unresponsive diver at depths I never imagined.  Ham and Carrie are two of the best divers I have come to know and love.  They give of their knowledge and experience openly and truly and want us all to succeed in our endeavors as ocean divers.  This truly was the most intense and rewarding certification I have done.  I encourage each of you to take the next step and have the courage.  I promise you will never forget it!  Sooooo what are you waiting for........get Rescue Diver Certified!

- Michele

Dive Report 3 August

A quadruple wow dive! We had forty to fifty feet of vis under the big bridge in eighty-four degree water. I had open water students on their first saltwater dive. A couple of medium-sized southern rays gently flew by with many of the other regulars. At the end of the dive just to the south of the first off-the-beach wreck we had a big manatee swim by us in no hurry. It was so close I could have petted it as it passed! My kids (and certainly me) went nuts! Of the many dives I have made at the bridge this is only the second time I have seen the manatees so close. What a thrill. Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 30 July

The lobsters I saw here yesterday are gone! Even the really little ones! Mini-Madness. Anyway, I don't always get to pick the times for bridge dives that fit a schedule I like; yesterday was one of those days. High tide was at 7:45 pm with an 8:09 sunset. The beach closes at sunset and some of the officers who patrol the park are sticklers about it. To finish a certification dive we didn't have much choice. In addition, the sky looked as it did to Dorothy and Toto just before their great adventure. Oh well. We have to finish even though there won't be paper umbrellas in the drinks by the pool after the dive. Underwater was much more pleasant than topside. The student and I watched the rain pummel the very choppy surface as the heavens opened and the winds blew. The storm didn't bother the fish and critters. The water was a toasty 85 degrees and the vis, despite the darkness, was 20'. Of course we were almost the only ones there. There was one other lunatic diver. My student was thrilled with a BIG southern ray up close and a gorgeous flying gurnard. We had an adventure dive that actually turned out to be quite pleasant. And, as is typical of Florida's summer weather, the skies had cleared by the time we ended the dive. What a fascinating place we live in here. Get in the water (even if the sun isn't shining), Ham

Dive Report 20 July

Gorgeous day at the bridge! The visibility was forty feet; what a difference from Friday! We could see the the shadow of a set of pilings from another set; that is 100'. The water temperature returned to summer norms at eighty-four by the channel and eighty-six off the beach. Hogfish juveniles and intermediates were abundant. Never ceasing to amaze me, the bridge dive included a butter hamlet. I have never seen a hamlet here before. They are common offshore, but this was a first here. A polkadot batfish was at the channel tolerating divers who could not help but gawk. We are looking at Sunday, August 24 for the next bridge get-together with a 3:16 high tide. Get in the water; summer diving conditions are at their finest! Ham

Dive Report 18 July

Fifteen feet of vis and water temperature of eighty-two degrees today for an 8:59 high tide. Mother Nature can change conditions so fast! Please be reminded that we have a bridge brunch this Sunday, July 20 after a 10:23 high tide dive. Bagels, jelly, cream cheese, etc. await you after the dive. I want to be in the water by 10:00. I'll be at the Park between 9:00 and 9:30 as close to the fishing pier picnic tables as I can get. Hope to see you there! Ham

Picnic Reminder Sunday July 20

Just a reminder that our next bridge dive get-together will be on Sunday, July 20 for a 10:23 high tide. We plan on entering the water by 10:00 so gear up will around 9:30. We will have bagels, cream cheese, and other brunch goodies for after the dive. Hope to see you there, Ham

Dive Report 23 June

Water temperatures varied from seventy-eight to eighty-four! I was actually shivering at one point. We dived the east bridge as there were only two or three fishermen on the bridge and my students said they were up for a little exercise. We entered the water from west of the swimming area and swam our way over to the little east bridge going under the moored sailboats. It is often worth the swim as we frequently see some interesting critters. This time it was a web burrfish just hanging around an indentation in the sand. It let us get a close look without leaving. The schools of baitfish under the bridge were enormous. Interestingly, I saw no barracuda under the bridge; I think that is the first time I have not seen them there. We saw a ten-inch pale yellow eel behaving as sharptail eels hunt and feed so I believe it was a sharptail juvenile. As on Sunday, we finished our one hour sixteen minute dive, got the gear in the car, and the heavens opened with a light show. Good timing (maybe luck). I have to mention that one of the students, after swimming to and from the east bridge around the swim area, returned with 2100psi. I couldn't believe it. It was certainly better than I did! Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 22 June

