Dive Report 16 December

It HAS been a long while since we have been diving at the Bridge. A week or so ago Carrie and I had every intention of diving the Bridge, but with three feet of vis decided we would rather visit a local Singer Island establishment for lunch and not have to wash our gear. Friday, December 16 was a very nice day for a dive at the Bridge. The water was seventy-seven degrees and the vis was around fifteen feet. We saw only three moon jellies. Our Discover Scuba students had a great time with the highlight being a small spotted eagle ray cruising around us. There have been two recent reports of a school of six spotted eagle rays at the eastern bridge. With the consistently rough seas offshore I expected shorter vis, but was delighted to have nice touring vis. In seventy-seven degree water, it was very nice! The water is still relatively warm.....Get in the water, (sooner rather than later) Ham

Dive Report 29 November

Carrie, a dive-couple, and I had a very nice one hour, twenty-two minute dive at the west bridge today. We entered the seventy-seven degree water under overcast skies and exited under bright blue, somewhat cooler skies. Our purpose was to give the new folks an orientation dive so that when they come to visit from northern Florida, if the tides are right, they can do the dive themselves. So we did some compass work and gave some instruction on how to use the reel and dive flag, but for the most part, just played sightseers. One of our friends experienced what happens when one violates the first rule of "no slack in the line" when using a reel. What better place to have the "wrapped up in one's work" experience than at the Bridge where we can all have a chuckle. We saw a medium-sized southern ray, an intermediate spotted eagle ray, a butter and a barred hamlet (first time I've seen a barred hamlet at the Bridge) and many of the usual suspects. The moon jellies were still there, but not in the large numbers of last week. There is still an occasional minor stingy in the water that is only noticeable for a moment. The vis was between ten and fifteen feet. Close to the beach it was clear; further out and by the channel it was milky. I was in my 5mm wetsuit and upon my exit into the breeze from the northwest was reminded that winter is coming. After all, tomorrow is the last day of November. Get in the water (it's not getting any warmer for a while), Ham

Dive Report 21 November

The jellies (not the kind pictured) were present in force, especially in the top three feet. Vis was about ten feet for our late-afternoon training session south of the east bridge. The water temperature was seventy-nine. As long as we stayed close to the bottom, the moon jellyfish were not a problem. One of my students experienced some minor stings on her face. In all my years of diving the Bridge I have not experienced the presence of jellyfish as we have had this year. Maybe colder water will change the situation. Get in the water (but dodge the jellies), Ham

Dive Report 18 November

I was fooled AGAIN! Every time I think I know what Mother Nature is doing I am shown that I really don't. On my way to the Jupiter Dive Center to meet my students, I stopped by the Hobe Sound beach to see what the vis might be. There was nothing but greenish brown water for two hundred yards off the beach. My conclusion was that the water coming into the Lake Worth Lagoon would be equally greenish brown with zero vis. At the Shop I informed my two advanced open water students that I was not optimistic about the diving conditions at the Bridge. Nevertheless, since they are from Palm Beach Gardens we decided it was at least worth a look. Arriving at the Bridge about an hour before the slack high tide we found six to eight feet of vis. Those are actually great conditions for doing advanced open water navigation skills. We dived the east bridge for one hour, nineteen minutes in seventy-seven degree water. Yes, that is two degrees cooler than my last dive at the Bridge a few days ago. Winter is coming! In my 5mm wetsuit and thin hooded vest I was still toasty. My students were in 3mm suits and very comfortable, but they are both Canadians! Wonderfully, there were NO moon jellyfish (or maybe the vis was so short that we didn't see them)! It wasn't "cupcake" diving, but we were under water; that is fine with me any time. Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 15 November

The Moonies are back! No, not the Moonies pictured (if you know who they are you are no spring chicken), but rather the moon jellyfish. My advanced open water student and I had ten to fifteen feet of vis in seventy-nine degree water for our one hour, twenty-four minute dive. I would have been comfortable in a 3mm suit, but knowing how fickle the conditions can be, especially after TWO WEEKS of less than ideal conditions, I wore my 5mm and was toasty. (I get more utility from my 5mm suit than any of my others). We saw a good-sized octopus on our swim over to the east bridge and a tiny seahorse on our way back. We swam around the swim area as I am not particularly keen on schlepping my gear across the beach. It takes about fifteen minutes to do that at my frog-kick speed and it is often worth an interesting critter or two. We have seen a northern stargazer on this mini-trek. I was disappointed to see the moon jellies, but we suffered no discomfort from stingies. It is an inconvenience to dodge them, but it is not difficult as long as one is diligent. Getting back in the water after two weeks of non-diving activity was very nice, even with the Moonies. Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 31 October

