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