The water at the Bridge was quite green from all the fresh water runoff from whatever sources reducing the vis to about ten feet. The water temperature was a very pleasant eighty-two degrees for our one hour, sixteen minute dive. Three advanced open water students and I practiced blowing surface markers with finger spools and compass work. An intermediate spotted eagle ray flew by us, but the vis was short and I was too slow for a picture. The accompanying photo I believe is a juvenile scrawled cowfish. Carrie and I could not find a picture of one, but we see many adults at the bridge so that is my best guess. Parking was not a problem as I arrived three hours before the slack high tide. I was entertained by a swimmer being swept by the current around the seawall under the west bridge. There was no danger; it was so far ahead of the high tide that all he had to do was to stand up to get back around. A boater also drove his boat, filled with guests, right into the snorkeling area where boats are prohibited by large white buoys, RIGHT IN FRONT OF NOT ONE, BUT TWO COAST GUARD BOATS!!! There are fools and there are damn fools. The Coast Guard captain was very patient with the "skipper" of the errant boat. Incredible. It reminded me of the time last year when a "skipper" steered his forty feet plus sailboat through a dozen dive flags rather than through the BOAT CHANNEL! That "skipper" was finally fined. That's not all. I watched four divers enter the very brown, tannic water three hours before the slack high tide only to be swept from the eastern edge of the swim area well past the western side in minutes, only to finally ascend and decide that the current was too fast and the vis was too short to do a dive. That "dive" must have been an "experience-builder" for the four. I think they learned a great deal. It's all good. Nobody was hurt. Best of all, I was quite entertained. There is plenty to see at the Bridge, below and ABOVE the water!