It wasn't much of a dive; sixteen minutes. With record October rainfall and strong winds creating rough seas offshore, I didn't expect good vis. It wasn't good vis, but eight inches was too short to make more than sixteen minutes worthwhile. I wanted my student to experience the feel of being in doubles and we did that; staying longer would have been pointless. It was all we could do to keep track of each other. We went out to a depth of six feet, turned to the west and proceeded about two hundred feet, turned around to the east retracing our route, and exited. Sixteen minutes. The water temperature was seventy-nine. I have a bridge dive scheduled for Thursday, but I am going to postpone it for a week to let the seas calm down and to let the rain water settle. When it clears...Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 19 October

Better than I thought it would be! With all the rain and a strong southwest wind creating a light chop I thought the vis would be very short. The water was green; my guess is that the rain water had much to do with that. Nevertheless, a student and I had ten feet of vis in eighty-one degree water for our one hour, ten minute dive. We were practicing in double steel tanks so we elected to go underwater around the swim area to the east bridge. (We certainly had plenty of gas!) On the way over I spotted the tail of a stargazer. I was hoping to gently brush away some of the sand so we could see its face, but it took off and kept on going. No picture. The rest of our session was spent blowing surface marker bouys and making very controlled ascents so I didn't really notice any critters other than the usual gang of suspects. There might have been six other divers at Phil Foster. I saw at least four. The weekdays are so sweet, especially with light rain showers. We owned the place! Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 15 October

I haven't forsaken the Bridge for the beautiful Catskill Mountains, but that is where I was last week picking apples surrounded by the spectacular fall foliage. It's nice to be back in the water which is why I'm in Florida in the first place (it certainly isn't because I enjoy driving here!) Anyway, the conditions at the Bridge were fabulous. My advanced open water student and I enjoyed twenty feet of vis in eighty-two degree water. With the wind freshening out of the east northeast we were protected from any chop by Singer Island. I didn't feel the least bit green. On top of that, after a closing of the swimming area because of a high bacterial count earlier in the week (a nice way of saying what we all know is not so nice), Phil Foster had a clean bill of health today, no warnings. My student and I navigated around the swim area to the east bridge to practice search and recovery skills. It was simply a nice day to be there. The morning high tide made the parking easy; that is always a plus. In a three millimeter wetsuit I was very comfortable for our one hour, thirty-five minute dive. Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 21 September

The moon jellyfish and the stingies that go with them are still a problem at the Bridge. Carrie and I did a one hour, forty-nine minute dive in eighty-six degree water with fifteen feet of vis. We saw the moon jellyfish as soon as we entered the water an hour before the posted slack high tide. As we proceeded east around the swim area to dive the east bridge, we saw quite a few jellyfish, but we were able to avoid them. Nevertheless, we both received minor stings from critters or critter-material we couldn't see. "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead" anyway, to see what was happening under the east bridge. The resident Atlantic spadefish were there in force. I watched a juvenile sharptail eel for a few minutes as it hunted. On our way back to the beach, just south of the east bridge, we saw a small nurse shark, the first shark I have ever seen at the bridge. Carrie and I saw two other divers; have to love the weekday dives! Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 19 September

I was at the Bridge on Saturday with one quarter of the earth's population (approx. 1.5 billion people) and didn't bother to blog the experience. Working with students I could only report on water temperature and vis anyway. Today, however, Carrie and I did a goof-off dive for an hour and forty minutes under the east bridge. We haven't been over there since the beginning of the construction. The reward for the swim around the swim area (I'm not schlepping my gear across the beach when I can travel underwater!) was incredible. We discovered another community of yellow-colored eels that must be cousins to garden eels. Most spectacular were the ENORMOUS school of mackerel scad and the little school of lookdowns. The shadow from the mackerel scad school (it looked like a bait ball; I suppose it was a baitball) was attention-getting, to say the least. The dynamics of the ball were absolutely mesmerizing. The lookdowns are so odd-looking that one wonders how a being that thin can house all the innards critters have to have. Absolutely amazing. There are STILL moon jellyfish, but we experienced only very minor stings, nothing like a few weeks ago when I just wanted to get out of the water. Oh, I almost forgot, the water temperature was eighty-six and the vis was fifteen (a little green) feet. I LOVE the weekdays!! We saw four other divers. Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 13 September

