Saturday - Monday, June 27-29, 1998 Dive Rampage in West Palm Beach

Dive Trip Report to :West Palm Bach

Dive #1: 27-June-98, Saturday Night, My Dive # 130
A. Dive Location: Bath & Tennis - Night Dive
B. Conditions:
Visibility: 30' with bright flashlights
Seas: Calm - 1'
Water Temp: 87 F on the bottom / Covering: Used a 3 mm shortie with a lycra suite under it!
Skies: Dark Clear Skies, no wind
Air Temp: 80's
C. Dive Information:
Depth & Time: Genesis: 46' for 57 min, Dive Partner Analog - 57'
Air consumption: Me 3500 to 1500 lbs, 120 Cu Ft, Dive Partner: 3000 - 700 lbs, 80 Cu Ft
Current: Mild
Description: N / S drift dive of Bath & Tennis. Lots to see - 2 Turtles, 2 Bugs - one real big one, 2 eels. One spotted eel was seen at a distance of 25' moving across the sandy bottom - looked real cool to see the curvy lines of this eel's movement.

Dive #2: 28-June-98, Sunday, My Dive # 131
A. Dive Location: Mitzpa - Corridor
B. Conditions:
Visibility: 50'
Seas: Calm - 1'
Water Temp: 86 on the bottom / Covering: Used a 3 mm shortie with a lycra suite under it!
Skies: SCBS - Sunny Clear Blue Skies, slight wind
Air Temp: Hot and Humid!
C. Dive Information:
Depth & Time: Me: 85' Analog, 86' for 29 min Genesis, Dive Partner: 80' Analog, 82' for 29 min Cochran
Air consumption: Me: 3200 - 800 lbs, 120 Cu Ft, Dive Partner: 3250 - 700 lbs, 80 Cu Ft
Current: Strong Current - @ 2 knots.
Description: Very strong current for this drift dive. We dropped down to the sand along the ship's side - noticing on the way down the very strong current. We pulled ourselves up the side to the top deck in order to work our way to the bow. Unfortunately, the current was too strong to even pull ourselves along the top deck towards the bow. We descended back to the sand and worked our way to the stern. Many of the divers were in this hiding behind the cut-off stern. We entered the large room and went up towards the cargo bay - it was loaded with fish and barracuda. There also was one nice size Grouper! At the pre-determined 5 minutes, our dive master showed up and we continued the drift. The current was really moving. I had to pull my dive partner towards the one side of the current in order to make it to the rock pile and the next wreck. I had a 120 cu ft tank - the extra air came in handy for crossing this current!
On this next wreck, my dive partner spotted the largest barracuda seen - about 8' and real fat. The Cuda was about 30' in front of us going towards one side! It suddenly changed course directly and slowly towards my dive partner. The fish ended going under us about 2' - it did bring a big scare. It's mouth was big enough to bite off one's head, and it was filled with a lot of very sharp pointy teeth. We hung around this wreck for a while, some divers ventured into a stern cabin looking for a big Jewish - we later learned he did see the fish, could not estimate it's weight - except for it was very very big. We started to continue the dive to the last wreck when both my partner and I reached 1000 lbs of air and decided to go up! On the up drift, we drifted (flew) over the Amaryllis.
This dive was very exciting for those use to fast drift dives and those that have drifted the corridor before. Several novices stated they were really scarred of the strong current. We had a blast - it was like flying in your own dive bomber. You controlled where you would go - within the confines of the current's speed and direction and your strength and air supply. We saw two extremely large Barracuda and lots of other fish with one big Grouper!

