Dive Report 29 September

I'll do a Saturday dive at the Bridge if it is an early morning high tide and today we hit the jackpot! The high tide was at 8:23 so my advanced open water student and I were there at around 7:00. It was a gorgeous drive from Hobe Sound starting with the almost full moon hiding in and out of the clouds to the west. Numerous lightning storms moving onshore illuminated the drive to Singer Island. Once at Phil Foster the sun was coming up and the rain had stopped, but most importantly, there was plenty of parking. That is the benefit of the early-morning high tide on Saturdays and Sundays. The vis was better than twenty feet, the best I have seen in quite some time. The water temperature was eighty-two so I was very comfortable in my 3mm for our one hour, seventeen minute dive. During our skill exercises just south of the east bridge we saw the biggest spotted eagle ray I have ever seen at the bridge. My student and I were at the surface just having completed a spool and bag exercise when the eagle ray glided below us. Spectacular! In the same neighborhood we found a grumpy-looking batfish who let me take one good picture before losing patience with me. Kind of grumpy. Under the east bridge we saw two flying gurnards, one of which cooperated for a photo with the little bar jack who was interested in anything the gurnard might stir up from the sand. There is still some green water after the tide turns and there were some jellyfish, but neither detracted from what was just an absolutely great dive at the bridge. I didn't want to leave. Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 16 September

"It ain't easy being green." At least it isn't easy diving in green water. The fresh water run-off from Isaac and the recent almost-daily thunder showers have given the water at the bridge a strong green color with vis of less than ten feet. Normally I avoid weekend dives at the bridge, but since today's high tide was at 9:02 I knew parking would not be a problem (the word "issue" is overused!).
My four advanced open water students were willing to get up early so we braved the low vis and attacked our skill set which involved compass and bag work using finger spools. The vis was good enough for what we needed to do, but when we started to venture under the east bridge to look around it was so dark that I decided to abandon the under-bridge exploration and return to somewhat brighter water south of the bridge. The water temperatue was eighty-two which was very nice for our one hour, thirty-one minute dive. In a three millimeter suit I was very comfortable. If the "newbies" kicked up the bottom, it was the perfect day to do so; nobody would be able to tell the difference! Get in the water (even if it's green), Ham