I had beautiful conditions at the bridge. The vis was thirty feet and the water temperature was eighty-six. Most importantly, there were maybe eight other divers. I was practicing skill sets with my steel doubles so I didn't bring my camera. Without the camera, of course, I saw a spotted eagle ray, a mantis shrimp, seven little squid hovering like a squadron of mini-spaceships, two species of searobins (I'm not sure which ones), four yellow garden eels (occasional Florida), and the resident octopus in the pvc pipe south of the bridge. There were two, probably, bluethroat pikeblennies having their breakfast. They were fascinating to watch as were the garden eels. Off the beach on the flood side of the tide I saw only one or two moon jellyfish. After slack high tide on the ebb I saw quite a few moon jellyfish under the bridge. I had one very minor sting that was hardly a sting at all. As I moved to the east off the beach toward the end of my two hour, one minute dive (in steel 108 doubles I could have remained until noon Friday...of NEXT week), there were almost no moon jellyfish. They seem to be more prevalent out near the boat channel and under the bridge in the main flow of the tide. A weekday dive on a 9:33 high tide is a very pleasant way to start the day. Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 11 September

The good news is that MOST of the stingies are gone; my two students and I only encountered a few minor stings at the very end of our two and one half hour dive, well into the ebb side of the tide in very green water. On the flood side of the tide as the ocean water was coming in, the vis was fifteen to twenty feet and we had no stingies. I saw only one moon jellyfish on the flood tide. On the ebb tide I saw three or four, nothing like the hundreds a week ago. We are seeing only a very few moon jellyfish offshore. My students and I were in doubles so a two and a half hour dive was not a problem. In eighty-six degree water we wore only dive skins; I was very comfortable. We were focused on skill sets and getting used to the feel of the gear so we were not on critter watch. Nevertheless, we did see a beautiful goldspotted eel under the fishing pier and an octopus who resides in a plastic pipe south of the bridge. So the conditions are good again as long as you dive on the flood side of the tide. (EXTRA!EXTRA! The goliath grouper aggregation is going on offshore. We are seeing as many as fifty on the Zion Train wreck series dive.) Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 4 September

Sea lice are STILL a BIG problem! I was hoping that the turbulence from Irene would have cleared out the "stingies", but they are still at the bridge and make diving there an unpleasant experience. Some have suggested that the stinging comes from chopped up moon jellyfish which are at the bridge in both whole and chopped-up status. My student and I were wearing dive skins, but we were both stung around the neck where the critters tend to get trapped and sting with a vengeance. My student had some nasty welts on his neck; I had one that looked like a spider bite. A friend accompanying us wore no exposure suit and although he exhibited no welts, he said he was stung many times. "Other than that Mrs. Lincoln" the vis was ten feet and the water temperature ranged from eighty-six to eighty-eight. We saw two batfish, an octopus, and (the highlight for me on an uncomfortable dive) a yellow garden eel. I am scheduled to take an open water student to the bridge on Tuesday; I want to delay it if I can for a more pleasant experience. Get in the water (after the stingies have gone!), Ham

Dive Report 23 August

The sea lice are still a problem! Carrie and I conducted a Discover Scuba with two students; one student for whom we had a dive skin only experienced mild discomfort with stings to her face. Her brother, in only a t-shirt, experienced many stings to his body. I was wearing a rash guard and found it uncomfortable, to say the least. Carrie was wearing a fleece dive skin and a hooded vest; she experienced no stings! The water temperature was 88! Vis was about fifteen feet. There are still moon jellyfish, but no where near as many as there were a week ago. We saw octopuses and a big mantis shrimp along with the usual suspects, but the sea lice took the lazy comfort out of the dive for me. Get in the water (fully covered as Carrie was), Ham