Dive #3: 28-June-98, Sunday, My Dive # 132
A. Dive Location: A long drift dive and then The Trench
B. Conditions:
Visibility: 30'
Seas: 1'
Water Temp: 86-87F on the bottom / Covering: Used a 3 mm shortie with a lycra suite under it!
Skies: SCBS - Sunny Clear Blue Skies, no wind
Air Temp: Hot and Humid!
C. Dive Information:
Depth & Time: Me: 61' for 40 min Genesis, Dive Partner: 60' Analog, 59' for 40 min Cochran
Air consumption: Me: 3200 - 700 lbs, 80 Cu Ft, Dive Partner: 3200 - 700 lbs, 80 Cu Ft
Current: Medium
Description: The Captain dropped us off so we drifted the first 80% of the dive. We saw one big Green Eel, which one divemaster managed to pet! The eel was mostly out of it's hole, coiled in a 5' high coil - it was a big eel! Many were stunned by the ability of the experienced divemaster to pet the eel! The eel seemed to love it. We then entered the mouth of the trench - a 200' long gully, 20' wide and 10' deep. We worked our way to the end on the bottom, looking into the many holes. There were lot's of fish, none noteworthy, no eels. On the way back we did see two fish inside one hole eating the coral. We stopped for a few minutes to watch the fish eat and swim around inside this 2 cu ft hole in the side of the trench. As our air was running out, we started the ascent to the surface.

Dive #4: 29-June, 98, Monday, My Dive # 133
A. Dive Location: Pauls Reef
B. Conditions:
Visibility: 50'
Seas: 1 - 2'
Water Temp: 87 F / Covering: Used a 3 mm shortie with a lycra suite under it!
Skies: SCBS - Sunny Clear Blue Skies, no wind
Air Temp: Hot and Humid!
C. Dive Information:
Depth & Time: 1st drop Me: 70' Analog, 70' for 22 min Genesis, Dive Partner: 64' Analog, 67' for 22 min Cochran
Air consumption: My high pressure gauge sprung a leak, so a lot of air was lost.
Current: Medium in all kinds of changing directions.
Description: When we were dropped off, the supposedly mild north going current was moderate to the east. We missed Paul's reef and finally found the sand that would take us to the Bahamas. On the way we did see two big turtles and several bugs. At the sand line, we went up. Captain Bob, refilled everybody's tanks and put us back for another attempt to see Paul's Reef.

Dive #5: 29-June, 98, Monday, My Dive # 134
A. Dive Location: Pauls Reef
B. Conditions:
Visibility: 50'
Seas: 1 - 2'
Water Temp: 87 F / Covering: Used a 3 mm shortie with a lycra suite under it!
Skies: SCBS - Sunny Clear Blue Skies, no wind
Air Temp: Hot and Humid!
C. Dive Information:
Depth & Time: 2nd drop Me: 62' Analog, 61' for 20 min Genesis, Dive Partner: 58' for 20 min Cochran
Air consumption: My high pressure gauge sprung a leak, so a lot of air was lost.
Current: Medium in all kinds of changing directions.
Description: This time, Capt. Bob joined us for the dive - he even led with the Buoy! This is a first as I've never seen Capt Bob in the water in the 3 years I've been using the Rampage. Well, we dropped right on the reef. It's about 15' above the sand. There were lots and lots of schools of fish. About ½ way down the drift, we looked up to again see a dozen big barracuda (not as big as the one on the Mitzpa). The drift was taking us almost along the reef, we had to kick out some. We were on the bottom on the sand to help pull us out from the reef and to cut down the effect of the current. There was another dive group that had spotted a big green eel and were attempting to pet the pretty green worm! The area was crowded, so we did not stay long. My leaking pressure gauge cut the dive short, we came up when I had 1200 lbs for safety. It was a beautiful dive, lots of colors, lots of coral and lots of fish!

Dive #5: 29-June-98, Monday, My Dive # 135
A. Dive Location: Breakers
B. Conditions:
Visibility: 30'
Seas: 1 - 2'
Water Temp: 87 F / Covering: Used a 3 mm shortie with a lycra suite under it!
Skies: SCBS - Sunny Clear Blue Skies, no wind
Air Temp: Real Hot and Humid!
C. Dive Information:
Depth & Time: Me: 63' Analog, 63' for 20 min Genesis, Dive Partner: 60' Analog, 58' for 20 min Cochran
Air consumption: My high pressure gauge sprung a leak, so a lot of air was lost.
Current: Medium
Description: This was a typical Breakers dive - lots of colors, lots of coral, lots of rocks, lots of fish! And of course, there was one Big Green Eel. Again, the dive was cut short due to the leaking pressure gauge.

Last Updated: 10-July-2002

The Irishman Software's, West Melbourne, Florida
Irishman@SpryNet.Com - http://www.IrishmanSoftware.com/