It was a five-wow dive for several divers as some incredible critters were observed! Carrie and two Discover Scuba students saw a striated frogfish! Uncommon in Florida! Several divers and snorkelers saw a big manatee that swam south about ten feet from the seawall. Magnificent beast. One snorkeler just about jumped out of the water. The water temperature was eighty-one and the vis was ten to fifteen feet depending on how many divers one was following and how closely. It can be crowded on a Sunday. But to see a frogfish and a manatee at the Blue Heron Boulevard Bridge - Wow! Worth the short vis. We picnicked as long as Mother Nature would allow. Typical summer pattern: nice clear morning, building heat and clouds, thunderstorms in the afternoon. We had pretty much just finished eating when the light show and fresh water rinse started. Thanks to everyone who came. Thanks for bringing goodies. It is always a joy to see everyone, especially those we have not seen for awhile. Hope to see you all next time which will be Sunday, July 20 for a 10:23 high tide. What a great day it was! Ham

Dive Report 20 June

Gorgeous day at the bridge! Web burrfish, two flying gurnards side-by-side, a delightful juvenile french angelfish, and yet another bandtail searobin just off the beach! Great dive. The water temperature was between eighty-two and eighty-four. The vis started out in the thirty feet range, but fell off significantly after slack. That might be a result of the severe thunderstorms that dump two or three inches of rain at a pop. Anyway, lots of great things to see were there. Hope to see you Sunday for the 11:25 high tide. Get there early if you are coming; Phil Foster is a popular place on a Sunday. Ham

Dive Report 8 June

Beautiful day at the bridge! Vis was forty feet. Water temperature was eighty-two! Batfish, bandtail searobins, and many of the usual suspects were there for the viewing. Picnic reminder for Sunday June 22. High tide that day is 11:25. Because it is a Sunday, plan on arriving early! Hope to see you all there, Ham

Dive Report 29 May

Triple wow! Over fifty feet of vis on Thursday! Incredible. I have not seen that in a while. Warm water, too. My computer was showing eighty-two in the shallow water. (Offshore yesterday, Friday 30 May, we had 100' of vis in seventy-nine degree water with a moderate north current. Very nice!) Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 27 May and Picnic News

Beautiful day at the bridge yesterday for a 2:13 high tide. I love being there on weekdays; there was ONE other diver. The water temperature at its coldest was seventy-eight. In the shallower water the temperature is hitting eighty. Nice. Vis was between fifteen and twenty feet. Patrick Monihan (sp?), the fellow who lives in the cabin cruiser just off the beach next to the swimming area, has marked the sunken boats with colorful little buoys. The next bridge picnic will be Sunday, June 22 for an 11:25 high tide. I plan to enter the water at about 11:00 so I will be at the park by 10:00. Hope you can make the dive and picnic. Ham

Dive Reports 13 and 14 May

What a difference twenty-four hours can make! On Tuesday we dived the east bridge in fifteen to twenty feet of vis in seventy-eight degree water. Beautiful dive. It was octopus day! We saw four of various sizes. I'm always fascinated by them. Wednesday brought BIG swells from the northeast and with them eight feet (that may be stretching it) of vis. I had a young open water student with me who did a fabulous job of staying right by my side, because she is skilled; she wasn't scared. Mother Nature was telling us to look at the little stuff that is up close and that is just what we did. Juvenile highhats, a tiny gray angel juvenile, a small octopus, several blennies, and many other little critters delighted us. I love taking new, enthusiastic divers to the bridge. The parents of this young diver have a smart, skilled new diver with whom to share their diving passion. I love this job (most of the time!) Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 12 May

