Incredible dive at the bridge today!! We had to get up early (in the dark) to make a 7:03 high tide, but one of my students is visiting on a tight schedule so we made it to the bridge to watch the sunrise. Once we had daylight after a gorgeous sunrise we had very clear water for our confined work. The pool water right now is in the sixties so the bridge is a more humane choice with a water temperature of seventy-three. The vis was thirty feet plus! Once we finished the skill work we played around the little wrecks and then ditched the scuba gear for our three hundred yard snorkeling exercise. WE SAW THREE MANATEES IN THE SWIMMING AREA. They weren't swimming around; they were just lying in the sand. We got right up next to them and watched for several minutes. They didn't budge. They were ENORMOUS! After awhile we left them and continued on. We came upon some squid! Little spaceships just hovering there in four feet of water. THEN (incredibly there is more) we came upon two juvenile spotted eagle rays that did a 270 degree arc around us in absolutely no hurry. THEN, there was a medium-sized southern ray looking for breakfast paying no attention to us. What an incredible morning!! I had to inform my two open water students that it isn't always like this. Snorkeling with the manatees! I am still thrilled!. We were in the water two hours and thirty minutes. I was very comfortable in my seven millimeter suit (with a ton of lead) and my students were fairly comfortable in two three millimeter suits (and of course, lots of lead). Get in the water! It's worth it! Ham
Dive Report 24 January
