I’m the ScubaBoardian that lives in Tampa and drives to the Atlantic coast several times a month.
@Divin'Papaw has, IMO, the ideal location.
@Divin'Papaw has, IMO, the ideal location.
Florida Divers! Year End Summary
- Thread starter CosbySweater
- Start date
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Johnoly
Contributor
- Messages
- 4,005
- Reaction score
- 5,457
- # of dives
- 2500 - 4999
Really great to see all the dives everyone did. I don't log dives but my credit card statement lists all my fill cards and I bought 90 fills in 2021 so a lot slower than when I was always commercial diving. For me there's a shark meet & greet almost every dive but it was a tame year and didn't smash the dinner bell much. The best dives were the SB group dives and meeting people I'd only read their posts. My only real equipment upgrade was improving my regs rinsing. I picked up a 13 and installed an H valve to attach my pony & main regs so I can fresh water pressure soak them for an hour. Just did an internal inspection and not a hint of salt where in the past it was getting trashed internally and IP's gittin creepy. No foreign trips planned for 2022 but those 150+ lemons are calling the 4th weekend of January !!
Johnoly
Contributor
- Messages
- 4,005
- Reaction score
- 5,457
- # of dives
- 2500 - 4999
The HOA rules down here are brutal and if your Air BnB isn't walking to the beach you're SOL.
For the $300K home, alot of divers are finding 3bdrm {reasonable insurance} in the Stuart/St.Lucie areas which puts you ~30mins from WPB/JUP diving. Going south is just picking your pain level {traffic/costs/density}. I'd sign a 7mth apartment/condo lease now and test the water by only sticking in your big toe. that way you don't get soaked.
160 dives for the year.
Almost 2/3 were "work" dives as either DM/guide for charter boats or as an instructor, so there was lots of driving to the usual training spots: Blue Grotto, Hudson, Rainbow River, Denton. I recently ordered a truck with a small diesel so I spend less on gas for those drives than I earn from instructing. Pool dives are not counted in the total.
About 20 dives in the Keys and 6 out of Palm Beach.
Only non-Florida diving was a week in Antigua in May.
Nearly all the rest were in the Gulf off Manatee or Pinellas Counties.
Notable dives of the year:
--My buddy's reg failure when I was wedged in under a ledge hunting lion fish, detailed here.
--Diving Blackthorn with the former officer in charge of the Coast Guard dive team who led the salvage work and body recovery back in 1980. He hadn't seen the ship since it was re-sunk. He shared a lot of primary documents I hadn't read before. It was a somber and educational day.
Main things I learned this year:
--As an instructor, I had a reminder to make absolutely 100% sure all the paperwork is right before any instruction happens. An apparently healthy and fit student had a medical emergency on the pool deck before confined water dive #1 while learning to assemble his gear. I was obliged to submit an incident report, which included every document related to his training. PADI accepted the report and commended its thoroughness. It would have been a very different story if all the i's hadn't been dotted and all the t's crossed. I was also glad I had enrolled him in the free entry-level student insurance available through my DAN liability policy, even though his primary insurer covered his expenses.
--As a recreational diver, I worked on gaining competence at spearfishing and made some progress.
Gear: Nothing particularly exciting.
--I'm getting a Garmin InReach as an added safety measure on offshore spearfishing trips.
--I continued my journey to lighter and simpler BC's. My primary BC is now a Dive Rite Hydro Lite. I made one modification, replacing the lower fold-over velcro tank strap with a legit cam band so it can accommodate the larger tanks I sometimes use.
Total bottom time: Haven't added it up.
Deepest: I don't do much deep diving. Went past 100' only seven times this year and past 90' only three other times. Max depth 105'.
Almost 2/3 were "work" dives as either DM/guide for charter boats or as an instructor, so there was lots of driving to the usual training spots: Blue Grotto, Hudson, Rainbow River, Denton. I recently ordered a truck with a small diesel so I spend less on gas for those drives than I earn from instructing. Pool dives are not counted in the total.
About 20 dives in the Keys and 6 out of Palm Beach.
Only non-Florida diving was a week in Antigua in May.
Nearly all the rest were in the Gulf off Manatee or Pinellas Counties.
Notable dives of the year:
--My buddy's reg failure when I was wedged in under a ledge hunting lion fish, detailed here.
--Diving Blackthorn with the former officer in charge of the Coast Guard dive team who led the salvage work and body recovery back in 1980. He hadn't seen the ship since it was re-sunk. He shared a lot of primary documents I hadn't read before. It was a somber and educational day.
