Dive Florida - Reefs, Fish, Blue/Green Water

Dive Trip Report to:
Purpose: To Dive in Florida FOR LOBSTER

Dive Reports:

Dive #1: Thursday, 27-July-2000, Morning Dive. My Dive #321
A. Dive Boat / Location: Master Plan (a 36 ft Orca, twin desel, great boat) / Jupiter Ledges of the Loran Tower
B. Conditions:
Visibility: 40 ft
Seas: 2 ft with some swells
Water Temp: 82 deg, a lot warmer than the day before
Skies: SCBS (Sunny Clear Blue Skies
Air Temp: 80 - 90's
C. Dive Information:
Depth & Time: Me: Genesis Nitrox Dive Computer - 75 ft for 40 min, Analog - 72 ft, Cochran Captain (Very Unreliable Dive Computer) - 70 ft for 40 min.
Air consumption: Me: 3700 to 700 lb (120 cu ft)
Current: Mild to Medium
Description: Well, this was a new dive boat for me. It was a great ship, lots of room, big decks, new boat, twin screw and fast! The first dive was a good reef dive. Some bugs were caught!

Dive #2: Thursday, 27-July-2000, Morning Dive. My Dive #322
A. Dive Boat / Location: Master Plan (a 36 ft Orca, twin desel, great boat) / near Wrass Bass (could see the wire net on the bottom that we saw the previous day)
B. Conditions:
Visibility: 50 ft min
Seas: 2 - 3 ft with bigger swells
Water Temp: low 80's
Skies: SCBS (Sunny Clear Blue Skies
Air Temp: 80 - 90's
C. Dive Information:
Depth & Time: Me: Genesis Nitrox Dive Computer - 86 ft for 25 min, Analog - 78 ft, Cochran Captain (Very Unreliable Dive Computer) - 82 ft for 25.
Air consumption: Me: 3500 to 1500 lb (120 cu ft)
Current: Strong - 1.8 knots measured.
Description: Well down we went, this was a beautiful ledge. Lot's of fish, lot's of great ledge, one nurse shark, good relief. But, only a few bugs!

Dive #3: Thursday, 27-July-2000, Morning Dive. My Dive #323
A. Dive Boat / Location: Master Plan (a 36 ft Orca, twin desel, great boat) / Same as previous dive
B. Conditions:
Visibility: Same
Seas: Same
Water Temp: Same
Skies: SCBS (Sunny Clear Blue Skies
Air Temp: 80 - 90's
C. Dive Information:
Depth & Time: Me: Genesis Nitrox Dive Computer - 81 ft for 3 min,
Air consumption: Me: 1500 to 1000 lb (120 cu ft)
Current: Again, strong.
Description: Well, the last diver down got the dive bouy caught on some coral. Someone had to go down and free it. I had some air left in a tank and was volunteered. In order to not have to fight the current pulling myself down the line, the boat picked up the bouy and moved it up-current. I jumpted in just as the bouy went tight. Holding on to the line, the current moved me down like a rocket. It was quite a ride, took about 30 seconds! On the bottom, there was a lot of crap floating in the water. It was hard to see the reef. The line was freed and pulled up and I took it easy on the way up! This was a quick dive, but a fun one!

Dive #4: Thursday, 27-July-2000, Afternoon Dive. My Dive #324
A. Dive Boat / Location: Master Plan (a 36 ft Orca, twin desel, great boat) / Pecks Lake
B. Conditions:
Visibility: 10 - 15 ft
Seas: 1 ft
Water Temp: 80's
Skies: SCBS (Sunny Clear Blue Skies
Air Temp: 80 - 90's
C. Dive Information:
Depth & Time: Me: Genesis Nitrox Dive Computer - 31 ft for 52 min,
Air consumption: Me: 2900 - 700 (80 cu ft), 3000 - 500 [13 cu ft poney]
Current: Mild
Description: Well, we decided to dive with the rest of the crowds in Peck's Lake. This is the area south of Stuart Inlet within a mile of the shore and from the inlet to about 5 miles south. The vis wasn't the greatest, but we were after bugs. The formations were sporatic rock clusters. I fought with one but, under a small ledge in a hole just at the reach of my tickle stick. Bug won, I lost. After a while, I decited to test a 13 cu ft pony bottle. At 25 - 27 ft, using from 3000 to 500 lbs of air, it lasted 12 minutes. This is more than enough time to come up from even the deepest dive!

Well, again bugs in the freezer, Lobster and Steak for dinner!

Irishman Software, Satellite Beach, Florida
Mail Corrections / Additions to : Irishman@SpryNet.Com
http://home.sprynet.com/~irishman
Last Updated 31-May-2000