Dive Report 16 August

The water temperature was eighty-four and the vis was between fifteen and twenty feet, BUT diving at the Bridge right now, and for the past week, is an unpleasant experience as there are countless moon jellyfish and sea lice. By the boat channel it was almost impossible to avoid the thousands of moon jellyfish. The sea lice are invisible, but their sting is very noticeable. My very tough thirteen-year-old Discover Scuba student and I did a forty-eight minute dive mostly dodging the jellies and enduring the sea lice. We did see a batfish and played with an octopus under the blue sailboat in twelve feet of water where the sea lice and jellyfish were tolerable. Unless a diver is COMPLETELY covered (impossible to do for anyone other than a hazmat diver) he/she will experience the unpleasantness of the "stingies" at the Bridge right now. Hope for better conditions so we can "Get in the water" comfortably, Ham

Dive Report 4 August

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

Dive Report 17 July

A new record of 1.5 billion divers were at the bridge on Sunday 17 July! Yes, that is approximately one fourth of the earth's population. Dive flag manufacturers are making a bundle as divers comply with the dive flag regulation. However, given the fact that a diver is supposed to be no more than 100' from a flag in intracoastal waters, and the fact that there were 5,581,546 flags under the bridge, there was never a time ANY diver was more than 3.5cm from a dive flag or entangled in a dive flag line. I overheard some divers discussing a lobbying effort to get traffic lights installed between the pilings. At the least we certainly could have used some right-of-way guidelines. The "before divers" vis was about fifteen feet. The "peak divers" and "after divers" vis was about one to two feet. I had to chuckle thinking about those who are so concerned about students keeping their fins off the bottom. They should have been there; they could have lectured the photographers who lie on top of anything to get the picture and the "experienced" divers who haven't the slightest idea that they are leaving a dust trail similar to that of a stampeding buffalon herd. It's pretty funny. Water temperature was eighty-four. Some tempers (not mine) were much warmer. You have to laugh. Get in the water (anyway), Ham

Dive Report 16 July

Conditions have been fairly consistent lately with the vis at about twenty feet despite the rain, and the water temperature has been eighty-four. The octopuses are still abundant to the south of the bridge. We have seen a school of about two dozen squid near the blue-hulled sailboat with the rafts attached. There has also been a batfish under that sailboat. Many are diving without wetsuits now, but I'm still in my 3mm and toasty warm for our one hour plus dives. This french angelfish was under the fishing pier. Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 5 July

We were successful at avoiding the hordes at the Bridge over the weekend. Today it was absolutely fabulous. We had few divers, eighty-four degree water, and twenty to thirty feet of vis. We could see well into the boat channel from the safe side of the pilings. My student was thrilled that we saw at least two dozen octopuses, a goldspotted eel, a neck (decorator) crab, a couple of yellow garden eels, several yellow stingrays, and a juvenile french or gray angelfish (it was too small for my eyes to distinguish). We played with the Pederson cleaner shrimp and tried to play tug-of-war with an octopus, but the octopus only saw us as a nuisance so we left it alone. Today's water temperature is the warmest we have had so far this year. I was in a 3mm wetsuit, but on Thursday I'm going to wear my diveskin. The report from offshore today was that the vis was better than eighty feet and the water temperature was eighty-two to the bottom. Play hooky and Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 2 July

Twenty feet of vis (as long as one is not around a group of students, then it's good practice for muckdiving) made navigation easy. Good vis also brings out the cameras; it appeared that most divers were carrying one. The water temperature was eighty-two. Carrie and I were in 3mm wetsuits for our one hour, twenty-five minute dive with a student and friends. Octopuses are still plentiful. The yellow garden eels community seems to be growing as we are seeing them in new places. A sharptail eel and a goldspotted eel had a territorial dispute under the fishing pier. There is a gorgeous intermediate queen angelfish on the upside down wreck. It has been there for quite some time. Parking wasn't too bad for a weekend dive; the morning high tide and rain showers were helpful. Conditions are great! Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 1 July

It's been some time since Carrie and I have been at the Bridge, but today was a wonderful day to be back. The water temperature was eighty-two; I was almost too warm in my 3mm wetsuit for our one hour, eleven minute dive. I was with a student who marveled at the octopuses which are still numerous. A fabulous new development is a community of yellow garden eels thirty yards south of the first set of pilings. We head on a north northwest course from the upside down wreck to see them. They are listed as occasional Florida in the Reef Fish Identification book. A neck crab in full camouflage delighted us for a few minutes. I only saw it because it moved differently from its surroundings. (Sorry the photo is so poor.) Carrie saw a nurse shark out by the channel, a medium-sized one. It is the first time either of us have seen a shark of any kind at the bridge. There is a fairly large spotted moray in the junk pile on the north side of the fishing pier. My dive buddy and Carrie saw a bandtail searobin. Vis was between fifteen and twenty feet. Of course as "certified" divers dragged their fins along the bottom the vis became noticeably shorter. It made me chuckle to think of those who oppose conducting Discover Scuba programs at the Bridge because it is an environmentally sensitive area and they do not want Discover Scuba participants kicking up the bottom. Apparently, those folks have never been at the Bridge and watched what the open water students with "pool experience" do the bottom, or observed the "experienced divers" who haven't a clue as to what buoyancy and trim are. We were all there once. I find it pretty funny. Get in the water AND KEEP YOUR FINS UP :) Ham