Main things I learned this year:
--As an instructor, I had a reminder to make absolutely 100% sure all the paperwork is right before any instruction happens. An apparently healthy and fit student had a medical emergency on the pool deck before confined water dive #1 while learning to assemble his gear. I was obliged to submit an incident report, which included every document related to his training. PADI accepted the report and commended its thoroughness. It would have been a very different story if all the i's hadn't been dotted and all the t's crossed. I was also glad I had enrolled him in the free entry-level student insurance available through my DAN liability policy, even though his primary insurer covered his expenses.
--As a recreational diver, I worked on gaining competence at spearfishing and made some progress.
Gear: Nothing particularly exciting.
--I'm getting a Garmin InReach as an added safety measure on offshore spearfishing trips.
--I continued my journey to lighter and simpler BC's. My primary BC is now a Dive Rite Hydro Lite. I made one modification, replacing the lower fold-over velcro tank strap with a legit cam band so it can accommodate the larger tanks I sometimes use.
Total bottom time: Haven't added it up.
Deepest: I don't do much deep diving. Went past 100' only seven times this year and past 90' only three other times. Max depth 105'.
I also didn't get to do as many dives in 2021 as I'd hoped, but isn't that always the case? Lost several to being blown out and mechanical problems with the boat.
Dives: 45
Avg Dive Time: 56 min
Deepest Dive: 165 ft on the Miller Lite
Avg Depth: 91'
Longest Dive: 98 min
Memorable Dives:
New Dive Gear: Deep6 regs, sharkskin
Dives: 45
- 8 in Palm Beach
- 13 in Pompano Beach
- 15 in Portobelo, Panama
- 9 on Lighthouse Reef, Belize
Avg Dive Time: 56 min
Deepest Dive: 165 ft on the Miller Lite
Avg Depth: 91'
Longest Dive: 98 min
Memorable Dives:
- All of the dives at Huracan Dive Lodge on Lighthouse Reef, Belize. Viz well over 100', sharks and eagle rays on nearly every dive!
- Diving with my Panamanian friends
- Waiting alone on the surface in 6-8' seas waiting for a pickup after a dive on the Miller Lite
New Dive Gear: Deep6 regs, sharkskin
- Messages
- 19,723
- Reaction score
- 18,575
- Location
- Philadelphia and Boynton Beach
- # of dives
- 1000 - 2499
Dives:
2021 was a much better year for me than 2020. I did 157 dives, just under 159 hours. This was much better than the 81 dives I did in 2020, but far below the >200 dives I did in 2016-2019
My 2021 dives included 6 trips down to Florida in March, April, May, June, September and December. Ninety-four of my dives were in SE Florida; 41 in Boynton Beach, 39 in Jupiter, and 14 in West Palm
I had a marvelous trip to Malpelo, Colombia in July, where I did 18 dives. My wife and I had a fantastic 2 week trip to Bonaire in Oct/Nov, where I got in 45 dives
Highlights:
Florida has some real gems. I saw a Tiger Shark in Jupiter at Spadefish Point in March, only the 2nd Tiger Shark I've seen in FL. I had a great Lemon Shark dive at Lemon Drop in March. I saw a Great Hammerhead in Boynton Beach outside of Clubhouse in March. I saw another Great Hammerhead in Boynton Beach outside of Briney Breezes in April. These are only the second and third Great Hammerhead I've seen. Goliath Grouper aggregation was very good in September. I met @CosbySweater in Boynton Beach in Sept. I missed @Johnoly this year and am still waiting to meet @Divin'Papaw I was able to dive with many of the friends I have made the last 10 years, and made some new ones. Maybe I'll be able to make a SB diving day in 2022.
The trip to Malpelo was absolutely unbelievable Trip Report - The Magic of Malpelo, July 9-18, 2021 on the Ferox I met a longtime SB friend on this trip, @Dan We'll be diving together again this year at Tiger Beach/Bimini.
The diving in Bonaire was very good and it was a very relaxing trip. Trip Report - Bonaire: Den Laman and Dive Friends, October 20-November 3, 2021 This was the first time we were able to get down since the fall of 2019
@RobPNW I spent many years diving the Keys, and then 4 years diving from Ft Lauderdale to Jupiter, before my wife and I bought a townhouse in Hypoluxo, just north of Boynton Beach. I have more than 1200 dives in Boynton Beach, Jupiter, and West Palm, I wouldn't change a thing
Happy New Year to all, and my wish that 2022 is a wonderful diving year for everyone.
