The last time I saw the parking lot at Phil Foster look like this was Saturday evening after our dive as we surfaced into an approaching wild thunderstorm. When we entered the water at about 5:30 it was a sunny day with some gray clouds forming to the southwest. When we emerged from our dive, an hour and twenty minutes later, it appeared Dorothy and Toto were just about to leave Kansas. We didn't even break down our gear; everything went into the mobile dive shop jiffy quick and we took off just before the storm broke. What a light show on the way back to Jupiter! Wow! Anyway, that was Saturday evening. Today, Tuesday 21 July, high tide was at 8:03 am. Only real dive nuts get up early to dive at that hour. Tobin was there! An open water student, Tobin, and I made the usual route between the wrecks and under the bridge in 81 degree water. Vis on the flood side of high tide was about fifteen feet. On the ebb tide it got as low as three or four feet until we made the corner at the beach heading back east. We saw a batfish, one of the tiniest gray or french angelfish I have ever seen, a resident yellowhead jawfish who is always home, a mantis shrimp who would not come out to play, and a black grouper trying to hide in one of the small wrecks. There are also some lobsters around and, of course, the atlantic spadefish and the bermuda chub. Speeding stoplight parrotfishes mimic those who run red lights, cutting right in front of us. It was a beautiful morning at the bridge. I would have liked to have stayed with a cup of coffee to ease into the day, but I had some other responsibilities. BUT, tomorrow morning after my dive with my student, who is arriving with his parents, I am going to have that cup of coffee at the bridge and ease into the day (before I have to go home and mow the lawn). Thanks Tobin for pulling the flag! Get into the water, Ham