Dive Report 16 July

The water was eighty-two degrees and the vis had to be close to thirty feet at the Bridge this morning. The octopuses are still numerous and we saw three goldspotted eels. When we arrived at Phil Foster at about 7:30 for our 9:15 high tide there was not a car in the parking lot. Morning high tides are great; morning high tides on a weekday are even better. There were very few divers there for the slack high tide. What a great way to start the day! Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 13 June

No photos this time; I had an eleven-year-old open water student and was very much focused on the job at hand. The thunderstorms, we were told, were wild as they came through Riviera Beach. I noticed that the reel/flag was bobbing quite a bit, but it was so peaceful where we were. It was dark, but the vis was at least fifty feet. It was absolutely exceptional. I did not need my compass to navigate; I could see all of my navigation markers (aka junk on the bottom). My student's father, waiting for us under the bridge, experienced howling winds, a good sand-blasting, and horizontal rain for about five or ten minutes. My student and I saw some flashes and could see the rain hitting the surface, but it was so peaceful under water. The water temperature was eighty-two. I was very comfortable, but my seventy pound (if that) little student was frozen in his shorty the minute we entered the water. It was a job to get him to focus on completing the skill set instead of how cold he was. Many divers are diving the bridge and offshore now without exposure suits. (Offshore is spectacular right now with 80' to 100' of vis in 82 degree water). I still need my 3mm, but my little student probably would be warmer with about twenty more pounds of insulation that most of us carry naturally. I'm back at the Bridge on Thursday with a couple of open water students. I believe it will be spectacular. The octopuses are still everywhere. Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 10 June

The water was very clear and warm today, perfect for a young student's first dive. The water temperature was eighty-two and the vis was better than twenty feet. In a three millimeter suit after our fifty minute dive I was quite warm. The batfish was in the sand near the vacated mooring ball just south of the first set of bridge supports. The octopuses are still everywhere. A diver can easily see twenty of them on a dive right now. A bandtail searobin just off the beach delighted my student with its beautiful wings. Carrie looked for the frogfish, but he has probably moved. (P.S. The eel sighted the other day was a goldspotted eel.) Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 8 June

A frogfish made the dive absolutely fabulous! I had a really good open water student who zipped through the skill set and allowed us plenty of time to look at the treasures of the Bridge. Our one hour, thirty minute dive yielded not only the frogfish, but well over a dozen octopuses and an eel that might be a goldspotted eel. I'm having the photo checked out. We saw three yellow garden eels, but I have yet to get a photo. The vis was about fifteen feet. The water temperature was a toasty eighty-two. We were in three millimeter suits and quite comfortable. Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 5 June

We had eighty-two degree water and twenty feet of vis before the 7,863,459.2 dive students entered the water. Admittedly, one of my students who is still struggling with the concept of trim added to the demise of vis, but the Bridge on weekends is a place of beginners. I certainly kicked up my share of the silt on the bottom of Lake George in New York as I began my discovery of buoyancy control and trim. The high point of the day, however, was the Jupiter Drift Divers picnic following the dive. Many thanks to Veronica, Stan, and all the club members for making it a very fun event. I look forward to those picnics and always place them on my calendar as soon as they are announced. If you are not a club member you might consider joining this fun group of diving folks. We always have a good time. Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 3 June