Great day to be in the water! Under the east bridge we had twenty-plus feet of vis in seventy-eight degree water. There were many fish under the bridge including big schools of bermuda chub and atlantic spadefish. It is definitely horseshoe crab mating season as we saw many playing leapfrog. We found an octopus' lair with a couple of empty shells. The four of us had the east bridge to ourselves for a 3:20 high tide. Get in the water, Ham

Dive/Picnic Report 11 May

What a gorgeous day for a dive and a picnic! Despite the ninety degree temperature, the fairly strong breeze kept us quite comfortable during our after-dive picnic. Of course, we had to hold everything down to prevent it from blowing onto Singer Island, but that was preferable to baking. The water temperature was seventy-eight and the vis was anywhere from ten feet to twenty feet depending on how close to the channel, or to the quite numerous other divers you were. There were some wonderful critters to see including a tiny, tiny, tiny french angelfish juvenile, one the fish collectors have not found, yet. How do we get the county or state to stop that at Phil Foster? We saw two fairly big octopi and a gorgeous web burrfish. Thank you, Jupiter Drift Divers for hamburgers and hotdogs. Thanks to all who came to make it a very pleasant afternoon. Sunday, June 22 has an 11:25 high tide. Look good? Ham

Dive Report 10 May

Great day to be in the water! With three open water students doing their first shallow dives we had great vis and nice, warm water. The vis was in the thirty feet range although it fell off later in the dive. The water temperature was seventy-eight. Nice. The high tide was at 1:11, but the current was still coming in strongly at 1:20. It was a good "dealing with current experience" for the new divers. We saw a six-inch bandtail searobin in the sand between the mast sticking out of the water and the second set of pilings from the beach. They are uncommon in Florida in the Humann book. I love the bridge! Always something unique. Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 8 May

Gorgeous day at the bridge! We had an open water student and a Discover Scuba diver in forty-feet of vis in seventy-eight degree water under the big bridge. A blue-spotted cornetfish and an intermediate shortnose batfish (might have been a polka-dot) greeted us between the second and third set of pilings. We could see the shadows of a set of pilings from another set; they are one hundred feet apart. The vis lately is the best I have seen for quite some time. Hope to see you Sunday, Ham

Bridge Picnic Sunday, May 11

The sunrise high tides are too early for too many divers (are we getting soft?) so we set the next bridge picnic for Sunday, May 11 with a 2:14 high tide. That is Mother's Day so you know what that means; bring your mother, or somebody else's mother, or an aunt, or a friend. Get her in the water! We'll carry her gear! (but just this one time). We'll have the picnic after the dive. See you there! Ham

Dive Report 1 May

Wow! Wow! Wow! Forty feet of vis at the big bridge. We could see all four piling columns of a set from another set. They are one hundred feet apart. I have not seen vis like that at the bridge for a long time. Water temperature seventy-eight. Polka-dot batfish and a couple of sharptail eels hunting out by the channel. We could see well out into the channel. Police were in a boat checking out divers. Make sure you have your dive flag! Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 29 April

We had pretty good conditions under the big bridge for a Discover Scuba experience and open water dives. The vis was 15' and the water temperature was 78. I have been told that dredging in the inlet is reducing the vis. I am hopeful that work will be completed soon. Most of the usual suspects were there along with a beautiful, fairly large for the bridge, octopus. Our Discover Scuba people were thrilled. As one would expect for a Tuesday afternoon, we had the place almost all to ourselves; no parking problems. Play hooky; get in the water, Ham

Dive Reports 20 and 21 April

Two gorgeous dive days in a row after a week of rough weather! I thought the vis would be real short on Sunday after a week of big northeast swells and 7' to 9' waves, but Mother Nature fooled me again with wonderful conditions at both the east bridge on Sunday and the big bridge on Monday. We had thirty feet of vis on both days just before slack tide. The water temperature on Sunday was seventy-seven; on Monday it was seventy-five. Sunday was barracuda day under the east bridge as there had to be almost twenty of them. Monday's dive produced a beautiful polka-dot batfish and a web burrfish. The vis was good enough Monday so that we could easily see each of the three off-beach wrecks from each other. Of course on Mondays, the place is almost abandoned; there were six other divers. Play hooky; get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 15 April