2021 was a much better year for me than 2020. I did 157 dives, just under 159 hours. This was much better than the 81 dives I did in 2020, but far below the >200 dives I did in 2016-2019
My 2021 dives included 6 trips down to Florida in March, April, May, June, September and December. Ninety-four of my dives were in SE Florida; 41 in Boynton Beach, 39 in Jupiter, and 14 in West Palm
I had a marvelous trip to Malpelo, Colombia in July, where I did 18 dives. My wife and I had a fantastic 2 week trip to Bonaire in Oct/Nov, where I got in 45 dives
Highlights:
Florida has some real gems. I saw a Tiger Shark in Jupiter at Spadefish Point in March, only the 2nd Tiger Shark I've seen in FL. I had a great Lemon Shark dive at Lemon Drop in March. I saw a Great Hammerhead in Boynton Beach outside of Clubhouse in March. I saw another Great Hammerhead in Boynton Beach outside of Briney Breezes in April. These are only the second and third Great Hammerhead I've seen. Goliath Grouper aggregation was very good in September. I met @CosbySweater in Boynton Beach in Sept. I missed @Johnoly this year and am still waiting to meet @Divin'Papaw I was able to dive with many of the friends I have made the last 10 years, and made some new ones. Maybe I'll be able to make a SB diving day in 2022.
The trip to Malpelo was absolutely unbelievable Trip Report - The Magic of Malpelo, July 9-18, 2021 on the Ferox I met a longtime SB friend on this trip, @Dan We'll be diving together again this year at Tiger Beach/Bimini.
The diving in Bonaire was very good and it was a very relaxing trip. Trip Report - Bonaire: Den Laman and Dive Friends, October 20-November 3, 2021 This was the first time we were able to get down since the fall of 2019
@RobPNW I spent many years diving the Keys, and then 4 years diving from Ft Lauderdale to Jupiter, before my wife and I bought a townhouse in Hypoluxo, just north of Boynton Beach. I have more than 1200 dives in Boynton Beach, Jupiter, and West Palm, I wouldn't change a thing
Happy New Year to all, and my wish that 2022 is a wonderful diving year for everyone.
Dives:
2021 was a much better year for me than 2020. I did 157 dives, just under 159 hours. This was much better than the 81 dives I did in 2020, but far below the >200 dives I did in 2016-2019
My 2021 dives included 6 trips down to Florida in March, April, May, June, September and December. Ninety-four of my dives were in SE Florida; 41 in Boynton Beach, 39 in Jupiter, and 14 in West Palm
I had a marvelous trip to Malpelo, Colombia in July, where I did 18 dives. My wife and I had a fantastic 2 week trip to Bonaire in Oct/Nov, where I got in 45 dives
Highlights:
Florida had some real gems. I saw a Tiger Shark in Jupiter at Spadefish Point in March, only the 2nd Tiger Shark I've seen. I had a great Lemon Shark dive at Lemon Drop in March. I saw a Great Hammerhead in Boynton Beach outside of Clubhouse in March. I saw another Great Hammerhead in Boynton Beach outside of Briney Breezes in April. These are only the second and third Great Hammerhead I've seen. Goliath Grouper aggregation was very good in September. I met @CosbySweater in Boynton Beach in Sept. I missed @Johnoly this year and am still waiting to meet @Divin'Papaw I was able to dive with many of the friends I have made over the last 10 years, and made some new ones.
The trip to Malpelo was absolutely unbelievable Trip Report - The Magic of Malpelo, July 9-18, 2021 on the Ferox I met a longtime SB friend on this trip, @Dan We'll be diving together again this year at Tiger Beach/Bimini.
The diving in Bonaire was very good and it was a very relaxing trip. Trip Report - Bonaire: Den Laman and Dive Friends, October 20-November 3, 2021 This was the first time we were able to get down since the fall of 2019
@RobPNW I spent many years diving the Keys, and then 4 years diving from Ft Lauderdale to Jupiter, before my wife and I bought a townhouse in Hypoluxo, just north of Boynton Beach. I have more than 1200 dives in Boynton Beach, Jupiter, and West Palm, I wouldn't change a thing
Happy New Year to all, and my wish that 2022 is a wonderful diving year for everyone.
Another jealousy inducing total!
Hopefully our schedules will sync up allowing us to dive together in 2022.
Dan
Contributor
Thanks for tagging me to this thread. I usually dive in Florida almost every year as I have some friends, dive buddies & relatives who live there. I used to live there too. Unfortunately we cancelled Goliath Grouper spawning & Blue Heron diving trip in 2021 due to Covid.
As far as my diving in 2021, I made 194 dives:
8 dives in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
2 dives in Cabo Pulmo, Mexico
35 dives in Socorro, Mexico
14 dives in Belize
49 dives in Maldives
18 dives in Malpelo, Colombia
11 dives in Guadalupe, Mexico
13 divers in Tiger Beach, Bahamas
44 dives in Palau
The highlight is reaching 1100 dives at the last dive in Palau on Christmas Day.
RobPNW
Contributor
Good info, thanks folks.
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