Tobin and I had twenty feet of vis in eighty-one degree water for our two hour dive. Tobin was in a 3mm suit and said he began to feel a bit cool towards the end; I was testing buoyancy/scuba rig weight combinations in a 5mm. Needless to say, I was toasty. There are still octopuses everywhere. We saw over two dozen. The jawfish is very cooperative with photographers as they wait in line to photograph it. It is just west southwest of the fishing pier. The little blue angelfish intermediate evaded my camera for quite a while, but I got this photo. There was a spotted eagle ray, a southern ray, three yellow garden eels (I can't get even close to get a picture. Six or seven feet away they duck into their hole.), a batfish, a sharptail eel, several yellow stingrays, and a gorgeous queen angelfish intermediate on the upside down wreck. Conditions are fantastic. Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 31 May

Carrie and I had a day off so we did an early-morning bridge dive. We were in the water by 7:00 for our two hour, thirteen minute dive. The water temperature was between seventy-nine and eighty-one depending on where we were. In three millimeter wetsuits we were very comfortable. Vis was at best twenty feet, but fell off after the slack high tide. Octopuses were still everywhere; we saw over two dozen, most of them in the sand south of the bridge. A squadron of four squid hovered between the third set of pilings and the solid bridge support by the boat channel. Carrie got the photo of one of them. Two jawfish were very camera-tolerant by the north end of the "canyon". A batfish was about twenty yards north of the "upside-down wreck" hiding in the same piece of junk for over a week now. We saw a lionfish in the shopping carts just off the beach, but could not catch it in Carrie's shell jar. It's so nice to be there on a weekday; we saw only three other divers and a few snorkelers. Conditions are gorgeous! Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 24 May

With reports of colder offshore water temperatures I was thinking that the water at the bridge might be cold, but I was very happy to be diving in eighty-two degree water. The vis was between ten and fifteen feet. I had five students with me so I was not searching for critters. Nevertheless, we still saw ten octopuses. Marv Caples reported seeing a striated and a white frogfish. A very large southern ray at the boat channel thrilled my students. There was a very big school of intermediate-sized Atlantic spadefish there, too. In three millimeter wetsuits we were all very comfortable for our one hour, six minute dive. Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 19 May

It was an absolutely spectacular day at the bridge. The highlights were a school of five spotted eagle rays out by the boat channel and a lookdown fish around the pilings of the second set. Incredible! I was diving solo in my steel doubles to reacquaint myself with their heft, balance, etc. while wearing a drysuit. We are planning some deeper stuff so I need the practice and the bridge works well for that. I did the normal circuit counting at least twenty octopuses on the south side of the bridge in the sand. That is no exaggeration, twenty! They were everywhere. I saw a little black seahorse in that neighborhood, too. The vis was better than forty feet. It seemed spring-like. The water temperature was eighty-one. By moving very slowly and wearing a minimal undergarment I was very comfortable in the drysuit. Several divers were not wearing exposure suits. The conditions are absolutely premium right now. NOAA reports that the Gulf Stream is only two miles off the Jupiter Inlet. That may have something to do with the incredible conditions. GET IN THE WATER!!! Ham

Dive Report 18 May

Thirty feet of vis and eighty degree water made for a really nice one hour, seventeen minute dive at the bridge today. We saw eleven octopuses! They seemed to be everywhere. The striped burrfish hovered until I pushed the button on my camera. My Discover Scuba student, his brother, and I watched a little spotted moray and a sharptail eel forage side-by-side. Stoplight parrotfish zoomed by us frequently. Being a weekday, there were fewer than ten divers there. Very nice. The three of us were in three millimeter wetsuits and were very comfortable. Warm, clear water is here! Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 6 May

A late night with open water students at the shop last night meant no blog until now. We had a full day at the pool today so this report is a little late. Friday at the bridge was gorgeous. The vis was better than twenty feet off the beach and the water temperature was seventy-nine. We did a one hour, seventeen minute dive. My student in a 3mm wetsuit was comfortable. Because of some recent work on my back by my dermatologist I dived dry. I wore the thinnest undersuit I have and was very comfortable. It was octopus day as we saw six of them. It seemed every pipe and hole had an octopus in it. It's fascinating to watch them change color. I tried to get one to come out and play tug-of-war, but it was pretty shy. Diving on weekday mornings is so nice at Phil Foster; we had the place almost to ourselves. I'm back at the Park on Sunday with students for a 12:31 high tide; we will NOT have the place almost to ourselves. Oh well, I'll still be in the water. Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 1 May