Mating season at the east bridge! Four of us entered the water at 5:35 for a 5:52 high tide and were treated to twenty feet of vis. The water temperature ranged from seventy-five to seventy-seven degrees in shallower water, much warmer than the air and windchill. A nice, slow pace rewarded us with a show of eyed flounder mating. What a dance the two performed before spawning. Horseshoe crabs were either playing leap frog or mating. It depends on the age of your dive buddy. We watched a dark mantis shrimp excavating for whatever reason they excavate along the western seawall. Two beautiful blue angelfish intermediates in the little runabout wreck just off the beach topped off the very relaxing dive. The dive flag was hooked by a fisherman, but by simply allowing him to lift the flag out of the water, he unhooked his line and dropped the flag back in. No problems. The stiff north north west wind greeted us with a hearty hello and encouraged us to quickly get out of our gear and into dry clothes and boat coats. It was worth it. I ALWAYS see something I've never seen before at the bridge! Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 14 April

Rather than do our taxes we decided to go diving! On a 4:49 high tide we did a very relaxing dive on the east bridge. The vis was about ten to fifteen feet and the water temperature was seventy-five. It was a salvage dive as we found a weight belt and a pair of reading glasses. (We're not above retrieving useful junk.) The intracoastal was back to its normally placid self and all the jazz festival enthusiasts were gone; we had the place to ourselves. Very nice. Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 13 April

Wow! What an adventure in what is normally a pretty placid place. Gorilla picnickers! The front that was supposed to come through at midnight apparently didn't inform the forecasters of a change in arrival. I've never seen whitecaps that high on the intracoastal. It amazes me how fast the weather in Florida can change. What REALLY amazes me is how the cook never left his post even during the height of the storm! Pouring rain in high winds and the grill was never abandoned. Picnickner's Medal of Valor for the cook! I've never seen anything like it. Wonderful foods from gorilla picnickers were abundant and we all did our best to devour it all. Despite the marginal diving conditions, the divers all got to experience some of what bridge diving has to offer. If the divers enjoyed the dive under those conditions, they will absolutely love it when the water is clearer and calmer. Thank you to everyone who attended and made the get-together an "event to be remembered". The Jupiter Drift Divers are a fun group of folks with a great sense of adventure and a greater sense of humor. I had a fabulous time. See you next month for a dive on the east bridge, Ham

Dive Report 11 April

Improving conditions! Friends dived at the bridge for the 1:21 high tide and reported 15' to 20' of vis in seventy-five degree water. They reported that it was French Angelfish day as they saw the whole range: juvenile, intermediate, and adult. Somebody opened the pen, too, as there were hogfish all over the dive. They are wonderful to see as they are in several colors. It's amazing how fast conditions can change. As an experienced wreck diver says, "You won't know unless you go." So go! Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 10 April

Lousy vis! Eight feet - maybe. Four open water students and I did the training dives with a "git 'r done" determination. It was not a sightseeing day as the vis was so short that we had all we could do to keep track of each other. The water was seventy-five degrees. We have some east wind coming so we're hopeful that will bring us some clearer water. Ham

Dive Report 7 April

We had a nice morning dive at the east bridge this morning with a 9:49 high tide. Skills practice was the purpose of the trip, but we were treated to a shortnose batfish, a big flying gurnard, a southern ray/bar jack team, and a very active sailfin blenny giving a great show. The vis was about twenty feet. The water temperature was seventy-five. Gorgeous day. I have to mention that yesterday on the Republic IV at Area 29 I had the most spectacular dive I have had there. The vis was eighty feet plus; it might have been quite a bit more. We cruised at seventy feet in a moderately fast current. The "landscape" from that depth in that area is spectacular as we flew along. We saw three lemon sharks, one being in the twelve feet plus range. It was an enormous fish! The other two were in the eight to ten feet range we figure. What an incredible day! We're looking forward to Sunday's bridge dive. Please bring lawn chairs for yourselves as it being a Sunday, there will probably be quite a few people there. Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 1 April