We had to leave the house at 5:30 this morning to meet our students for a 7:44 high tide, but the early tides on the weekends have the benefit of being less attended than an afternoon high tide. We watched the sun come up at 6:43 as we finished gearing up for the one hour, seven minute dive. The vis was ten feet and milky which was a little disappointing, but the seventy-nine degree water in my 3mm wetsuit was nice! It was octopus day as we saw three or four on our way around the circuit doing our skill set. I know folks who are not morning people have a tough time understanding this, but I love watching the sun come up and getting into the water to start the day. Brunch at the Corner Cafe in Tequesta with friends was the perfect end to the morning! Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 18 April

I've been so busy I have not had the time to post the bridge reports. No kidding, this is the first time in several days that I actually have a few minutes to report what the conditions WERE (this is obviously a day late). GET DOWN THERE! We had 40' of vis yesterday in seventy-nine degree water. I wore a 3mm suit as did two of my students. Another student didn't wear an exposure suit and was fine for our one hour dive. With vis so exceptional it was easy to find the upside down wreck, see almost all the way across the boat channel, and see fish and critter activity for quite some distance. We watched a big southern stingray followed by several blue runners. There were two octopuses looking out of holes at us. Sharptail eels foraged about under the fishing pier. Conditions are absolutely fabulous! Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 9 April

I wasn't able to dive the bridge today, but Carrie accompanied three friends for a one hour dive. The water temperature was seventy-seven; Carrie reported that she was too warm in her 5mm fullsuit. The three friends in 3mm suits were comfortable. Vis was ten to fifteen feet depending on whether they were off the beach or out by the channel or close to divers who were unaware that they were almost walking across the bottom. Parking was challenging as a beautiful day attracted many picnickers. If you can only be at Phil Foster on a weekend and the tide is in the afternoon, it is prudent to get there early. The parking challenge on the weekends only gets tougher as we get into warmer weather. Get there early and get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 7 April

The water temperature was back to seventy-five after having been in the sixties for a few days. Vis is still rather short, no greater than ten feet. My students were in 3mm suits (one in one suit, the other in two) and both were comfortable for our one hour, twelve minute dive. I was dry in anticipation of cold temperatures. Thanks to Tobin for pulling the flag and taking the accompanying photograph. It was a beautiful day to be there. Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 3 April

Warmer water made for a very nice one hour, one minute dive. At seventy-seven degrees we could have stayed longer, but one student really enjoyed almost all the air in his aluminum eighty so we had to call it quits. Vis was in the fifteen feet range BEFORE the 3,712 (official count) students entered the water. Admittedly, a couple of my students helped contribute to the shorter vis until I used the stick. We blew bags at the channel as part of the advanced open water course and reviewed open water skills such as mask removal and alternate air source ascent. We had a very successful dive, pushing our students to reach a greater comfort level. Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 28 March

An open water referral student, her fiance, and I did a one hour, three-minute dive in seventy-two degree water with five to eight feet of vis. The overcast sky when we entered turned into a serious storm cell that kicked up a one foot chop and drove some hard rain in a stiff breeze. The bouncing dive flag was making the reel do an upside down yoyo thing. In the water the conditions were suitable for what we had to do, but out of the water at the end of the dive, the driving rain was not friendly. Even in the low vis situation we saw three moderately-sized flying gurnards foraging for an early bird special as the high tide was at almost five o'clock. I was very comfortable in my 5mm fullsuit with a 3mm hooded vest. My student in a 3mm suit was comfortable. Very good news is that the health advisory has been lifted. So, without reservation...Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 12 and 13 March

Even with the vis in the eight to ten feet range, diving at the bridge was pretty nice. Two sunny days with afternoon temperatures in the seventies made for nice post-dive "deal with the gear" conditions and a post-dive picnic on Saturday. The water temperature is hovering around seventy-three degrees. With a five millimeter suit and a three millimeter hooded vest, Carrie is fairly comfortable. (She took the photo). We put our students in two three millimeter suits and they were fine for our one hour, ten-minute dive. (I'm still dry.) The bacteria advisories are still posted, but others conducting tests have stated that they are getting acceptable levels in the areas we dive around slack high tide. The tests on Peanut Island are showing acceptable levels. I'm still getting in the water, Ham

Dive Report 11 March

It was a beautiful, sunny day at the bridge with a "fresh" breeze from the north. Vis was between ten and fifteen feet. The water temperature was around seventy-one. My open water student was tardy, not understanding that the tide doesn't wait for us. He does now. As a result, we entered the water just a few minutes before slack high tide. I didn't want to take a new diver into the challenge of dealing with an increasingly strong ebb tide so we just stayed off the beach going between the little wrecks. Tobin took the pictures demonstrating that no matter where you go around the Bridge, there are things to see. Thanks, Tobin. We are back there tomorrow. We'll picnic after the dive! I'm getting in the water, Ham

Dive Report 8 March

It's been two weeks since I've been to the bridge. Unfortunately, the bacteria warnings are still in place. We entered the water at more than an hour before the posted slack high tide and left the water before the tide had turned. The visibility was very good at about twenty feet or more. At times it was a bit milky, but for the most part, it was better than usual. With temperatures between seventy-three and seventy-five, my open water student was pretty comfortable for our one hour, fourteen minute dive. I'm still dry. We were rewarded with two seahorses thanks to the young eyes of a friend who accompanied us. The photos were taken by my student who had to have two hands on the camera, no hands for manuevering or buoyancy. One of the seahorses has been in the junk pile on the north side of the fishing pier for quite some time, several weeks if it is the same critter! A shortnose batfish waddled by and two sharptail eels poked around for their mid-morning snack. A medium-sized southern ray foraged off the beach and several yellow stingrays hid in the sand waiting for a meal to swim by. It was a beautiful dive in delightfully warmer water. I will inform you when the bacteria warning has been lifted. Ham

Dive Report 21 and 22 February

The vis has been in the fifteen to twenty feet range and today it was even better. It was pool-like. We could see one piling set from another; they are one hundred feet apart. The water temperature was about seventy degrees, a little less at the channel, a little more off the beach. Carrie and I saw two species of batfish, a beautiful seahorse under the fishing pier, a sharptail eel, and, among many other fishes, the beautiful juvenile scrawled cowfish juvenile. (At least we think it is a scrawled cowfish because we see several of the adults frequently.) The high bacteria count is still in effect. The lifeguard informed us and there are signs posted. Ham

Dive Report 19 February

Seventy-two degree water with fifteen to twenty feet of vis made for a very nice early morning dive. Unfortunately, there is a warning for a high fecal count in the water. I don't know if that is a result of the many manatees around right now or dirty water from more southerly cities or what. The signs weren't posted until we were exiting the water. Oh well. I used to swim in farmland creeks in upstate New York as a kid. With a million cows in pastures that drained into the creeks in the valleys, I'm sure there was probably a significant fecal count in that water, too. My friends may not be telling me about it, but I appear to not have suffered ill effects. Nevertheless, the warnings are there. I enjoyed the dive! Get in the water (maybe when it's cleaner), Ham

Dive Report 13 February

We expected to see one of these as the water temperature today ranged from sixty-six to sixty-eight. No seventies! The vis was no more than five feet, really. Carrie and I had two open water students who braved the less-than-ideal conditions for over an hour, one in a three milimeter suit and the other in two three milimeter suits. Both were a little chilled at the end of the dive. The strong and steady north wind created a rough intracoastal chop. The north wind is not our friend when it comes to vis either at the bridge or offshore. Because there were over three million students diving under the bridge, we ventured to the east to find water deep enough there for our ascents. Our students completed the skill set and back to the west we traveled maintaining seven to eight feet and a due west course. It's all good experience. The tough dives are good ones to have under one's belt. They make us better divers. Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 12 February

It was a challenging day at the bridge to say the least. The strong and steady wind from the north created a strong chop in the intracoastal that reduced vis to five or six feet. Carrie and I had four students and a certified diver with us. It was a great day to practice the lost buddy protocol. Three of our students were in 3mm suits for our one hour, six-minute dive. One of them was quite chilled by the end of the dive in water that bounced between sixty-eight and seventy degrees. Despite the difficult conditions both above and below, our students did very well and we did manage to see a seahorse in the junk pile on the northern side of the fishing pier and an octopus in nearly the same spot. The lionfish was discovered just off the beach in five feet of water. It is the first time I have seen an adult lionfish at the bridge. We've seen juvenile lionfish, but this adult is another indication that their population is growing. On a more positive note, we've seen a loon diving for fish just off the beach by the Sumar. They are here for the winter before returning to the lakes of the northern states. If you have ever heard the call of a loon on a wilderness lake, you know the incredible voice of these magnificent birds. Sometimes they even carry their babies on their backs! There is so much going on at the bridge. Get in the water, Ham