Nice late afternoon dive! Even with a 5:25 high tide the sun is still very high in the sky. The vis is still a milky ten feet, but the water is still a very comfortable 77 degrees. We saw a small (two feet) bluespotted cornetfish just off the beach under the big bridge. It is the first time I have seen one at the bridge. I always see something new at the bridge! Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 31 March

Gorgeous afternoon for a dive! Water temperature 77 degrees! The visability was a milky ten feet, perfect for the missing diver exercise for my rescue student. Our "missing diver" is the bicycle between the second and third set of columns under the big bridge. Once the bicycle is found, I become the unresponsive diver. (I've been informed I'm not particularly responsive anyway so this role suits me.) My student found a little octopus, too. We also searched for and found easily the small center-console open boat that is on the bottom just to the south south east of the second sunken sailboat you can see from the beach. It's only about seventy-five feet away, but be careful if you go looking for it underwater as you are headed for the main boat channel. You don't want to overshoot the wreck and end up in the boat channel!! We snorkeled to it and then descended to check it out. I've been told there is one more just to the west of that one. I'll let you know. Eighty-five minutes of bottom time and not even a chill. Get in the water! Ham

Dive Report 28 March

OK. Yes, I DO live at the bridge. Anyway, the conditions today were incredible. On the way south to the bridge I saw the blue water close to shore and knew it was going to be a fabulous day for vis. Two Discover Scuba students and I had an incredible dive under the big bridge in seventy-five degree water with thirty-plus feet of vis. A small spotted eagle ray made two passes, one at the beginning and one at the end. An enormous school of crevalle jacks, hundreds of them, surrounded us for about thirty seconds. Awesome experience! Always something I haven't seen before. Get in the water! Ham

Dive Report 27 March

Incredible day at the bridge! (I know you are wondering, "Is this guy there every day? What kind of a life is that?") I am there frequently, I admit. Anyway, today was a great day to be there as the vis was fabulous. The east wind IS our friend. We had over thirty feet of vis and I believe I'm being conservative. Water temperature was seventy-five. Nice. We did some skills practice and then poked around with the fish and critters. At the east bridge we saw blue, gray, and french angelfish, snook, barracuda, a BIG southern ray, beautiful sailfin blennies doing their thing, a sharptail eel trying to get a meal, and many of the other usual suspects; the fish collectors haven't trapped them all. The weather report looks great for continued good conditions at the bridges. Get in the water! Ham

Dive Report 26 March

Wow! What a difference a day can make (and a wind change)! The water temperature at the bridge was 77 today. Yes, 77! Gerry and I jumped in to do some skills practice and I couldn't believe how different the conditions were. Vis was about 15', much better than yesterday's 8'. The east wind is our friend it appears. We had a very nice dive under the big bridge. What a great day at work! Ham

Dive Report 25 March

The north wind is not our friend. We did a Discover Scuba today with 8' of vis in 71 degree water. Thank goodness our young new diver is a tough kid; we gave him a JDC Gorilla Diver stamp. The east wind forecast for the next couple of days should clear the water. We have our fingers crossed. Ham

Bridge Picnic Supper, Sunday, 13 April

The next get-together is Sunday, April 13 for a 3:39 high tide. We plan on entering the water at 3:15 so we'll be there about 2:30. At about 5:00 we'll have a picnic supper for those who wish to participate. It's a combination of byo and something to pass if you wish. This last week has been a good example of how fast conditions can change. On Thursday and Friday, 3/20 and 3/21, the vis at the bridge was 8'. On Saturday, 3/22, it was 30'. Guess which days I was there! The water temperature was 73.

We hope to see you on the thirteenth.

Dive safely,

Ham

Dive Report - 15 March

Gorgeous conditions! At the bridge water temperature 75! Vis 30' Air temperature 87! Divemaster Susan Lucas said offshore water temperature was 73-74 degrees, vis 60'

Dive Report - 14 March

Wow! At the bridge water temp 75! Vis 20' Spotted eagle ray and two of the resident shortnose batfish. Bruce Almberg said offshore temp was 75 and vis was 80' on Scarface, I think. What a change!

Ham

9 March Bridge Brunch

Divers!

It's winter (I can hear the comments) at the bridge! The morning breeze wasn't directly out of the north, but it might just as well have been. Wow, we're getting soft here in south Florida.

Anyway, it was a beautiful, bright, sunny day (and yes, chilly) and the vis was pretty good considering the rough seas offshore. The tidal flows both ways were strong as I believe we have just had a new moon, and strong west winds are pushing the water.

Seven crazy people braved the conditions to dive the east bridge and it was fabulous. I was fortunate enough to get to follow Mike Phelan around and get a private fish ID tutorial. Thank you, Mike! I was trying to stay close enough to have him show me fish and still stay out of his way. We did fine. I didn't kick his mask or regulator once. The most interesting critter to me was what we believe was a sea hare. It was about twelve inches long and a very dark purple. I've looked in Paul Humann's book, but I don't see the one we saw.

The water was sixty-eight degrees so it was finally time to break out the dry suit. I had a wet suit with me, but sixty-eight degrees puts me in the dry suit. Mike and I did a seventy-three minute bottom with a nice tidal ride to the bridge and a nice tidal flow away from the bridge at the end.

A small group stayed after the dive to enjoy donuts, sweet pastries I can't name, bagels with cream cheese and jellies, and hot chocolate. The day had warmed up substantially by then and it was quite pleasant sitting at a picnic table in the sun.

Again, a special thanks to George McGuire for correcting the high tide time!
Thank you to Michele and Franck for setting up this blog space!

On Saturday, 12 April there is a 2:28 high tide at the bridge. On Sunday, 13 April there is a 3:39 high tide. Either one could easily be followed by a picnic.

Any preferences? Please let me know.
As Heather says, "Sometimes it pays to be a troll."

Ham

Click here to view today's pictures

Bridge Brunch - March 9, 2008

Divers!

This week Gerry and I survived our training with Global Underwater Explorers in High Springs from one of the most skilled, experienced, and accomplished divers in the world. "In the world" is not an exaggeration. David Rhea is an incredible diver/instructor. It was a most humbling experience through which we learned a great deal. Wow!

Anyway, it appears that the conditions on Sunday will be "winter-like" in that the high forecasted for Sunday is 68 degrees. It won't be that at 9:00am. I like to dive on Mother Nature's terms, not mine, (although from time to time that would be nice) so I will be there a little after 9:00 for a 10:14 high tide.

We'll have bagels and cream cheese, jellies, hot chocolate, etc. for those who attend so please zip me an email so that I have an idea of how much to bring. If you want me to bring tanks and/or gear for you also please let me know.

Also, if you get the chance, sign up for a lemon shark dive at the shop. I was at the Zion series of wrecks Sat. and we watched eight of these magnificent beasts!

Dive safely,

Ham

PS: Remember that Sat. night daylight savings starts - spring ahead! or be late!

Bridge Brunch - Feburary 10, 2008

Divers!

We had a great bridge dive yesterday under the little east bridge. Thanks to divers who have much better vision than I have, we got to see two seahorses, two little octopi, a pipefish, and all the other usual suspects. The water temperature was about 75 degrees and the vis was about thirty feet (top to bottom when the water is no deeper than 20'!). I thought the vis would be short after all the rain the night before and with a strong north wind causing a good chop in the intracoastal, but we were pleasantly surprised with gorgeous conditions. Great to see you all.

The next Bridge Brunch is set for Sunday, March 9 for what Carrie and I believe is a 9:08 high tide. (That is the day daylight savings begins so we're PRETTY sure that 9:08 is the high tide time.) We will do a brunch after the dive. Hope you can make it. Nice, easy diving and great people!

Ham